BMW iX: The Brand’s technology trendsetter

The new all-electric flagship model of BMW i embodies a fresh design philosophy and certain notable advances in the area of vehicle concept, interior architecture, versatility and driving pleasure. As we are talking about a premium, zero-emission SAV, the new BMW iX also redefines luxury in a new, reinterpreted manner.

According to the statements of BMW Group management team, the new iX is a very important pillar in the electrification strategy and can thus be considered the new technology flagship, the driver for future development and a test bed for some of the upcoming innovative technologies of the automotive conglomerate.

The new BMW iX relies on the fundamental D+ACES strategy (Design, Automated Driving, Connectivity, Electrification and Services), with a significant focus on sustainability, to bring in several innovations in areas such as optimized aerodynamics, lightweight design and the extensive use of natural and recycled materials.

Gen5 BMW eDrive platform for an increased electric range and efficiency

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.

DC fast charging at up to 200 kW and 5G data processing capabilities

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 digital infrastructure of the new BMW iX is capable of delivering around 20 times faster data processing times compared to infrastructures seen in current BMW models, while also doubling the analyzed data volumes. This has a positive impact in the areas of digital services and automated driving. The technology toolkit premiering on the new iX is also fully compatible with the 5G data transfer standard.

The exterior design of the iX: Clean, aerodynamic, uncomplicated, expressive

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.

The new BMW iX receives the slimmest headlights to-date for a BMW model. The “eyes” of the electric SAV come with standard BMW Adaptive LED technology with matrix function, but they can also be optionally ordered with BMW Laserlight. Furthermore, 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 overall exterior design is defined by clear contours and surfaces, which fulfill both a visual and functional role. The new iX exudes a powerful look through its aerodynamic silhouette and specifically devised measures, that help reduce the drag and achieve a Cd of just 0.25. The minimalistic approach, or shy tech as BMW calls it, can also be depicted in the flush door handles (operated at the touch of a button), the frameless windows (a first in a BMW SAV), the slim rear lights retaining the traditional “L” shape and the tailgate with no separation joints, that extends across the entire rear area.

Furthermore, the BMW roundel at the front serves as cap to hide the filler neck for the windscreen washer fluid, while the logo at the rear hides away the rear-view camera. Other sensors and cameras that could not be fitted on the kidney grille are likewise seamlessly and discreetly integrated in the exterior design.

“The BMW iX shows how we can give new technologies a very modern and emotional design. The car is technologically complex, but it feels very clear and uncomplicated,” says Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design. “The BMW iX offers a mobile living space in which people will feel at ease, where the car’s intelligence is only there when you need it.”

As part of specific exterior branding, the new BMW iX is characterized by an abundance of BMW i blue accents encompassing the electric and sustainability claims of the car. They are all over the I20 series: circling the BMW roundel, on the outer areas of the front bumper, on the side skirts and at the rear, where they act as aerodynamic diffuser and recall of the placement of the exhausts, if the iX were no electric model.

To further boost the exterior appeal of the new iX, BMW offers two optional customization choices: the Sport Package and the BMW Individual Exterior Line Titanium Bronze. The color palette is also pretty extensive and comprises both standard and BMW Individual shades, such as the Cashmere Silver metallic or the Aventurine Red II.

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.

Last, but not least, 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.

The interior of the iX: Lounge-like experience

Designers of the new iX focused on delivering an outstanding experience for the driver and passengers aboard the electric SAV. Boasting proper BMW X model proportions, the cabin of the iX is roomy enough to house five occupants, also given the disappearance of the central drive tunnel. The newly developed seats feature integrated headrests, while the panoramic glass roof with generous surface is certainly to set to create a feel-good atmosphere.

Instead of having an interior liner, the roof is the only one of its kind in the automotive industry to employ PDLC (Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal) technology for shading the interior.

The interior of the BMW iX continues on the minimalistic and shy tech approach of the exterior. There are high-quality materials all over the place inside the cabin of the iX, together with intricately-styled air vents, the audio speakers hidden from eyesight, the heated surfaces and the seamless integration of the BMW Head Up Display projector, which becomes almost invisible. Other key features making their world debut in the iX are the hexagonal steering wheel, the rocker switch for gear selection and the BMW Curved Display. Thus, the infotainment of the new iX is based on a whole new BMW Operating System.

The curving, one-piece display that serves as the central control element reinterprets the traditional driver-centric design of BMW cockpits in visionary form. This has involved bringing together the 12.3-inch Information Display and the Control Display with its screen diagonal of 14.9 inches to form a single unit angled towards the driver. The Control Display section can still be clearly seen and easily operated by the front passenger.

