We look at BMW’s latest EV offering: The iX

It is all-new, big, all-electric, fully connected, semi-autonomous, and BMW’s new technology flagship. Yes, we are talking about the 2022 BMW iX, which features potent powertrains, a superb interior with luxurious and spacious seats, user-friendly tech, and a poised ride.

Underpinned on a new architecture created by the Bavarian manufacturer, the biggest highlights of this BMW EV are up to 630 km of driving range, a long list of standard driver and assistance systems, the best-in-class interior quality & infotainment, and stand-out riding comfort.

BMW South Africa offers the all-new iX in two variants – xDrive40 and xDrive50. The entry-level xDrive40’s powertrain includes a 76 kW lithium-ion battery and two electric motors powering all the wheels, creating 240 kW and 630 Nm of torque.

The range-topping xDrive50 is powered by a 111 kWh lithium-ion battery producing 385 kW and 765 Nm of torque. While both models quickly respond to every moment of the acceleration pedal, the xDrive50 is undoubtedly quicker than the two, hitting the 100 km/h from a standstill position in just 4.6 seconds. The base xDrive40 takes 6.1 seconds to do the same.

BMW claims up to 390 km range for the xDrive40 based on the WLTP cycle, whereas the more powerful xDrive50 can deliver up to 630 km, which is more than enough for everyday commutes and even for outstation journeys.

The charging time depends on your charging method/device. We highly recommend BMW Wallbox (which is complementary right now with the EV purchase), which adds 100 km in 1 hour and 41 minutes (xDrive50). A standard household socket will take 8 hours and 31 minutes for the same. On the other hand, a 50 kW fast-charging station can give you 100 km in only 21 minutes. Replenishing the battery on the 50 kW station from 14% to 80% will take about 90 minutes. Once your battery charge reaches 80%, the EV (xDrive50) will give you about 430 km range.

Due to continuing load-shedding issues in South Africa, you must treat your iX as a smartphone. If you come home and put your vehicle on an overnight charge, when spare electricity is available in the grid (and load-shedding risk is minimum), you can almost reverse the complexities associated with power outages.

The iX’s interior is unarguably modern, quiet, and futuristic. The biggest highlight is the BMW iDrive 8 infotainment system featuring a large BMW Curved Display – containing a 12.3-inch digital cluster and a 14.9-inch touchscreen -, a 12-speaker hi-fi stereo, satellite radio, wireless device charging, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, a panoramic sunroof, quad-zone automatic climate control, and a power liftgate. The add-ons such as the "Hey, BMW" voice assistant and augmented-reality navigation come for an extra price.

Besides, the luxury electric SUV comes loaded with a wide range of standard driver assistance features and offers various accessories and packages to perk up your driving experience.

BMW offers the new 2022 iX at a starting price of R1,700,000 (xDrive40), while the xDrive50 bumps the price to R2,250,000. Both models come with 1-year comprehensive insurance and a free wall box along with a 5-year/100,000 km vehicle warranty and an 8-year/100,000 km battery warranty. (Prices correct at time of publication.)

With more EVs arriving in SA, you will want to conduct thorough research before investing in one. Be sure to keep an eye on the MotorHappy blog, where we keep you up to date on all the latest SA motoring news.

Please note the imagery supplied in this blog was taken off www.topgear.com