Updated, improved range iX unveiled

Still-confrontational styling but more zap and it’ll go a lot further on a charge.

SMALL change on the exterior, bigger differences branch the skin - that’s the course taken with a facelift of BMW’s most substantial electric vehicle.

The freshened styling, updated technology and up to 701km of claimed driving range are cited among improvements to the iX sports utility.

Kiwis seem set to experience these and other updates to the now four-year-old car from later this year.

The incoming types are replacing three existing ’40’, ’50’ and ’60’ derivatives that have respectively cost from $163,000, $197,900 and $242,500.

As before, all versions use two motors for xDrive all-wheel drive, but a comprehensive overhaul of the electrics including fitment of improved batteries has resulted in better efficiency, significantly more range and more performance.

The incoming headline-grabbing range champ is the iX xDrive60 which achieves a lithium-ion battery of 109.1kWh usable energy capacity. 

An official energy consumption figure of 21.9kWh/100km allows up to 701km between charges, BMW says. The best of the current cars has been the iX 50, with a range of 550km.

Peak charging rates for the new are quoted as 22kW on certain AC outlets and 195kW on DC rapid chargers. When both electric motors give their all, there’s up to 405kW and 765Nm of torque available, helping achieve a rapid 4.6-second 0-100km/h time.

The range-topping iX is now the M70. Its electric motors produce up to 491kW and 1105Nm of torque for 0-100km/h in just 3.8 seconds. The current flagship M60 has 397kW/1015, rising to 455kW/1100Nm in launch control conditions.

Though its usable battery energy capacity is more or less the same as that of the xDrive60, it’s not as efficient a car, so the official range tops out at 600km.

The entry-level model - now badged iX xDrive45 - manages the same range, though with a smaller battery pack (94.8kWh usable capacity) and a lower maximum charging rate (175kW on DC). Its maximum outputs are 408kW and 700Nm and 0-100kmh takes 5.1 seconds.

In the current range, the ‘budget’ choice has been the iX 40 with 240kW power, from a 71kWh battery and 370km range.

This mid life facelift - or ‘life cycle impulse’ in BMW-speak - doesn’t provide much solace for those who found the current car’s styling too divisive. As is obvious here, the exterior style of the new one hasn’t changed much. The front lights look a little different, there are new colours to choose from, two new M Sport packages, a new rear bumper and fresh designs of alloy wheel - up to 23 inches in diameter - but the contentious, upright ‘grille’ remains. Buyers can draw even more attention to it by adding the optional ‘Iconic Glow’ lighting.