The Controller is enclosed by a sharply styled control panel with a High-gloss Black frame, a glass-effect surface and white backlit buttons. The rest of the control panel design uses the principles of shy tech and reduction to the essentials at work. Instead of conventional buttons, a control surface with active haptic input subdivided by feeler bars is used to select the iDrive menus, driving modes and other functions.

The Touch Controller, designed in an extremely smart glass-effect finish for the BMW iX, is encircled by a bezel painted in Gold Bronze. A roller control allows for convenient adjustment of the audio system volume. The Start/Stop button is illuminated in the signature BMW i Blue, signifying the presence of an all-electric drive system. Nestled between the Start/Stop button and the button for the electromechanical parking brake is a newly devised rocker switch that takes the place of the customary gear selector lever.

The centre console’s lower level houses two cupholders, a smartphone tray with inductive charging, a 12V power connection and two USB-C ports.

The BMW iX comes with 2.5-zone automatic climate control as standard, with the option of upgrading to a four-zone system that allows the temperature and ventilation settings to be controlled individually for
the passengers in the rear as well as for the driver and front passenger.

State Of The Art Sound System

The audio system fitted as standard in the BMW iX comprises a HiFi sound system with twelve speakers and a 205-watt amplifier. A bespoke Harman Kardon Surround Sound System available as an option provides superb listening pleasure for all occupants with its seven-band equalizer, 655 watts of audio power and sound adjustment based on the car’s dynamic performance level. In all, 18 speakers are responsible for producing the surround sound effect, with four built-in speakers in the rear head restraints complementing the five midrange and five tweeter speakers.

The combination of two central bass speakers and two additional subwoofers located under the rear seat unit has never been seen before in a BMW model and ensures powerful sound performance. The system’s tweeters are housed behind top- quality perforated grilles, while the midrange speakers are hidden beneath the door panels’ fabric trim.

Available as an option for the first time, the latest version of the Bowers & Wilkins Surround Sound System boasts a seven-band equalizer, microphone-assisted sound control based on dynamic performance and five sound modes. With 30 speakers in total and an impressive amplifier output of 1,615 watts, this highly advanced system produces an exceptionally clear and wonderfully nuanced sound. Standout features include the eight speakers integrated into the front and rear head restraints, two Diamond tweeters, a quartet of 3D speakers, plus two central bass speakers and two subwoofers under the rear seats.

In addition to this, the Bowers & Wilkins Surround Sound System also incorporates a 4D Audio function generated using ‘shakers’ in the front seats. Their precise, magnetically controlled vibrations result in intense perception of bass frequencies, even at low volumes. The midrange units in the Bowers & Wilkins Surround Sound System are installed underneath the fabric door panel trim. The tweeters feature brushed stainless steel grilles with a classy brand logo etching and a discreet lighting effect.

Lightweight construction by means of aluminum and carbon

The new BMW iX presents an evolution to the current Carbon Core seen in multiple Bavarian models: the Carbon Cage. The lighweight, torsionally-resistant CFRP components are used in the construction of the vehicle’s passenger cell, for the body’s side, rear roof sections.

The CFRP, thermoplastics and aluminum are also extensively employed in the architecture of the bodyshell and chassis, thus helping effectively to lower the overall kerb weight of the iX and stay true to the lightweight concept. Furthermore, the intelligent body panelling and the underbody section ensure an optimal flow of air and reduce resistance, thus improving the drag coefficient (Cd) to 0.25.

Market Launch

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.

The post BMW iX brings 500 horsepower and 300 miles of electric range appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

2021 BMW iNext Design

The BMW iX will be a crossover that fits between the X3 and X5 in terms of size and therefore will be offered with all-wheel drive. Considering the wheel sizes will go from 20″ to 22″, you can easily picture how tall this car will be. The heavy camo of the early test prototype are now gone revealing a bold front fascia with a two-piece large kidney grille.

The upright grille sports a mesh design, hiding plenty of radars and sensors behind it. The headlights are slim and sleek, and they’re connected to the kidneys on each side. The bonnet features some spectacular creases which enhance the sportiness of the electric crossover.

The front bumper will also present a typical BMW i aerodynamic approach, that’s set to reduce the drag as much as possible and thus improve the electric range of the model. The iX will feature a typical BMW i C-pillar, that starts to become a recognizable design cue.

The design cues of the rear area are not entirely visible, but the wide-opening tailgate is confirmed, as well as a dynamically curved back end. We have yet to see the definitive shape of the tail lights, but they’ll most likely be similar to the ones on the Vision iNEXT showcar, albeit toned down and slightly reinterpreted. Unlike the concept car, the production model has normal mirrors and door handles.

