The @bimmerworldbrothers are bringing us new real life photos of the 2022 BMW iX electric crossover. The latest electric vehicle from Munich is now displayed at the famous BMW Welt. The model displayed is the Sport Package with the exquisite Aventurine Red II color. Compared to the standard offering, the Sport Package includes special triangular shields for the Air Curtains and high-gloss black coating for the bordering at the lower edge of the body, as well as for the door handles and the side skirts. As part of this package, the iX also receives smoked-glass tail lights, 21-inch Aerodynamic Wheels in Midnight Grey finish and blue-painted brake calipers.
Furthermore, the iX gains a touch of bling and modern sophistication with the help of the BMW Individual Exterior Line Titanium Bronze, which is offered in conjunction with the Sport Package. The Titanium Bronze accents adorn the 3D structural elements of the kidney grille, the door handles, the lower edging of the side windows and the rear apron.
But of course, it’s the large kidney grille that dominates the exterior design. The new grille with separated kidneys stands as a testimony for the origins of the car and also integrate seamlessly the entire array of sensors, radars and cameras needed for the driving assistants and autonomous driving technology. The grille was specifically developed at BMW Group’s LuTZ research and technology center in Landshut, Germany.
The new flagship of the BMW i sub-brand heralds the advent of an all-new hallmark design language. The overall exterior dimensions of the iX are comparable to those of the X5, whereas the height is similar to that of the X6. The large-diameter aerodynamic wheels remind pretty much of the high-end X7 luxury SAV.
While some may focus on the design, the electric cars aficionados will be more interested in the battery technology and range.
The iX electric flagship is underpinned by the latest, 5th generation BMW eDrive platform, which is also found under the new iX3 and will also make its underneath the upcoming i4. The architecture comprises the two electric motors, the power electronics, the charging technology and the high-voltage battery.
The power unit of the BMW eDrive is manufactured as sustainably as possible and, thus, rare earths are absent. The maximum output of the ensemble exceeds 370 kW / 500 PS (490 hp), while the acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is possible in under 5.0 seconds. According to preliminary measurements, the 100 kWh gross energy content of the high-voltage battery is sufficient enough to guarantee an overall range of above 600 kilometers, in the context of the low combined consumption figure of 21 kWh / 100 km calculated as per WLTP cycle. In the EPA FTP-75 range test, the new BMW iX achieves more than 300 miles.
Read Also: BMW iX vs. Audi e-tron
Charging the iX is equally important, so BMW has put in a lot of effort into that. The new BMW iX is fitted with a new charging technology that enables direct current fast charging at outputs of up to 200 kW. This helps charge the battery from 10% to 80% in under 40 minutes. Furthermore, in 10 minutes, you can charge the battery of the iX as to add around 120 kilometers (75 miles) to the electric range. Charging at home using the standard 11 kW BMW i Wallbox will “refill” the high-voltage battery in approximately 11 hours.
The new BMW iX electric SUV will go on sale in late 2021 in Europe. The U.S. market will get its first units in early 2022. Even though BMW has currently announced only the top model, we expect two additional iX variants to follow. We anticipate a base price in the $70,000 range for the entry-level model, and likely over $100,000 for the top model.
