Pop-out door handles have received mixed reactions. On the one hand, clean the profile of a car and offer real aerodynamic advantages. On the other hand, some argue that they are just a fashion and another thing that could break. There are also valid concerns about the usability of winter. Ice cultivation can freeze the handles, which makes it difficult. In the case of the new IX3, BMW promises that it will not be a problem.
Although the first modern new class model does not contain heated door handles, it uses another solution to deal with frozen water. An electrical ice breaking function exposes enough strength to crack the ice cream “even in extremely cold conditions”. As soon as this is done, the owner can unlock or lock the doors with the button buttons or the small mechanical key that is integrated into the FOB’s housing.
However, BMW admits that the system may not be foolproof and finds that its effectiveness can “be limited by moisture or snow”. Nevertheless, it is reassuring to know the engineers in Munich who lived in cold climate zones where winter are hard. Ultimately, the thickness of the ice cream determines whether the handles can jump out. Heating elements would have been a more reliable solution than relying on Brute.
It is a similar story with the loading flap on the rear fender. When it freezes overnight, the IX3 automatically activates an ice rink function to release it. Just as the flush door handles stretch outwards, the flap recognizes when the owner intends to charge the 108.7 kWh battery. It is 2025, so it is not surprising that BMW claims that even the cover uses artificial intelligence for charging ports to find out when to open or close.
These clever door handles and loading flaps are also included on the upcoming i3. It is essentially a limousine version of the IX3 that will arrive next year together with a new 3 Series with fuel engines. But not every future BMW will take pop-out handles. Official images of disguised prototypes have shown the next generation X5 with the winglets integrated into the Belt line.
We saw this setup on the M8-based skytop and speedtop duo, and in 2026 a series production model. About a year later, the larger BMW X7 with the same design will follow the same design, which compensates for its doors for a slimmer profile and possibly even better air flow.
