BMW says the iX’s exterior design is clear and minimalist. Like the 4 Series and i4, the SUV has a vertical grille, which is where cameras and radars for the advanced driver assistance system are installed.
BMW has packed its iX with enough computing power and data processing to classify it as a “rolling smart device,” a spokesman said.
The aim is to lure customers away from rivals such as the Tesla Model X, Audi e-tron and Mercedes-Benz EQC at the top end of the full-electric SUV segment as well as convince former BMW 7 Series and X7 drivers to switch to a battery-driven model.
Market launch: November 2021
Base price: 77,300 euros (Germany)
Where built: Dingolfing, Germany
Main rivals: Tesla Model X, Audi e-tron, Mercedes-Benz EQC
The iX, which starts at 77,300 euros, is the automaker’s first to offer 5G technology usually found in tablets and smartwatches. The model also debuts BMW’s iDrive 8 infotainment system, which uses the automaker’s newest operating system.
“The new OS8 is the most powerful technology stack we have yet developed. It processes twice the number of information signals and 20 times more data volume than before,” BMW development boss Frank Weber said at a digital presentation. ““The BMW iX leads the way digitally.”
Big gains: The iX is part of BMW’s push to boost sales of full-electric models to 2 million by 2025, with Germany, Norway and the UK being the vehicles key European markets.
Fast charging: The iX xDrive40’s battery can be charge to 80 percent from 10 percent in 31 minutes at up to 150 kilowatts. The more powerful xDrive50 can be charged from 80 percent in 35 minutes at up to 200 kW. Both versions have an 11-kW on-board charger.
Fewer buttons: The move to OS8 for the iX’s infotainment system means the number of buttons and switches required to control functions in the car has been reduced by almost half.
Other tech upgrades in the iX include an augmented-reality navigation system, a digital key that allows the use of a smartphone to open the car, and a seamless so-called “curved display” created by linking a 12.3-inch and a 14.9-inch screen.
The iX also rivals two of its siblings on space because of changes BMW made to the CLAR platform, specifically tweaking the underpinnings to accommodate the battery pack in the floor, resulting in more interior space for occupants.
While the iX is nearly 150 mm (about 6 inches) shorter than the BMW’s largest CLAR-based SUV, the X7 (5151 mm long) its 3100 mm wheelbase is nearly the same as its big brother. The iX and the X5 midsize SUV are about the same in length.
“The BMW iX offers a mobile living space in which people will feel at ease, where the car’s intelligence is only there when you need it,” BMW Group design chief Adrian van Hooydonk said during the presentation.
The BMW iX is available in two power levels, both with all-wheel drive and electric motors on the front and rear axles. The xDrive40 has a 71-kilowatt-hour battery pack that delivers a range up to 425 km (264 miles) on the WLTP cycle. Total output is 240 kW (321 hp), resulting in a 0 to 100 kph in 6 seconds.
The more powerful and more expensive xDrive50, which starts at 100,000 euros, offers 385 kW (516 hp) from its 105.2-kWh battery pack and two electric motors, enabling acceleration from 0 to 100 kph in less than 5 seconds. The range is up to 630 km (391 miles) on the WLTP cycle.
Starting next month, the iX family will add the M60 variant with output of 455 kW (611 hp) and a 0 to 100 km time of 3.9 seconds, with a range up to 575 km.
One of the BMW iX’s most distinctive features is a seamless curved display created by linking a 12.3-inch and a 14.9-inch screen.
