BMW has revealed the details of its all-electric iX with a launch date of November 2021, and prices starting from £69,905.
The new BMW iX represents a new chapter for the brand, the fully electric Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) being the first model based on a new, modular, scalable toolkit on which the future of the BMW Group will be built. Conceived from the outset for purely electric mobility and sustainable manufacturing techniques.
When the BMW iX launches later this year, the model range will comprise the BMW iX xDrive50 with a combined output of 523hp and a range of up to 380 miles (WLTP), plus the BMW iX xDrive40 that produces 326hp and is able to cover up to 257 miles on a single charge. Both versions are equipped with an intelligent all-wheel-drive system, making the iX the very first all-wheel-drive pure electric vehicle produced by BMW.
The fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology fitted in the BMW iX is centered around a drive unit which brings together the electric motor, power electronics and transmission within a single housing. This highly integrated electric drive system topology has a beneficial effect on both power density and efficiency, at the same time as making the most use of the installation space in the area between the front and rear axle.
Both motors in the BMW iX work according to the principle of an electrically excited synchronous motor, where the excitation of the rotor is induced by the feed-in of electrical energy rather than fixed permanent magnets.
Fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology also includes a high-voltage battery with state-of-the-art battery cell technology. Its volumetric energy density at cell level is up by around 40% compared to the high-voltage battery in the 2020 BMW i3. The BMW iX xDrive50 is fitted with a high-voltage battery with a net energy content of 105.2 kWh (gross energy content: 111.5 kWh), while the battery unit for the BMW iX xDrive40 has a net energy content of 71 kWh (gross energy content: 76.6 kWh).
The Combined Charging Unit (CCU) in the BMW iX has been designed to offer a very high level of charging flexibility. DC power can be taken on board at a rate of up to 195 kW (BMW iX xDrive50) or 150 kW (BMW iX xDrive40). This allows the battery’s state of charge to be increased from 10 to 80% in around 35 minutes in the BMW iX xDrive50 or 31 minutes in the case of the BMW iX xDrive40. A range of up to 90 miles for the BMW iX xDrive50 and over 59 miles for the BMW iX xDrive40 can be delivered in just ten minutes when they are plugged into a DC high-power station, as long as there is an initial battery charge of 10% or more.
The BMW iX will be produced at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing. Both the vehicle itself and the battery cells will be manufactured using green power across the board. The BMW Group procures the cobalt and lithium required for the high-voltage batteries from controlled sources in Australia and Morocco and delivers it to the battery cell manufacturers. The design principle for the electric motors allows the use of rare earth metals to be avoided in the drive system rotors. Added to which, the company sources aluminum produced using power from solar energy plants.
A high proportion of secondary aluminum and reused plastic also contribute to the resource-efficient production of the BMW iX. Its interior uses FSC-certified wood, leather tanned with olive leaf extracts and other natural materials. Recycled fishing nets are among the raw materials used for the floor coverings and mats.
