BMW’s Green Mobility With The New iX xDrive50 And iX xDrive40

BMW Group is starting a new chapter by combining emission-free and sporty driving pleasure with their new BMW iX models.

The new approach from the company offers a trailblazing design and modern luxury with the latest innovations in automated driving, operation, connectivity and digital services.

At the time of its launching, it will be offered in a total of two model variants which are, the BMW iX xDrive50 and BMW iX xDrive40.

BMW AG’s board member of management responsible for customer, brands and sales said, “The market launch of the BMW iX will get underway at the end of this year with a two-pronged approach, in the form of the BMW iX xDrive40 and BMW iX xDrive50. We have already set out the pricing for Germany."

“For example, the BMW iX xDrive40 will start at 77,300 EUR. Plus, our customers will now benefit from new additions to the range of vehicle functions that can be uploaded to their cars during ownership, and enjoy a seamless and extremely customer-oriented configuration process with personalized products and services.”

Redefining the Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) segment is what it’ll do. As the new BMW iX will be the first model to be based on a totally new, modular, scalable toolkit on which the future of the company will be built upon.

Its overall production is based at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, with the focus on environmental and social standards in ways of, the extraction of raw materials, the use of electricity from renewable sources and a high proportion of recycled materials.

Highlights of it would be the high proportion of secondary aluminum and recycled plastic used. As the interior features FSC-certified wood, leather tanned with olive leaf extracts and other natural materials. Also, the raw materials used for the floor coverings and mats are recovered fishing nets.

In the cause of reducing the use of critical materials, the engineers at BMW work on the built according to the principle of a current-excited synchronous motor. This special design has an effect which enhances the performance characteristics of the new BMW iX.

The accurately controlled excitation of the rotor using electric power enables peak torque to be in full tap, immediately on vehicle launch. Unlike with electric motors of conventional design, the torque is maintained over an extremely broad rev band.

Further defining it, would be the driving experience on board the BMW iX. In which it has a power development that is not only lightning fast but also unusually consistent, which underscores the car’s brand-typical sporting excellence.

Under the hood, both variants are sporting a drive system which features one electric motor on the front axle and another at the rear axle. However, the output ratings are of different values.

For the BMW iX xDrive50, it is able to produce a total output of over 370 kW (500 hp) and an acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in under 5.0 seconds. As for the BMW iX xDrive40, it has an output of more than 240 kW (300 hp) and a sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in over 6.0 seconds.

Ingenuity of the 5th generation BMW eDrive technology has been installed for the power electronics and charging technology of the BMW iX. It is positioned low in the vehicle floor and the gravimetric energy density of the lithium-ion batteries has also been increased by 20 percent.

Along with its optimised aerodynamics and intelligent lightweight design, the BMW iX results in an electric power consumption with a WLTP cycle of less than 21 kW/h for every 100 km in the BMW iX xDrive50 and in the BMW iX xDrive40 on the other hand, it is under 20 kW/h for every 100 km.

Manufactured according to precise specifications and integrated into model-specific high-voltage batteries, the iX xDrive50 is fitted with a battery that has a gross energy content of over 100 kW/h. While for the BMW iX xDrive40, it has a gross energy content of more than 70 kW/h.

Hence, this gives the iX xDrive50 a range in excess of 600 km and the BMW iX xDrive40 a range of more than 400 km in the WLTP test cycle. Albeit, as a note, all figures relating to performance, energy consumption and range are assumed based on the car’s current stage of development.

Charging technology wise, the BMW iX enables direct current (DC) fast charging with extremely high charging power. The BMW iX xDrive50 and iX xDrive40 variants can replenish their high-voltage battery at up to 200 kW and 150 kW respectively. 

This allocates only a ten-minute plug-in time which will provide sufficient energy to add more than 120 km and 90 km of range accordingly. Furthermore, both model variants, the high-voltage battery’s charge can be increased from 10 to 80 percent of its full capacity in under 40 minutes.

Also making its debut in the BMW iX is the new technology toolkit. It provides the level of computing power which has been developed to process 20 times the data volume. Resulting, around double the amount of data that can be processed from the vehicle sensors.

“We are setting new industry standards with the technology in the BMW iX. The iX has more computing power for data processing and more powerful sensor technology than the newest vehicles in our current line-up, is 5G-capable, will be given new and improved automated driving and parking functions and uses the high-performing 5th generation of our electric drive system,” commented, BMW AG Development’s member of the board of management Frank Weber.

Apart from all the technical ingenuity, the BMW iX has a new design for a new driving experience. This trailblazing character is clearly expressed in the car’s aesthetics, which has been developed from the inside out. 

Overall, it has a clear and minimalist layout as the exterior is showcasing a new form of mobility in every curve and essence, in which it does best to portray the environmental approach that the company is heading towards.

Its silhouette, paired with all the exterior equipment fitted and the shade it is cloaked in really goes together well alongside the brand's new redesign of their trademark kidney grilles.

Not to forget, its interior also offers extreme comfort for those on-board, made possible with the BMW iX’s innovative options from its high-tech systems, in terms of entertainment, safety and security, all in which to enjoy relaxation in a new form of luxury to the fullest.

BMW Group Design’s senior vice president Adrian van Hooydonk concluded, “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. 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 of right now the vehicle is still in its final development phase and will only be launched at the end of this year, 2021.