BMW iX is expected to be priced in the upwards of Rs. 1 crore (ex-showroom) and it will rival Mercedes-Benz EQC, Audi e-tron and Jaguar I-Pace
BMW India will launch its first electric passenger car in the domestic market on December 11 as the iX will be brought into the country via the CBU channel. As its main rivals Mercedes-Benz and Audi have already entered the luxury EV space locally, BMW forays into the burgeoning segment with the arrival of the highly popular iX SUV.
It will compete against Merc EQC, Audi e-tron and Jaguar I-Pace and it could be priced in upwards of Rs. 1 crore (ex-showroom). The BMW iX derives design influence from the iNext concept showcased back in 2017 and it paved way for a host of futuristic design themes within the brand’s electric range and is also offered in M Sport guise.
It boasts the prominent kidney front grille, light bands in the upper section of the headlamp assembly, slimmer LED tail lamps, frameless doors, clamshell-shaped bonnet, 22-inch wheels, quirky bumpers at the front and rear with large openings, etc. In the international markets, the BMW iX has been made available in iX xDrive 40 and iX xDrive 50 trims.
The former develops a maximum power output of 326 hp and 630 Nm of peak torque and is claimed to have a driving range of up to 414 km on the WLTP cycle. It can accelerate from zero to 100 kmph in just 6.1 seconds. The latter generates 523 hp and 765 Nm, and it has a claimed range of up to 611 km and it can do zero to 100 kmph in just 4.6 seconds.
In both the trims, one electric motor drives each axle making it an all-wheel-drive system but depending on the surface conditions, the setup may differ. The 71 kWh battery pack used in the Drive 40 takes only 31 minutes to replenish back from 10 to 80 per cent using the DC fast charger at up to 195 kW while the 105.2 kWh battery in the Drive 50 takes 35 minutes to do the same charge.
Using the standard 11 kW AC wallbox, the BMW iX can charge back from zero to 100 per cent in under 11 hours for the Drive 50 variant and the Drive 40 consumes around 7.5 hours to charge back to its full capacity. The iX is based on a dedicated EV architecture and comes with features such as a 12.3-inch gauge cluster, a large 14.9-inch infotainment screen, etc.