BMW is going to launch the new iX electric SUV at the end of the year in Europe, offering customers the choice between two variants: the iX xDrive 40, and the iX xDrive 50. In the States, only the latter will be offered with sales to start early next year.
The entry-level xDrive 40 model of the BMW
iX will be priced from 77,300 euros in its home market in Germany, which is at
the same level as a “comparable BMW X5” according to the carmaker. Power here
comes from a battery pack with “over 70 kWh” in gross capacity, offering an
output of more than 321 HP and an estimated driving range of over 400 km on the WLTP cycle.
The more powerful BMW iX xDrive 50, which will
arrive in the US market in early 2022 with a starting price in the mid US$ 80’s,
comes with a bigger battery pack with over 100 kWh gross capacity and an output
of over 496 HP from its dual electric motors. BMW estimates that the
range-topping iX will deliver a driving range of over 600 km in the
WLTP cycle, and a 0-100 km/h in under 5 seconds. BMW will open
pre-ordering for the iX xDrive 50 in the U.S. market this June.
As the first BMW model to be based on a
new EV-only platform, the iX represents a new approach for the German carmaker
towards sustainability; the electric motors don’t use rare earth materials, the
battery cells are manufactured using exclusively green power from certified
sources, while the aluminum used in the iX is manufactured with electricity
from solar energy plants.
In addition, BMW is also making use of
secondary aluminum and recycled plastic while the interior of the iX features
FSC-certified wood, leather tanned with olive leaf extracts, and other natural
materials. Things like the floor coverings and mats are made out of recovered
fishing nets as well. The result is that the BMW iX xDrive 40 comes with a
carbon footprint certificate, endorsed by independent auditors, that’s 45
percent lower when compared to an SUV with a comparable diesel engine over
125,000 miles of use.
The electric motor, transmission, and
power electronics of the new BMW iX are bundled together in a highly integrated
package within a single housing. This design further benefits the powertrain’s
efficiency, with BMW claiming an average electric power consumption of less
than 21 kWh per 62 miles for the iX xDrive 50, and under 20 kWh per 62 miles
for the entry-level xDrive 40 model.
Owners of the new BMW iX will be able to
fast-charge their new electric SUV at rates of up to 200 kW for the xDrive 50,
and up to 150 kW for the xDrive 40. This means that the new BMW iX xDrive 50
will be able to add more than 75 miles of range after a 10-minute-long charging
session. A charge between 10 and 80 percent of the battery takes under 40
minutes.
Last but not least, the new BMW iX packs
some serious hardware in the automated driving and digital services department.
The onboard computing power is capable of processing 20 times the data volume
of previous BMW models.
