The BMW iX3 feels like the electric vehicle's iPhone moment. It doesn’t invent the electric car, but BMW’s painstaking optimization takes the breed to new heights, while delivering on the brand’s dynamic and engineering promise.
The electric SUV spearheads BMW’s Neue Klasse project, rolling out new batteries, e-motors, software, and chassis, plus a fresh digital cockpit design. The car’s engineers describe it as a once-in-a-career moment.
Switching to more space-efficient cylindrical batteries boosts energy density by 20 percent, while BMW is leading European car makers by making the pack structural, similar to Tesla, to cut mass. BMW’s 800-volt system speeds up its charging by 30 percent; being able to add 230 miles of range in 10 minutes isn’t far off a gas station pit stop.
View Price on AmazonBut these would all merely be stats on a Top Trumps card if the iX3 didn’t drive as well as it does. The BMW is a proper software-defined vehicle, with ‘superbrain’ computers delivering instant, coordinated responses for dynamics, super-smooth one-pedal driving, and intuitive driver-assistance features. The iX3 responds just like a BMW and rides comfortably, without the need for air springs or adaptive dampers that would add weight.
Then there’s Panoramic iDrive, a customizable display that runs across the full width of the windshield’s base, bringing key info such as speed and electric range right into the line of sight. While other companies show such systems on concepts, BMW makes it a reality. And to top things off, the iX3 was the first EV to pass 500 miles of WLTP range.
With 40 new and updated models set to use this tech, it would have been a disaster if BMW had dropped the ball. Instead, this feels like the shot that won the World Cup.
The iX3 range kicks off at around $55,000 with the smaller-battery, rear-drive 40 model packing 395 miles of range. That’ll be fine for many people, but upgrading to the 50 cranks up the power output to 463 horsepower, adds all-wheel drive, and delivers that 500-mile figure. M Sport spec looks the part, too.
Need a seven-seat electric SUV? Mercedes’ second-generation electric GLB will carry a five-a-side team plus subs, treating them to a comfortable ride, 380 miles of range, and plenty of cutting-edge tech.
The Volvo EX60 is more relaxing than a spa day, thanks to its rolling refinement and tasteful cabin. Volvo’s electric SUV also promises a 500-mile variant, but it’s more expensive than the BMW and doesn’t charge as quickly.
Source: autoexpress.co.uk
