While
Audi and Mercedes-Benz are already selling their premium electric SUVs, BMW
still hasn’t begun production of the iX3, its own contender in the niche. According to the automaker, production
will commence in 2020 at the BMW Brilliance Automotive joint venture in
Shenyang, China. While no precise date has been made public, the company has
revealed preliminary specifications for the iX3, which will be the first model
to use the fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology, with the i4 and iNext EVs to
follow in 2021.
With
its first all-electric SUV, the automaker places emphasis not so much on
battery size but rather on higher efficiency. The electric compact utility
vehicle packs a high-voltage battery with a net energy content of 74 kWh that
enables it to cover more than 440 km in the WLTP test cycle. BMW also claims the iX3 boasts a low power
consumption of less than 20 kWh/100 km (WLTP), allowing it to achieve a range
previously possible only with larger (and heavier) batteries.
The
battery feeds an electric motor delivering a maximum power output of 286 PS and a peak torque of 400 Nm. Located in a central
housing along with the system electronics and transmission, the motor drives
the rear wheels, allowing for a typical BMW driving experience.
The
carmaker says the ratio between motor output and weight of the drive system
improves around 30 percent compared to the previous eDrive generation. No
performance specs are available yet, but the iX3 is said to deliver “high
initial acceleration.” Finally,
the BMW iX3 doesn’t demand any concessions on practicality, offering the same
amount of space for passengers and luggage as the ICE-powered X3 thanks to the
battery unit being installed in an extremely flat position in the vehicle
floor.
