BMW gives key details of upcoming iX EV

BMW Australia has confirmed its new flagship iX electric crossover will arrive Down Under in the final quarter of this year with two variants set to be offered locally, those being the xDrive40 and more potent xDrive50.

While local pricing and exact specification details are yet to be confirmed, BMW has at least revealed some of the key details of the iX’s powertrains and features, including power outputs, effective range and charge times.

As denoted by the inclusion of ‘xDrive’ within the nomenclatures, both versions of the iX will be all-wheel drive with an electric motor mounted on each axle while the ‘40’ and ‘50’ points to the amount of power on tap in classic BMW fashion – the bigger the number, the more grunt.

In the case of the iX xDrive40, the electric motors draw their power from a battery bigger than 70kWh – BMW has not quoted an exact battery capacity for either variant – and generate “more than” 240kW, resulting in a 0-100km/h time of around 6.0 seconds.

The xDrive50 predictably ups the ante in every respect with a much bigger, 100kWh-plus battery and a peak power output in excess of 370kW, slashing the 0-100km/h time to “less than 5.0 seconds”.

It is a similar story in terms of range too with BMW claiming the lesser variant will cover “more than” 400km while the flagship will reportedly cover more than 600km, both on the WLTP cycle.

Official energy consumption figures are rated at “less than 20kWh” for the xDrive40 and “less than 21kWh” for the xDrive50.

When the batteries do eventually run low, hooking them up to a DC fast charger will charge them from 10 to 80 per cent in less than 40 minutes thanks to their 150kW and 200kW respective maximum charging capacities.

Eco both by nature and in its construction, the iX is one of the brand’s most sustainably built vehicles to date with much of its interior trim and battery components coming from environmentally friendly and sustainable sources.

For example, the cobalt and lithium used within the batteries are sourced from Australia and Morocco by BMW and its partners directly before then being supplied to the relevant battery cell manufacturers.

Within the cabin, the wood trim is made from Forest Stewardship Council-certified timber, the leather upholstery is tanned using olive leaf extracts while the floor coverings and mats are made from recycled fishing nets.

According to BMW AG board member Dr Andreas Wendt, the brand takes responsibility for its sustainability practices rather than just palming them off to its supply network.

“In so doing, we tap into our many years of experience and create processes for attaining greater transparency and traceability,” he said.

As reported by GoAuto when the iX first debuted back in November, BMW has crowned the radically styled EV as its new technological flagship and as such will debut its new eighth-generation iDrive infotainment system with the star of the show being the new dual-screen curved display.

BMW AG management board chairman Oliver Zipse said technology was driving the advances needed “to tackle even the greatest challenges”.

“This applies in particular to climate protection. We are in no doubt: mobility has to be sustainable if it is to represent a truly outstanding solution.

“For the BMW Group, premium mobility is not possible without responsibility.”

Australian BMW sales are down 7.8 per cent year-on-year so far in 2021 (to the end of February) with the premium brand shifting 3642 new vehicles compared to the 3950 sold over the same period last year.