The BMW iX produces up to 523 horsepower from two electric motors and has a range of up to 611 kilometres. Its interior is made of a variety of sustainable and recycled materials.
Among the luxury electric vehicle manufacturers in India, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, and Audi have all made great strides, but BMW has been conspicuously absent. That is about to change as BMW prepares to debut its iX SUV, BMW’s first all-electric vehicle, in India. . The BMW iX, which will compete with SUVs like the Mercedes-Benz EQC and Audi e-Tron, will arrive in Australia on December 11 via the CBU route. BMW’s flagship electric vehicle is the iX SUV.
- Two electric motors provide up to 611km of range and 523hp.
- The exterior dimensions are identical to the X5, but the inside size is comparable to the X7.
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BMW iX’s engine
The BMW iX comes in two models: iX xDrive 40 and iX xDrive 50, which are offered globally. According to the WLTP cycle, the former has a driving range of up to 414 kilometres and produces 326 horsepower and 630Nm of peak torque. The iX xDrive 40, according to BMW, can accelerate from zero to 100 kilometres per hour in 6.1 seconds. On the WLTP cycle, the latter has a driving range of up to 611km and delivers 523hp and 765Nm of peak torque. According to BMW, the iX can accelerate from 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in 4.6 seconds.
Dual electric motors enable all-wheel drive in both types, one on each axle. According to driving conditions, the AWD system, on the other hand, distributes torque differently between the front and rear axles. The iX can be operated in a pure rear-wheel-drive mode (which is more fuel-efficient) and then switched to all-wheel drive as needed.
BMW iX Battery and charging
The xDrive 50 model of the iX has a 105.2 kWh battery, whereas the xDrive 40 has a 71 kWh battery. The charging mechanism on the iX enables up to 195kW DC fast charging, which lets the battery be charged from 10% to 80% in 35 minutes for the xDrive 50 model. On the other hand, the iX xDrive 40 requires only 31 minutes to charge from 10% to 80% with a DC charger.
With the iX, BMW includes an 11kW AC wallbox fast charger that can charge the batteries from 0% to 100% in under 11 hours for the xDrive 50 model and 7.5 hours for the xDrive 40 model.
It’ll be interesting to see if BMW, like its competitors, makes the AC wallbox charger standard on the iX. BMW iX Exterior design and style
As the first look at the BMW iX, the iNext Concept from 2017 is a modern and innovative take on the brand’s design, showcasing EV-specific features that make it stand out from the company’s ICE-powered models. The iX’s front appearance is dominated by BMW’s recognisable and somewhat enormous kidney grille. Despite the fact that there is no requirement for air to flow into the radiator, the grille is sealed and contains many cameras, radar, and sensors necessary for driver assistance systems. The iX’s traditional corona light design has been replaced by a quartet of light bands in the upper area of the thin headlamp assembly. The taillights are similarly styled in the same way.
There are sharp, angular design cues in the front bumper, with air vents for aerodynamic efficiency. The rear bumper is less aggressively shaped and has a smoother appearance. Frameless doors, fixed B-pillars, a fixed clamshell-style bonnet, and a tapering glasshouse are among the iX’s other design features. Aerodynamically optimised rims with 275/40 profile rubber are available for the iX up to 22 inches.
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BMW iX Interior and features
Despite its size being equivalent to that of a BMW X5, the iX has an interior more in line with a BMW X7 thanks to its electric architecture. With a flat floor and natural materials, the inside of the iX is light and airy. Moreover, the seat covers are made of microfiber fabric, which incorporates recycled plastic. Its interior features a hexagonal steering wheel and an enormous curving display that functions both as an instrument cluster and an infotainment device. There is an instrument cluster with a 12.3-inch display and an infotainment screen with a 14.9-inch display, both tilted towards the driver. There’s also a fresh design for the head-up display.
BMW iX Expected price and competitors
BMW iX’s primary competitors in India will be Mercedes-Benz EQC, Audi e-Tron SUV and Sportback, and Jaguar I-Pace. Although we do not know which BMW iX variants will be available in India, we expect it to be priced comparably to its competitors, so it would be more than Rs 1 crore (ex-showroom) “as read and reported by www.autocarindia.com”.