Late but worth the wait. After Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and Jaguar, BMW has finally joined the EV party. BMW iX, an all-electric luxury SUV has made its way to India through the Completely Built-Up (CBU) route in xDrive 40 variant of it. The BMW iX will prove itself to be strong rival against Mercedes-Benz EQC and Audi e-Tron.
BMW iX Exterior
The BMW iX is designed on the iNext concept that was unveiled by the luxury carmaker in 2017. The SUV will have two variants, BMW iX xDrive40 and iX xDrive 50. The EV aspects of the SUV that are immediately apparent include a solid and larger than usual traditional kidney-shaped grille with multiple cameras integrated into it. The grille also houses a radar system and sensors that complete the driver assistance systems while the front bumper sports a quartet of light bands in the upper half of the sleek headlamps. The side profile seems fluidic due to the tapering glasshouse, fixed clam-shell bonnet, fixed B-pillars, and the frameless doors. Coming to the rear, the tail lamps look similar to the headlamps.
The sport variant, iX xDrive 50, has air vents on a sharper bumper for aerodynamic efficiency and the rear profile is relatively smoother and sober. The BMW iX is built to ride on 22-inch aerodynamically optimised rims and 275/40 profile tyres.
BMW iX Interior
The all-electric BMW iX has the same dimensions as the ICE-powered BMW X5. Moreover, due to electric infrastructure, its cabin size is similar to that of the BMW X7. To support a sustainable approach BMW has used recycled plastic and microfibre fabric for seating.
A hexagonal steering wheel looks fabulously opulent over the clean dashboard that has a uniquely crafted heads-up display. What’s more captivating are the dual digital displays featuring a 14-inch touchscreen infotainment and a 12.3-inch digital instrument console. The drive selector and iDrive rotary controller are mounted on a high-set armrest, whereas the rest of the controls are integrated into the upper part of the door edges. The boot capacity on offer is 650L.
BMW iX Powertrains
The iX xDrive 40 churns out an equivalent of 326 HP of power, 630 Nm of peak torque, and has a range of up to 414 km. The claim states the iX xDrive 40 can sprint from 0-100 kmph in 6.1 seconds. The iX xDrive 50 produces 523 HP, 765 Nm of peak torque, and has a range of up to 611 km. This version is claimed to accelerate from 0-100kph in 4.6 seconds.
BMW iX has dual electric motors, one motor on each axle constituting an all-wheel-drive system. The AWD drivetrain modulates the torque as required by the front and rear axles, based on the driving conditions. Therefore, the BMW iX can be driven in a rear-wheel-drive system and then be easily switched to all-wheel drive when needed.
BMW iX Battery Pack
The BMW iX xDrive 40 has a 76.6kWh battery pack and a claimed range of 425 km. BMW is offering a standard 2.3kW, single-phase charger for domestic sockets and a 11kW AC wallbox charger. Using the 2.3kW charger, the battery can be charged from 0 to 100 percent in 36 hours, and with 11 kW charger it can topped in just seven hours. The BMW iX also supports DC fast charging and can charge the battery from 10 to 80 percent in 73 minutes at 50kW capacity, and in just 31 minutes at 150kW capacity.
BMW iX Price and Rivals
BMW iX is priced ₹ 1.16 crore (ex-showroom) and it will compete against Mercedes-Benz EQC, Audi e-Tron SUV and Sportback, and the Jaguar i-Pace.
