BMW iX
2021 onwards
Just a day after driving the Genesis GV70 Electrified, I was out again. This time it was in the largest electric BMW, the iX 50M.
This drive didn’t come with a half hour limit, although it was just a taster drive. I was out for about 90 minutes.
Whilst it is an imposingly large car, it did not feel at all cumbersome ior difficult to navigate the smaller streets of the town centres in Surrey and Hampshire. It also performed admirably on the smaller A roads, as well as the M3.
The odd thing though, was the slightly annoying (some might think Dramatic) whine when you apply the power in a firm manner.
After a brief introduction to the controls the salesman at the BMW dealership bid me farewell and I set off from Hook. I initially headed for Godalming, simply because I wanted to put something in the SatNav to assess the virtual reality aspect that the salesman was proud to explain to me.
This would use the forward facing cameras to provide an augmented view of the road with the directions provided.
On the Road
As I said, the iX is a big car. However, that doesn’t make it difficult to drive. In fact, it was surprisingly nimble. Once I’d departed the smaller roads and reached a stretch of dual carriageway, I pressed the accelerator pedal a little firmer. Whilst the acceleration was impressive, I was somewhat distracted from this by the strange noise that accompanies the increase in speed.
I could only compare it to the application of warp drive in an old sci-fi movie. It might be fun if you have children on board, but I’m not sure how well it would go down if I were transporting business executives to important meetings, holidaymakers to the airport or a bridal party to a wedding.
I’d definitely want to know if this could be switched off.
I think it’s important to recognise that this isn’t a sports saloon, it’s a bulky, huge SUV. It should be driven with that in mind, not hurried and thrown about. It is a big, comfortable and (aside from the warp drive) quiet place to be. I suggest driving it as if you had royalty in the rear cabin.
Interior
The seats were extremely comfortable, both in the front and the back. Having got back from my drive, I climbed into the rear and sat behind the driver’s seat. This was comfortable and offered plenty of space, even with the front seat set back far enough to make driving easy for me. To give some context, I’m six foot tall and about 22 stone in weight, so I’m a big lump to to have anywhere. If I could be comfortable and have lots of extra leg room ad head clearance, I’m sure that most others would be as well.
The displays in the front were large and clear and the main display on the left was touch controlled. Swiping around and selecting options was a familiar and easy, probably more so if you’re an Android user, apparently. Everything seemed to work quite well and I quite liked the gesture control.
I also really liked the heads up display. It was projected at a decent position and provided information is a clear way. The SatNav information was clear and became more detailed as you approached a junction. Seeing the qualit of this system really made me regret not having used the system in the Genesis the previous day; I only had that car for half an hour and I hoped (still do) to get a longer drive to allow me to play with such things. Anyway, the BMW system was excellent.
The amount of room in the iX was significant, aided of course by being built from the ground up as an EV. No compromises, no hangovers from an internal combustion engine to spoil things. This was an airy and, I may have already said this, compostable place to spend some time.
I like it when manufacturers learn from each other. When it’s the legacy car companies taking inspiration from the new kids on the block, it’s really quite interesting. In this case, it’s the interior door handles. It does have them, but I wouldn’t expect to use them. Instead, similar to the Tesla models, you push a button and the door pops open. There is a more manual option further down the door, but I think you would be unlikely to actually use this unless you had a total power shutdown.
Whether you’re sat in the front or the back, you are pretty much guaranteed to be comfortable.
Wherever you look in the iX, you see quality.
There’s a sensible blend of physical buttons, gesture control and on screen menus. I’m not trying to suggest that I got to grips with it all in the 90+ minutes I spent with the car, but I did enough to recognise that this was a well thought out, cleverly developed machine. And I wanted to spend more time with it.
Range and Charging
The iX 50 I drove had a 105.2kWh battery and a range, according to BMW, of 380 miles. The EV Database suggests the range is between 225 and 445 miles dependent upon the weather and what sort of driving. Realistically, I think you should be getting 300+ miles most of the time.
When you do need to use a public rapid charger, you should be able to charge at a speed of up to 195kW. That equates, according to the EV Database, a charging speed of 420mph. That means, in half an hour, you should be able to add 210 miles of range. So, when you’re on a longer journey and need to stop to use the loo and grab a coffee, your car can be recharging at the same time as you are getting yourself ready for the next leg. It’s unlikely, in these circumstances, that you’ll be waiting for a charge, as you’ll be busy elsewhere.
Verdict
Many people are critical of the look of the BMW iX, and I can understand why. For some, it has a face that only its mother (or designer) could love. But, as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and the iX is growing on me.
It is a staggeringly good car and probably amongst the best I’ve ever driven. It answers a different question to some of the others I’ve been lucky enough to get behind the wheel of, whether they were electric or powered by the old fashioned internal combustion engine.
Focussing just on the EVs, the best three that I’ve driven appear to be the iX, the Mercedes EQE and, although my test time has been limited, the Genesis GV70 Elecrified. Of those, the BMW is by far the most expensive. But I think it’s probably worth it, especially if you have a need or desire for the SUV body style and need extra room. If you happen to tow a caravan or other trailer, the iX is again going to be a sure fire winner.
The ranges stated in the above table are approximations based upon the combined cycles (city and main roads) in the cold and in warmer weather. These are not guarantees and they are not based upon the experience from my test drive.
You can find lots of information about electric vehicles, past and current, at http://www.ev-database.org
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