BMW iX3. New Chinese reality
In 2021, the manufacturer released a restyled version of the first generation SUV
The BMW iX3 is an electric SUV manufactured by BMW (Germany) since 2020. The first production model of the company with a fifth generation electric powertrain, which implies a modular architecture and the exclusion of expensive rare earth metals. In 2021, the first generation SUV is offered on the Israeli market. It will not be produced in Germany or the United States, but at the BMW Brilliance in Shenyang, China.
A concept prototype of the BMW iX3 was presented back in 2018, when the German car manufacturer promised that it would be its first vehicle with a proprietary fifth-generation electric transmission. It is also BMW’s first all-electric car since 2013, when the i3 was introduced. It is also the first BMW electric vehicle to be manufactured in China and exported to other countries. The premiere show of the electric car took place online on July 14, 2020.
The starting price of the base BMW iX3 is 430,000 shekels. For comparison, the price of the Audi e-Tron and the Mercedes EQC starts from 525,200 and 499,900 shekels, respectively (prices are indicated on the official websites of dealers, the information is correct at the time of publication).
The first generation
It has been produced from 2020 to the present (as of 2021). The new BMW iX3 is based on the production X3 SUV, on the CLAR platform. The electric SUV looks quite similar to its petrol-powered ‘brothers’. Apparently, this is the logic of the Bavarians, as those who are already accustomed to the BMW X3 can easily adapt to its electric version. The electric car can be distinguished by the bright blue edging of the brand’s logos and the branded grille, a more “closed” pattern of the front bumper and the absence of vertical slats imitating a radiator. The rear bumper has been slightly changed for better aerodynamics, and now it features a diffuser in the corporate i-color. In the profile, the iX3 can be recognized by its kicking plates and a special, more aerodynamic pattern of 19- or 20-inch wheels.
Hans Zimmer personally ‘voices’ the electric car, but the most amazing thing about the electric SUV is that the VMV iX3 is capable of overcoming a 0.5-meter ford…
The drag coefficient of the electric vehicle is 0.29 (0.30 for a conventional X3). It is 4,734 mm long, 1,891 wide and 1,668 mm high, with a wheelbase of 2,864 mm. The electric vehicle turned out to be longer than the usual X3. Its trunk is smaller than that of the versions with internal combustion engines: 510 liters instead of 550 liters, and 1,560 liters versus 1,600 liters with the backseat folded down. The ground clearance has been reduced by 25 mm (to 179).
Powertrain
The electric SUV is equipped with rear-wheel drive and one electric motor producing 286 hp and 400 Nm. It takes the BMW iX3 6.8 seconds to the first 100 km. The maximum speed is electronically limited to 180 km/h. For comparison, a powerful X3 xDriveM40i petrol version with a 3-liter engine producing 354 hp accelerates from 0 to 100 km in 4.8 seconds. And the xDrive30i modification, approximately comparable in power, with a 2-liter 252-hp engine develops a maximum of 240 km/h. So in terms of dynamic characteristics, the iX3 electric SUV is still inferior to the petrol version.
The lithium-ion battery of the electric SUV has a capacity of 80 kW/h, the declared drive range on one charge is 460 km (according to the WLTP cycle) or 520 km (according to the NEDC cycle). Consumption ranges from 18.5 to 19.5 kilowatt-hours per 100 km. Charging from zero to 80% at 150 kW takes 34 minutes. An adaptive spring suspension comes standard. The braking energy recovery can be controlled in three steps, which makes it possible to operate with one pedal.
Interior and equipment
The logic of the interior design is the same: the interior design of the X3 has been supplemented with ‘electric’ aesthetics. The interior of the 2020/2021 BMW iX3 is similar to the regular X3, but unlike the latter, a virtual dashboard is included in the basic equipment. The central display is 10-inch. Standard features include LED headlights, 3-zone climate control, panoramic roof, power-operated fifth door and more. For a surcharge, you can order a head-up display, parking assist, Vernasca leather trim, Harman Kardon sound system and much more.
The electric car is ‘voiced’ by Hans Zimmer (who composed music for Gladiator, Pearl Harbor, Inception, Interstellar, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Dark Knight and many other movies). This famous composer became the author of the sound of the BMW iX3. But that’s not all! Perhaps the most surprising thing about this electric SUV is that, according to the manufacturer, the VMV iX3 is capable of overcoming a 0.5-meter ford.
Depending on the trim level, the BMW iX3 will offer several decor options: a plug that imitates a radiator grille; bumpers, sills and wheels decoration options; glass edging options, as well as the design of the branded ‘kidney grills’.
