BMW has just filed a flurry of trademark applications for what is almost certain to be four all-new electric SUVs. Discovered by CarBuzz, the four trademarks - iX6, iX7, iX8, iX9 - were registered with the German Patent and Trade Mark Office, and they follow BMW's naming convention for electric SUVs. These names appeared five years ago but that was before electrification really took hold of the industry, and the latest filings with the German Patent and Trade Mark Office, dated September 28, indicate that BMW has intensified its development of its electric SUV range.
Currently, the only electric SUV BMW sells in the USA is the iX, but an iX3 is already available in several other markets despite BMW choosing not to sell it here.
These new models are all larger than the iX3, though, with the iX6 likely being a midsize vehicle and the rest all spilling over into the full-size segment. But, while the iX6 and iX7 are easy to make sense of, it's less clear what form the iX8 and iX9 will take.
Let's start with the iX6. This should be an electric coupe-style SUV with similar styling to the X6. Interestingly, there is no sign of an iX4 trademark, but rumors suggest this model is still on the way to completely replace the gas-powered X4 and will be based on the Neue Klasse platform.
We have heard rumors of an iX6 before, but its arrival is only scheduled for April 2028. Because it will likely be similar in size to the iX, we expect it to also come with two electric motors and to make over 600 horsepower in range-topping guise. A less powerful rear-wheel-drive variant is also possible.
The iX7, meanwhile, will be an electric version of the three-row X7. BMW needs this model to compete with the Mercedes EQS SUV, but it is only scheduled to arrive in August 2027. As one of the brand's flagship SUVs, we expect it to have similar outputs to the i7 sedan which produces 536 hp. The iX7 will be heavier, though, so it may not match the i7's 4.5-second 0-60 mph dash. Like the regular X7, expect three rows of comfortable seating.
Finally, we move on to two of the more mysterious models: the iX8 and iX9. Previous reports suggest that even though the XM plug-in hybrid is here, the X8 is still coming as a flagship SUV with sportier styling.
BMW reserves its even-numbered SUV badges for those with coupe-like styling - X4, X6, and so on - so we expect the iX8 to have a sloping roofline and sharper driving dynamics than the iX7. Since the XM is a standalone M car, that does leave room for a large two-row SUV like the iX8 with plush materials and the best technologies, but without the focus on performance like the XM. And, because it is fully electric, it won't directly cannibalize sales of the XM since that is a PHEV with a V8.
That leaves us with the iX9. Based purely on the badge, logic dictates that this is a three-row electric SUV that sits above the iX7. But is there space for such a vehicle in BMW's lineup, let alone in an average-sized garage? The current X7 already stretches to over 203 inches, making it longer than any other BMW SUV before it. But there are larger SUVs out there like the Rolls-Royce Cullinan (210 inches long) and the Cadillac Escalade ESV (a frankly absurd 227 inches in length).
Even though Rolls-Royce is owned by BMW, our guess is that the iX9 will be positioned as the ultimate BMW SUV with a sky-high price, unrivaled comfort, and a silken ride. It will be less sporty than smaller iX models, and the back seats will come with all of BMW's toys, including the theater screen that debuted on the new 7 Series. Rolls-Royce is also transitioning to electric models soon, so the iX9 could have a lot in common with a future Cullinan EV.
We expect all these electric SUVs to adopt BMW's EV design touches like blue detailing for the exterior and badging, along with unique instrumentation graphics.
There is no telling when an iX8 or iX9 may arrive, but don't expect to see them before the smaller models discussed above. By then, BMW will hopefully have found a way to make electrified SUVs lighter - the new XM PHEV weighs over 6,000 pounds.