With that large battery, though, the BMW iX is said to have a range of 600 km (373 miles) on the WLTP-cycle. For the U.S., BMW is claiming around 300 miles of range. The BMW iX xDrive50 is also said to have a 0-60 mph time of under five seconds, though BMW was again unspecific.

But there is one model that hasn’t been communicated yet. The top iX variant is rumored to be labeled as the BMW iX M60 and will likely arrive in 2022-2023. The M60 is tuned by the M Performance Automobile Division so it’s expected to have a more aggressive bodystyle, along with some ride improvements. The power output is also the highest of the range, for a rumored 560 horsepower. This will be BMW M’s second-tuned electric car, after the upcoming BMW i4 M50.

In terms of charging, all BMW iX models will have 200 kW charging speed on compatible DC fast chargers. At the moment, that’s faster than anything except the fastest of Teslas. At that speed, the BMW iX can go from 10-80 percent battery in just 40 minutes. There’s also a quick ten-minute fast charge, that can quickly 120 km (75 miles) of charge to the BMW iX xDrive50 or 90 km (56 miles) to the xDrive40.

Some of the cooler features available on the BMW iX will be the massive panoramic sunroof, which will be the largest sunroof fitted to any BMW model and will also come with electrostatic shading. There will also be a Bowers & Wilkins 4D surround sound system, with thirty speakers, eight of which are in the car’s headrests. Being 4D, there are also magnetically controlled shakers in the front seats.

Autonomous driving Level 2+ is likely to be onboard as well, but BMW has been quiet on the front over the last few months. Level 3 and 4 are rumored to still be ways out.

As for pricing, in Germany, the BMW iX xDrive40 will start at 77,300 EUR, though BMW didn’t announce pricing for the xDrive50 model in its home market just yet. In the U.S. market, though, pricing for the BMW iX xDrive50 will begin in the mid-$80,000 range. Naturally, the BMW iX M60 will add a decent premium over the xDrive50 models.

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BMW iX xDrive50

Let’s start with the more expensive of the two, the BMW iX xDrive50, as it’s going to be the flagship model. Powering the iX xDrive50 will be a pair of electric motors, one at each axle. These motors are part of BMW’s fifth-gen eDrive power units, which combine the electric motor, transmission and all requisite electronics into one module.

The fifth-gen eDrive units make 30-percent more power than any previous BMW electric motor, while operating at 93-percent efficiency. They also use current-excited electric motors, rather than permanent-magnet motors, which entirely eliminates the need for rare earth materials.

The two drive units will make around 370 kW (500 horsepower) and will be powered by a battery pack larger than 100 kWh. Oddly, BMW wasn’t specific as to the battery density, simply claiming it to be larger than 100 kWh. With that large battery, though, the BMW iX is said to have a range of 600 km (373 miles) on the WLTP-cycle.

For the U.S., BMW is claiming around 300 miles of range. The BMW iX xDrive50 is also said to have a 0-60 mph time of under five seconds, though BMW was again unspecific.

BMW iX xDrive40

As for the entry-level model, the BMW iX xDrive40, it will pack a smaller-density battery, with only 70 kWh. That smaller density will only allow for 400 km (249 miles) of range but that’s still better than the Audi e-tron SUV. The xDrive40 will also get dual electric motors, giving it all-wheel drive, but it will make fewer ponies, only 240 kW (300 horsepower). According to BMW, the xDrive40 will around six seconds to get from 0-60 mph.

In terms of charging, both BMW iX models will have 200 kW charging speed on compatible DC fast chargers. At the moment, that’s faster than anything except the fastest of Teslas. At that speed, the BMW iX can go from 10-80 percent battery in just 40 minutes. There’s also a quick ten-minute fast charge, that can quickly 120 km (75 miles) of charge to the BMW iX xDrive50 or 90 km (56 miles) to the xDrive40.

Some of the cooler features available on the BMW iX will be the massive panoramic sunroof, which will be the largest sunroof fitted to any BMW model and will also come with electrostatic shading. There will also be a Bowers & Wilkins 4D surround sound system, with thirty speakers, eight of which are in the car’s headrests. Being 4D, there are also magnetically controlled shakers in the front seats.

