In advance of BMW’s iX electric Sports Activity Vehicle coming to Ireland, we had the chance for an hour or two in the car to sample how it drives.
It’s a completely new platform which uses a mix of aluminium and carbon fibre and it will underpin other electric models which are on the way, including the very handsome i4, which was on hand at our launch but only as a display model.
The iX comes in two flavours, the xDrive 40 and xDrive 50 and they differ in range and power. The 40 model has a range of 414km and can call on 326bhp for a 0-100km/h time of 6.1 seconds.
The 50 model has a very impressive range of 613km and its 523bhp can propel the car to 100km/h in just 4.6 seconds. Both cars are limited to a top speed of 200km/h.
There’s an even faster variant on the way, the iX M60, which is expected to have over 600bhp on hand.
Charging of up to 195kW is available, giving a charge to 80% in around half an hour, or 35 minutes in the case of the xDrive 40.
The interior is really impressive with the dashboard dominated by a curved screen, angled towards the driver. This is controlled by the first deployment of BMW’s iDrive Operating System 8, which supports over the air software updates and even over the air purchasing of extra functions.
There’s plenty of room for five, thanks to a long wheelbase and the absence of a transmission tunnel.
A slightly unusual feature is an octagonal steering wheel, designed to make it easier to see the instruments. I can’t say that it’s any better than a round wheel but it works well and at least it’s a talking point.
To drive, the car is quiet, smooth and powerful. If you’re not happy with the sound of an electric car, you can choose a virtual soundtrack, composed by Hans Zimmer, all coming through the standard Harmon Kardon sound system.
The iX is available in both Sport and M Sport trims but standard equipment includes 21” wheels, Driving Assistant Professional, Parking Assistant, climate comfort windscreen, four zone climate control, heated front seats, wireless phone charging and shadow line exterior trim.
At the front are slim LED matrix lights and the now usual large BMW grille. As this isn’t needed for cooling, all the radar and other sensors are hidden behind it in what BMW calls Shytech. The result is a Cd of 0.25, which helps the body cleave the air easily.
Infra red heating also features to save energy and a panoramic roof is also fitted.
All iX models come with 12 months access to a network of chargers including discounted access to high speed Ionity units.
Pricing starts from €85,815 for the iX xDrive 40 in Sport trim and ranges to €116,595 which buys the xDrive 50 in M Sport guise.
