BMW is preparing to launch two new versions of its all-electric iX SUV - The iX xDrive40 and the iX xDrive50.
And with a range of up to 373 miles and an abundance of power on tap, the so-called ‘Sports Activity Vehicles’ should be sought after indeed.
The announcement of the xDrive40 and the iX xDrive50 comes hot on the heels of BMW’s iX3, an all electric version of the firm’s smaller, traditionally-powered X3. The iX3 has a 80kWh battery that gives it a range of up to 279 miles.
But with the larger xDrive40 and xDrive50, things are taken up a notch.
Both are incarnations of BMW’s commitment to emissions free motoring. And they also offer some extremely eco-friendly tech, with a commitment to use secondary aluminium and recycled plastic, while the car’s interior features FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)-certified wood, leather tanned with olive leaf extracts and other natural materials.
Even the floor coverings and mats are made using recovered fishing nets.
They’re also both brimming with tech, being 5G-capable and also boasting new and improved automated driving and parking functions. That should prove handy if and when self-driving vehicles are ever deemed legal in the UK.
Owners will even be able to upload new functions as they’re released, ensuring the iX cars provide maximum customisation capabilities.
When it comes to the drive train, both the xDrive40 and xDrive50 feature one electric motor on the front axle and another at the rear axle.
The xDrive40 has power of 300 hp, allowing it to sprint from 0-62mph in a shade over 6.0 seconds. It also gets a range of more than 249 miles - putting on a par with the Audi e-tron.
Meanwhile the xDrive50 is potent indeed. It gets a 100 kWh battery, 500hp, and can hit 62mph in under 5.0 seconds.
The xDrive50 also has a range of 373 miles - which trumps the Ford Mustang Mach E Extended Range, which has 370 miles, and also pips the Tesla Model 3 Long Range.
The BMW iX xDrive50 can replenish its high-voltage battery at up to 200 kW, while the maximum charging capacity of the BMW iX xDrive40 is 150 kW.
All of which means that a ten-minute plug-in time provides sufficient energy to add up to 75 miles of range. And in both models, you can replenish the battery from 10 to 80 per cent of its full capacity in under 40 minutes.
Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design, says:
“The BMW iX shows how we can give new technologies a very modern and emotional design. The car is technologically complex, but it feels very clear and uncomplicated. The 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.”
Market launch will take place at the end of 2021, with prices starting at £69,000.
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