Selwyn_Times: July 06, 2022

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40 Selwyn Times Wednesday July 6 2022
Electric BMW a glimpse into the future
WITH THE ever increasing
number of electric vehicles
pouring out of the global
automobile factories, so has
conventional design gone out the
window.
I first noticed futuristic looks
were developing when I evaluated
Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 late last
year, now BMW has escaped the
constraints of normal design associated
with having an internal
combustion engine under the
bonnet. It has pushed out the
envelope, the fully electric iX
series is landing here in sizeable
numbers and it is bold and brash
all through.
The exterior is blunt up front,
the characteristic BMW kidney
grille is intact, but it captures
attention with its flat, enclosed
structure and triangular shapes.
All through the vehicle there is
an emphasis on polygons and
geometric patterns, and with
the huge amount of electronic
componentry the inside look is
minimalistic, it is clean, sharp
and manipulated largely by touch
surfaces.
It may sound like a mishmash
of ideas, but in reality it all works
quite neatly and nicely. But there
are elements that are ‘in your
face’ and it may take some time
to warm to all of it. The optional
bright blue seat belts that contrast
STATEMENT: The BMW iX xDrive40 has styling cues that
go beyond conventional design.
BMW iX xDRIVE40: Large sport utility vehicle powered solely by batteries and electric motors.
to the rest of the interior colour
and patterns take some getting
used to. Different colour mixtures
can be ordered, but I just felt the
blue was too striking.
That aside, the iX xDrive40 is
a wonderful piece of engineering.
The evaluation car lists at
$169,600, if you want the epitome
of luxury, performance and
distance of travel the iX M60 will
take you 566km on single charge
but will set you back $238,900.
The iX xDrive50 sits in-between
at $204,800 and it’s good for up to
630km. If you are thinking the iX
xDrive40 is the poorer cousin of
the series, then that’s simply not
the case, it is an exceptional sport
utility vehicle that will satisfy the
demands of any electric vehicle
owner.
The 40 offers a lot for the
money. It has everything you
would expect to find in an SUV
– petrol powered or electric – it
cocoons the occupants in luxury,
and although there is no leather,
the fabric trim on the evaluation
car was amazing, its by far
the seat covering I would choose
and, what’s more, you still get the
warmth through seat squab and
backrest heaters.
Other notable items of fitment
include full panoramic roof,
head-up display, push-button door
opening buttons, and electric everything;
seat adjustment is done
from buttons on the door proper,
making travel comfortable and
convenient for all occupants has
been a manufacturing priority.
The whole driving experience
is user-friendly, there are no conventional
controls, to start operation
requires the push of a button,
and to enter drive mode means a
flick of a centre console-mounted
switch. Thereafter, movement is
normal, there is good loading on
the steering wheel, while momentum
is ushered in solidly and
smoothly. Well, that’s no surprise,
drive is seamless, the electric
motor winds up quickly to create
considerable force.
As you would expect, the iX
xDrive40 is quick – a 6.1sec
standstill to 100km/h acceleration
time is claimed by BMW. It
will also lunge through a highway
overtake in 3.8sec (80-120km/h).
Acceleration is forceful and
somewhat delightful, there’s a
surge of energy at all points that
is rather wilful and tempting, and
this from the entry-level model in
the line-up. The 50 and iX M60
have times of 4.6sec and 3.8sec to
meet the legal limit respectively.
Even so, the iX xDrive40 isn’t
disgraced, it is pleasing to have
that muscle on tap. However, I
didn’t overly use the energy greatly,
I was far more focussed on how
far I could travel in the evaluation
• Price – BMW iX xDrive40,
$169,600
• Dimensions – Length,
4953mm; width, 1967mm;
height, 1695mm
• Configuration – Two
electro-synchronous
motors, four-wheel-drive,
240kW, 630Nm, onespeed
automatic
• Performance –
0-100km/h, 6.1sec
car, given battery charge depletion
in an electric vehicle is always on
my mind.
In terms of charging, it comes
with the standard cables – one for
plugging into a DC charge port,
and an AC 3-pin cable for a domestic
outlet. I used the latter all
the time and it’s fair to say an extra
metre or two in length would
have been ideal. Some car makers
include cables of generous length,
I’d be looking for something a bit
longer to suit my unique situation
in terms of where I take power
from. Of course, a designated
wallbox for the home is the ideal
solution.
That aside, it’s all a very simple
process to charge and one that
certainly becomes habit. Arriving
home after each journey I
plugged in to keep 100 per cent
showing.
The iX xDrive40 is big and
heavy –almost 5m and 2440kg
– there’s no denying that, but it
drives easily and there’s no feeling
of bulk, the driving aids certainly
help with that, and if a corner is
presented a little on the quick side
there is a secure and stable feeling
from underneath.
Huge tyres help, Pirelli
PZeros are fitted, and with a 22in
diameter there is a lot of rubber
on the road, and I consider these
to be some of the best tyres available.
Contributing to that feel of
sure-footedness is the drive that
connects all four wheels. Well,
there are two electric motors, one
up front and one at the rear, they
communicate with each other to
provide the best available grip on
all road surfaces.
The global bid to reduce vehicle
emissions and thereby create a
healthier planet is showing no
signs of slowing, instead it is
ramping up dramatically and the
groundswell is suggesting electricity
is the way forward in terms
of personal and public transport.
With that, technology is
changing rapidly to keep pace.
What BMW has created in the
iX series is just a hint of what
we can expect going forward. As
economies of scale kick in, the
average income buyer may be
able to sample that further down
the track.
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