Inside, we expect to see BMW’s best interior design to date. There will be several touchscreens to control the car and display relevant information, as well as plenty of high-tech. The next-gen iDrive 8 is also expected to be part of the package, along with the new 5G technology.

As BMW’s most advanced model you can expect the car to be packed with plenty of semi-autonomous driving features.

2021 BMW iNext battery and range

The rumormill churns out that there will be three variants of the high-tech electric crossover. The power range is rumored to vary from 300 to 600 horsepower. One of the three BMW iX models will also have a significant electric range measured on the WLTP cycle.

The entry level BMW iX will deliver 230kW (308 horsepower), the middle model around 390kW (522 horsepower), while the top iX will bring 455kW (610 horsepower) to the table.

Clearly, the most important aspect of an electric vehicle is the electric range. And the BMW iX won’ disappoint. The electric range is rumored to span from around 400 km to over 600 km per full charge. These figures are measured on the WLTP cycle.

2021 BMW iNext Name, Price and Launch Date

BMW seems to have set their eyes on the “iX” name on the boot. The simple naming convention indicates that this is their flagship crossover, and certainly their top electric vehicle. But there is still a need to differentiate between the three variants to be offered.

We believe that a numeric badge will follow the “iX”, something along the lines of iX40, iX50 and iX60. The numbers simply indicate the more expensive model.

Pricing has yet to be revealed, but based on our own projections, comparable to the other BMW products, we anticipate the base iX40 model to start in the low 70,000 euros range and going all the way up to 120,000 euros.

Production of the BMW iNEXT (iX) will begin in 2021 while the US market is rumored to get their models in November – December of the same year.

The post 2021 BMW iNext: Pricing, tech specs and release date appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

Today, we’ve learned a few new things about the BMW iX. As hinted before, the final badge on the boot will say iX, instead of the iNEXT name used for the concept car. There will be three variants offered by BMW, each with a different power output and electric range.

The entry level BMW iX will deliver 230kW (308 horsepower), the middle model around 390kW (522 horsepower), while the top iX will bring 455kW (610 horsepower) to the table.

Another innovation is the BMW Natural Interaction. If you remember the concept, it showed a different way of communicating with the car, using revolutionary materials that were sensible to touch. This will apparently be introduced on the production vehicle and on other high-end BMW models.

The BMW iX be a crossover that fits between the X3 and X5 in terms of size and therefore will be offered with all-wheel drive. Apparently, that means that both models will have dual-motor setups, one for each axle. Considering the wheel sizes will go from 20″ to 22″, you can easily picture how tall this car will be.

Furthermore, the optional features that will be offered on it will be on the same level as the 5 Series, including 2-axle air suspension, soft-close doors, Bowers & Wilkins sound and so on.

U.S. customers will have to wait a bit longer for the BMW iX. Even though the global production kicks off in July 2021, the U.S. production slots will be delivered later in the year. So expect the first BMW iX units to hit U.S. soil in early 2022.

The post 2022 BMW iX iNext will come in three variants, 300 HP to 600 HP appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

Testing in the desolation of Southern Africa will help the brand learn about how the car handles brutal heat, solar radiation, deep sand, gravel roads and permanent dust formations. All of this is to see if the iNEXT’s components can cope with the extreme conditions. But it’s not just to test the batteries and electric motor but also the interior electronics, suspension, regenerative braking and so much more.

It’s also a great test of its all-wheel drive system. The iNEXT will use two electric motors, one at each axle, giving it real-time torque vectoring all-wheel drive. So what better place than to test it than Kalahari? There’s deep, soft sand that can swallow up wheels and tires, gravel roads than can test the car’s traction and even off-roading sections that can put its durability to the test.

The extreme heat in itself is an extreme test. The sorts of temperatures seen in the Kalahari desert are enough to stress any electric car battery. So will the BMW iNEXT be able to handle well over 100-degrees Fahrenheit? I’m assuming so, or the iNEXT test mules wouldn’t have made it back.

In the accompanying photos, we get the best look at the iNEXT we’ve ever hard. In them, we can see its angular headlights, vertical front air intakes presumably for brake cooling, it’s overall profile without any fakery and a Hofmeister Kink.

The Bavarians claim that it will be the most technologically-advanced Bimmer ever made, with the brand’s absolute best electric and autonomous technology available.

The post BMW iNEXT Goes Extreme Weather Testing, slotted for 2021 release appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.