As for pricing, in Germany, the BMW iX xDrive40 will start at 77,300 EUR, though BMW didn’t announce pricing for the xDrive50 model in its home market just yet. In the U.S. market, though, pricing for the BMW iX xDrive50 will begin in the mid-$80,000 range.

However, BMW said nothing about the lesser xDrive40 model for the U.S. Regardless of market, expect BMW iX models’ pricing to coincide with those of the BMW X5. So the xDrive40 models will likely be similar to those of the BMW X5 xDrive40i and the BMW iX xDrive50 will likely be price closer to the X5 M50i, in all markets respectively.

The BMW iX is now positioned well to take on cars like the Audi e-tron and Tesla Model X. It’s priced similarly to those cars, in regards to specification, and packs competitive ranges, power, performance, and actually boasts class-leading charge speed in most regards.

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It’s a short 1-minute video that focuses on most of the features BMW already shared with us, meant to give the iX a standing chance against other electric SUVs on the market today. It’s interesting to note that the first feature mentioned is ‘Over-the-air updates’, a clear hit at the Tesla camp, proving that the US-based EV-maker isn’t the only one offering such features and hasn’t been for a long time. Conventional BMWs are getting over-the-air updates right now but we’re expecting EVs to get a lot more functionality out of them on the long run.

Then there’s the Panoramic Roof with electric shading, another very useful feature that allows you to block out the sun through the sunroof without having to use a traditional textile cover or sorts. This technology will be making its premiere on a production BMW once the iX comes out. We also get a glimpse of the upcoming iDrive system and new instrument cluster design, features that we’ll be getting on a wider array of models starting with 2022.

It will definitely be interesting to see the final specs of the car and how it behaves in the real world. BMW said the iX will be getting over 500 HP and will be capable of accelerating to 100 km/h in under 5 seconds. That’s not exactly a world record but it’s going to be fast enough for most owners. As for the range, the WLTP tests showed over 475 kilometers on a full charge.

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At the moment, the BMW iX is scheduled to begin production in late 2021. We don’t have any specific dates at the moment but we’re expecting production to begin in November or December, 2021. There are a few different trim levels for the iX currently in the works. The entry-level and mid-tier models will be the ones that go into production first, beginning at the end of this year. While the top-level model, potentially an M Performance model, won’t begin production until about Spring 2022.

The BMW iX that you’re likely expecting, the one that BMW gave specs out for during its initial reveal, is the mid-tier model. That iX will debut with around 500 horsepower from two electric motors and a 100-ish kWh battery pack. According to preliminary figures, that BMW iX should top out at around 300 miles of range, estimated. That would put it right in line with cars like the Tesla Model X and allow it to be highly competitive in the segment.

We don’t have any specs about the potentially M-tuned BMW iX but it’s said to potentially pack around 600 horsepower and we’re hearing whispers of the name “iX M50”. We know that BMW is capable of such power, as its Power BEV concept a couple of years back put out around 700 horsepower. So BMW absolutely has the technology to make a high-performance electric crossover. Sadly, we’ll have to wait several months after the initial build of the iX to see the M Performance model but it could be worth the wait.

Between the initial design backlash and the social media drama that followed the iX’s debut, we’re very much looking forward to it. We can’t wait to drive it and see what if BMW can translate its “Ultimate Driving Machine” ethos into a completely new EV.

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The new, additional features enabled by the BMW Digital Key Plus are based on Ultra-Wideband technology. This is a short-range, high-bandwidth digital radio technology that is characterized by an exceptionally precise localization with the greatest possible security. UWB’s precision also ensures that relay attacks, where the radio signal is jammed or intercepted, are not possible. The press release says that Apple and BMW have been working closely with the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) to establish the Digital Key specification 3.0 for UWB, providing a global standard for the automotive industry.

The CCC has already been joined by several automotive constructor, so the further development of the future digital key technology will gain more traction and momentum, as it opens the gate to a very attractive, pan-industrial solution, which works suitably on a variety of digital devices such as smartphone, tablets, intelligent watches and other wearables.

Just like with the previous iteration, you will no longer need to position your smartphone in the close vicinity of the door handle. Opening the car will work simply by approaching the vehicle and keeping your digital device in your pocket.

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