The BMW iX3 will be delayed in the U.S. pending the arrival of the iNext.

BMW will not sell the next electric version of its popular X3 crossover in the United States. The battery-electric BMW iX3 was supposed to go into production this year and would have likely become a 2021 model if U.S. sales continue.

This decision was announced at the end of the BMW Concept i4 press release a week ago and subsequently confirmed by the automaker.

"There are currently no plans to bring the iX3 to the U.S. market," BMW spokesman Oleg Satanovsky told Motor Authority on Monday.

BMW has not said why the iX3 will not be introduced in the United States. It may be because the car is rear-wheel drive, while most U.S. buyers will prefer the all-wheel drive X3.

The iX3's range may also be too low compared to its competitors. It will probably be equipped with a 74 kWh battery, while the Audi E-Tron has a 95 kWh battery and the Jaguar I-Pace has a 90 kWh battery.

Furthermore, unlike the X3, which will be assembled at BMW's plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and sold locally, the iX3 will be assembled exclusively in China.

BMW fans in the U.S. who want an electric SUV will have to wait another year for the long-awaited iNext, which will be unveiled in mid-2021.The vehicle, which may be labeled the iX5 because of its similar dimensions to the X5, will feature BMW's fifth-generation battery and electric motor (the iX3 uses only an electric motor). (The iX3 is only equipped with the fourth generation), and BMW has confirmed that the largest battery for the iNext will be 120 kWh with a range of over 400 miles

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BMW also plans to launch the i4 electric liftback sedan in late 2021. This model is a production version of the i4 concept and will essentially replace the current 4 Series Gran Coupe. It will have a maximum battery capacity of 80 kWh and a range of up to 300 miles.