BMW, the world famous legacy automobile manufacturer, was one of the very first car companies to realise the start of the electric car revolution was beginning around a decade ago. While electric cars were in their infancy, and were pretty much all Teslas, the Germans unveiled to the world the BMW i3 and an icon was born.
The BMW i3 is still one of the most recognisable electric cars on the road, arguably even more so than the Tesla models. Based upon its success you would have thought that BMW would have followed up pretty quickly with a second electric model. However, this was not the case.
BMW – The Wilderness Years
There are many things I question over the years. Why do people still deny the moon landings happened (they did. Deal with it), how did Donald Trump get elected as President of the United States and manage not to be assassinated while in office, and what the hell happened to BMW inbetween bringing out the BMW i3 and their current crop of electric cars?
The geniuses at BMW were not standing around twiddling their thumbs in that period, it was just the opposite in fact. BMW were very busy, just not with battery electric vehicles.
The manufacturer managed to release 24 models of car in between the release of the BMW i3 and the release of the BMW iX 3 in 2020.
BMW Didn’t Produce Any Battery Powered Cars – Are You Sure?
To be fair to BMW, they didn’t abandon the battery completely. The popular BMW i8 was released in 2014 which only came as a hybrid version. It has to be said that the BMW i8 was a good looking sports car that did sell well.
There were also a number of cars, such as the 5 series and the 7 series, that also came with a hybrid version. Still, it seemed like a step back after such a successful electric car experiment.
The BMW iX Enters the Field of Play
Just when you thought BMW had given up on the electric car, along comes the BMW iX. The new range of electric vehicles was possibly due to the government forcing their hand. With a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars looming in 2030, legacy car makers had to make a choice. Adapt or die. BMW decided to adapt.
BMW iX – What is it and Will We Like it?
The BMW iX is a luxury midsize SUV (although I would say it is a particularly large car), and it is instantly recognisable. Everyone will instantly notice that the front of the vehicle is particularly huge and has a bit of a marmite look about it. You will either love it or hate it. The fake grill looks particularly aggressive, although after a little while you can see a resemblance to the loveable character Tow Mater from the Disney film Cars. This seems to make it friendlier.
It is clear that the BMW iX has a big task ahead of it. This is the new technological flagship for BMW and is the beginning of a new era. It’s also the very first luxury car to feature built-in 5G technology. Built from the ground up, this electric car is expected to take on the mighty Tesla Model X in the car market.
The BMW iX is partly built with carbon fibre in order to help keep the weight of the vehicle down. At over 2.5 tonnes, this electric car needs all the help it can get. However, with its large size and very big battery the BMW iX has quite an impressive towing capability. 2.5 tonnes of towing is more than most of its rivals will be able to manage. Quite a bit more.
Despite its big size, the BMW iX is actually very aerodynamic, helped by the air intake holes on the front of the car. The drag coefficiency rating of the car is just 0.24. This is incredible for such a huge SUV.
The BMW iX Interior
The cabin of the BMW iX is possibly one of the most luxurious we have ever experienced. With seats that are supremely comfortable and having an armchair air about them. There is so much room in both the front and back of the vehicle. The floor space is also incredibly spacious due to the low lying battery under the floor.
There is a glorious dashboard that has a very clean and simplistic design and looks just fabulous. Even the steering wheel offers something a little different to what you normally expect to see. This hexagonal shape is pretty cool to me (although others may disagree).
The rear seats have not been neglected in the BMW iX. They too are incredibly comfortable and come with excellent amounts of head space and floor space. There is also separate climate control for the rear of the car which is something often overlooked. The USB-C ports in the rear are also a nice touch that often gets neglected.
Putting in a Performance
You would think that such a large car would give a poor performance. You would be wrong though. The power and acceleration of the BMW iX is quite exhilarating. The suspension is incredibly soft and the handling, due to the low battery, is quite extraordinary.
The BMW iX is extremely quiet on the road, noticeably even more so than many other electric cars. I found that the range of the vehicle is also impressive. The WLTP range is given as 380, however, the real world range is probably closer to 310-320 miles. This is certainly well within the new standard that we expect from larger electric cars.
Some Clever BMW iX Stuff
Before looking at the tech inside the car, there are some really nice and very interesting features on the outside of the vehicle. First of all, the unusual grille at the front is made from a clever plastic material and it covers the sensors in the front of the car. Why clever? Well, because it is self healing. When the front of the car gets dented or chipped etc, the grill covering will re-mould itself to ensure the sensors continue to work as they should.
Also on the outside of the BMW iX, there are lots of little cameras. These cameras have their own washers which can be controlled from the consol inside. Perfect for when driving on muddy or dusty terrains.
Speaking of which…
BMW iX Tech – A Look on the Inside
Starting with the infotainment system, it is incredible. For anyone familiar with the BMW i3, you will not believe that you are looking at an infotainment system in a car by the same manufacturer. I found that the BMW iX infotainment system is years ahead of what they have previously produced. The screen is clear, the graphics are incredible and the responsiveness is one of the best there is. You will find that the screen can also be controlled by hand gestures, so you don’t even need to touch the screen for some of the functions.
The BMW iX comes with an augmented reality heads up display which is becoming very much more common now. Their attempt at heads up display is excellent and the information projects onto the screen really well.
There is also a very useful feature on the Sat Nav. If the car does not believe you have enough range to get to your destination, it will automatically re-route to include suitable charge point stops on the journey.
Tell Us What You Think
What do you think of the BMW iX? Is it a car you would like to see at EVision Electric Vehicles? Do you like the car’s looks? Is it a yes or no from you? If no, would you still want to drive the BMW iX for the incredibly high standard inside and the excellent tech available?
Let us know on our social media channels. We would love to hear your opinions, good or bad.
* All information correct as of 27/05/2022.
