THOSE GRILLES ARE HERE TO STAY

BMW BEV-SUV doesn’t need grille — but it’s got a huge one anyway

ABattery Electric Vehicle (BEV) has no need for grilles of any kind. But BMW’S controversially tall new corporate kidneys are standing proud at the front of the pure-electric ix. So they are definitely here to stay.

BMW is giving a first look at the ix a year ahead of launch. It’s a bigger brother to i-family cars like the i3 and i8 but bigger is very much the operative word: it’s as long as the X5 SUV.

BMW says the ix is based on a new modular platform that will form the base for a range of

BEVS. It doesn’t quite go all the way to full Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) underpinnings like the i3 but it still embraces high-strength, lightweight construction with an aluminium spaceframe and “carbon cage”.

BMW is claiming a range of 600km on the official WLTP test cycle from the 100kwh battery pack, and 0-100km/h in under five seconds. It can charge at up to 200kw on a compatible DC fast-charging station (such as the 300kw “Hyper Chargers” newly installed at the Bombay Hills south of Auckland).

Like the i3, the interior is designed around a “lounge” concept with extensive use of natural and recycled materials. The company says the car is full of “shy tech” — advanced features that are not immediately obvious, such as the slimmest lights ever fitted to a production BMW, flush doorhandles, sensors concealed in the bodywork and a new function for that kidney grille as an “intelligence panel”, with a wealth of cameras, radars and sensors sitting behind transparent panels. Although it’s hard to think of the new grille design as “shy”.