Built at a plant that runs entirely on renewable energy, the new iX electric SUV continues BMW's journey towards sustainability. What emerged from the Milan launch event.
The name? iX, and it is the first electric SUV designed from scratch by BMW. The good news? More than one: to build it, at the German plant in Dingolfing, Bavaria, only energy from renewable sources is used; cobalt and lithium, still required for batteries for a long time to come – often at the centre of contentious ethical debates – come from Australia and Morocco, with a controlled supply chain; the aluminium needed to build the iX is produced using solar energy. Finally, a high percentage of secondary aluminium (BMW does not specify, but it is generally obtained from recycling scrap or processing waste) and recycled plastic are used for bodywork and components, making production processes more efficient. In short, something more "advanced" than the other electric SUV, the iX3, produced in China and launched last summer.
Global leaders in the automotive sector for 2020 according to the Dow Jones Sustainability index, sustainability for BMW is a journey that began many years ago, "an important challenge, which we are tackling with great energy and resources – just consider the 30 billion euros allocated through to 2025 for the electrification of our range," explained Massimiliano Di Silvestre, president and CEO of BMW Italia, on the occasion of the Milan launch event for the new iX.
By the end of 2021, five electric models in the line-up: BMW i3, Mini, iX3, iX and i4, the last two on the market in the final quarter of the year. By 2023, 25 electrified models in the range, 13 of them fully electric. In short, BMW is betting heavily (though not entirely) on electric, with an offer of diesel, petrol, plug-in hybrid and mild-hybrid powertrains that will continue at least until 2025. A brand that, with the launch of its new electric iX, has shown it knows how to make extensive use of the principles of circular economy, the true new frontier of the automotive industry.
That is not all. Because this electric SUV – of dimensions that are, truth be told, almost excessive in increasingly crowded cities (nearly 5 metres in length) – offers an interior featuring FSC-certified wood, leather tanned using natural methods rather than aggressive solvents (extracts of olive leaves), eco-leather and fabrics, while floor coverings and mats are made from recycled fishing nets. Then there is generous space (thanks to the absence of a central tunnel), numerous storage compartments, the unusual hexagonal steering wheel, all with a prevailing sense of "refined" luxury.
On sale from November, the BMW iX, following the compact i3, is the manufacturer's first real proving ground in the field of electric mobility. A global car, one might say, designed to appeal to Europeans, Americans and, of course, the Chinese, who now account for a third of BMW's global market. Two models available at launch, both with decidedly high power outputs: 385 kW (523 horsepower) for the xDrive50 version, 240 kW (326 horsepower) for the xDrive40, both equipped with all-wheel drive on all four wheels, a safety guarantee even on low-grip surfaces.
To which the sportier iX M60 version of the range will subsequently be added, with 440 kW of power – the equivalent of some 600 "old-fashioned" horsepower – power outputs in line with the most performance-oriented versions of the Tesla Model X, the first sporty electric crossover, or the Audi e-Tron. The declared range varies from 372 to 630 kilometres depending on driving style and version.
Built in aluminium and carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic for the roof, the BMW iX places great emphasis on performance and driving pleasure, two non-negotiable aspects for the German manufacturer. With a very low drag coefficient (to improve efficiency and range), the iX also opts for the battery (lithium-ion, with a capacity of 76 or 111 kWh) mounted beneath the "floor", in the underbody – a choice common to other recent electric cars such as the Mustang Mach-E – which translates into a low centre of gravity, a crucial aspect for any car, at least if you want to offer the most agile and enjoyable driving experience possible. But we will tell you more about that if – and when – we have the opportunity to bring you the test drive.
The performance figures are remarkable. Top speed of up to 200 km/h. The most powerful iX xDrive50 accelerates from 0 to 100 in 4.6 seconds, the xDrive40 in 6.1. The technology is high-level, as one might reasonably expect given the price (from 84,000 euros). Two electric motors, one at the front producing 200 kW, the other at the rear producing 250. Among the innovations is adaptive energy recuperation under braking which, according to information released by the manufacturer, is capable of adapting to road conditions using data supplied by the navigation system and the sensors of the Adas driver assistance systems.
In short, a "predictive" system that "sees" traffic lights and junctions in advance and increases energy recuperation, to the full benefit of electric range. Here too, the "one pedal feeling" could not be missing – that is, the ability to reduce the use of the brakes in favour of more intense deceleration, as was already the case on the first version of the BMW i3. For extra comfort, pneumatic suspension is available on request.
On the subject of electric charging, the iX offers the best options currently available. This means being able to use high-power charging stations of up to 200 kW for the more powerful versions, or 150 kW — the only option available in our country; recently, fast-charging stations opened on motorways have been added to Ionity's fast-charge infrastructure.
Provided access to this type of charging is available, the BMW iX can charge from 10 to 80 per cent of its range in around half an hour, with roughly a hundred kilometres rechargeable in about 10 minutes. The situation is very different when charging from the domestic grid using an 11 kW wallbox, in which case a full charge takes between 8 and around 10 hours.
On board, the BMW iX not only showcases the already-mentioned attention to materials and sustainability, but also makes extensive use of large displays to enhance the so-called user experience — that is, the interaction between driver and machine. It is in particular the large curved display that dominates the scene. A first 12.3-inch display is joined by a second 14.9-inch one, both housed behind a single curved glass surface. The (intentional) effect is that of oversized home screens, creating an environment that, in the designer's vision, evokes the interior design typical of living spaces. Physical buttons are virtually absent, destined for complete extinction in the near future — replaced here by voice assistants, cloud connectivity and augmented reality.
Five cameras, as many radar sensors and 12 ultrasonic sensors. That is how the BMW iX monitors its surrounding environment. The standard driver assistance systems are numerous and sophisticated — "more than ever on a BMW," a press release emphasises. Among the innovations is a system capable of detecting oncoming traffic to assist with turning, but also — more importantly — of alerting to the presence of cyclists or pedestrians before the doors are opened, a very common hazard in our cities.