BMW iX REVEALED
BMW REVEALS THE SECOND GENERATION OF ITS PURELY ELECTRIC VEHICLES, NOW IN SUV FORM
It’s Munich’s second-generation EV from its i sub-brand, and everyone has an opinion on the styling
IF REINVENTION is the name of the game, BMW’s new electrification strategy is having the desired effect on the Bavarian brand. Or at least that’s what the iX, the first of BMW’s purely i-branded electric SUVs, is supposed to do, says company CEO Oliver Zipse.
“The BMW Group is constantly striving to reinvent itself. That is a central element of our corporate strategy. The BMW iX expresses this approach in an extremely concentrated form.”
That concentrated form is several years removed from the i3, with a new platform that BMW says is modular, scalable and “focused on a fresh interpretation of design, sustainability, driving pleasure, versatility and luxury”.
A continuation of the iNext concept, the iX will make production in about a year, though BMW has already provided an insight into the kind of EV drivetrain we can expect. With 370kW and a target of “less than 21kWh per 100 kilometres”, the iX is set for a range of more than 600km while still being able to hit 100km/h in less than five seconds.
In terms of design, the iX is described as “minimalist” by BMW, or as much as a large SUV can be. It still presents a traditional BMW kidney grille, though in the elongated vertical style that has become more prevalent following the new M3 and 4 Series. It functions much less as an air intake in this instance, instead providing space for cameras, radar and the array of other sensors needed for even semi-autonomous functions.
Design elements in the structure, including materials, have been developed to create an EV that is as light and aerodynamically optimised as possible. The body is built over an aluminium spaceframe and underneath features a ‘carbon cage’ for occupant protection, the materials being lighter than traditional steel and alloys. In terms of aero, the iX boasts an impressive drag coefficient of 0.25.
While the BMW iX3 is due to arrive in 2021, its ties to the existing X3 mean it won’t be as radically different from past BMW products as the clean-slate iX.
The iX will have a range of 600km and be able to hit 100km/h in five seconds