BMW IX test: a technological showcase with the dimensions of a supermarket
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BackMC Geek! BMW iX test: a technological showcase the size of a supermarket bmw_22_02145.jpgForget the i3, forget the iX3: Munich is hitting the electric table hard with the BMW iX, the brand's new SUV. As surprising as it is imposing, it is the standard-bearer of the brand in terms of on-board technologies. Long distance test between Maine-et-Loire and Jura.
BMW was one of the first manufacturers to invest in the electric vehicle segment with the i3, a small city car that pushed its convictions beyond a simple clean engine. Appearing as one of the first electric with the Tesla Model S or the Renault Zoé, it has however remained alone in the manufacturer's range for too long.
After a good series of plug-in hybrid vehicles, Munich is moving up a gear and returning to the electric dance. And there is no longer any question of quickly (and well) electrifying thermal platforms as is the case with the BMW iX3 or BMW i4. The German brand is deploying its first 100% electric model right to the end of the platform: the BMW iX is the cornerstone of a strategy entirely focused on sustainable development.
Electric cars: models expected in 2022
Despite the economic climate, the electric car market remained very dynamic in 2021. Unsurprisingly, the trend should continue next year, especially with the arrival of new models.
A face of a concept car
This new electric SUV, which takes up the ideology of the i3 in its own way, is the realization of the BMW Vision iNEXT presented in 2018. While we had Hard to imagine the arrival of such a futuristic production model, the German brand has decided to keep most of its lines and its striking visual identity. Wiping criticism from observers, the BMW iX finally appears less fat than the first photos suggested. It is still necessary to select the right configuration in the catalog, more numerous than with the BMW iX3 due to manufacture in Germany.
To talk about the BMW iX and the style in the same sentence can sound like an oxymoron depending on your tolerance level. On the other hand, behind its design (where style is dictated by function) the SUV hides an aerodynamic drag coefficient of 0.25. A data favorable to consumption for this big baby of 2,585 kg!
The same is true with its grille in the shape of beaver teeth (who spoke of traditional “BMW beans”?) which questions the most sensitive to the aesthetic appearance of a car. But its surface hides most of the cameras and radars needed for the level 2 semi-autonomous driving system with the Drive Assist Pro.
In order not to alter their operation, the grille is made of self-healing polyurethane: its five layers react to heat to repair scratches caused by road use, in 24 hours at room temperature or in 5 minutes under hot blast from a dryer or heat gun.
The Curved Display that dazzles
This front panel technology hides a passenger compartment that is just as full of avant-garde equipment. But before entering this cocoon dressed to the nines, the BMW iX is equipped with UWB technology with the Digital Key Plus. Even before the driver can see its gigantic grille, the SUV implements an approach procedure based on the U1 chip of the new iPhones: without having to take out the phone, the car senses the distance that separates it from the user and launches into a play of light while adjusting the air conditioning or the driving position to welcome the driver in the best possible way.
Once inside, the latter benefits from eco-responsible upholstery dressed in textiles and Sensatec, or carpets in Econyl. As an option, the cabin can even receive the Clear&Bold pack, which brings a tactile control panel with haptic feedback in FSC-certified wood and glass controls cut like diamonds, such as the central wheel or those for seat adjustments. - sorry, electric wheelchairs.
These are the few physical controls on board, the BMW iX necessarily preferring to present itself as a reflection of the future with tactile keys. Even, it's topical, contactless, with voice and gesture commands - but the latter is limited to only two shortcuts. Too bad, because it is effective and relevant. Still, it will sometimes be necessary to dig into the central 14.9 "touch screen, integrated into the enormous almost floating and curved slab.
The centerpiece of the new BMW iDrive (which is based on the BMW OS 8.0 operating system), it is also enhanced by a detailed head-up display with precise indications. But you will have to take your eyes off the road (nothing prohibitive, we are not going to lie to each other) to observe the navigation indications in augmented reality.
A connected car, it also features the Apple CarPlay function with display integration specially designed to take advantage of the digital screen: navigation can thus be projected behind the steering wheel. It's practical, but users would probably be wrong not to take advantage of the on-board system, which also offers a view of nearby charging stations and their status. A 5G connection will also be available in 2022: a first in a production vehicle.
The intentions to justify its premium rank are there, like the rear seatback pockets similar to those of a Business class airplane, the USB-C ports in the base of the headrests where the projection of the car on the central screen, with a 3D model that respects the exterior configuration.
Space on board, except in the trunk
On board, everyone is comfortable thanks to the flat floor. This is the advantage of a dedicated platform, which makes it possible to clear the way. Except for cargo spaces. Because despite its size, the BMW iX only offers a 500 l trunk, equipped with a subfloor to store the cables.
And we don't know what's going on under the hood, since it can only be opened by a specialized technician. Because unlike the iX3 (which keeps the X3's hood open for industrial reasons), the iX does without insulation around its motor and other electrical peripherals. Only the logo can be raised by pressure to fill up with washer fluid.
With its materials and interior design, the BMW iX is in many ways reminiscent of the i3, which stood out at the time with its sleek interior and two-spoke steering wheel. Having become a little bigger in this much more imposing SUV with a length of 4.95 m (compared to 4.01 m for the i3), the steering wheel now prefers a double-flat strapping, as in the most exclusive sports cars.
Something to set the mood aboard this machine which, although it is more fond of calm driving, does not hesitate to let the powder do the talking, as we have seen during this test, which led from the banks of the Loire from the Loire-Anjou-Touraine park to that of the Haut-Jura, with snow-capped peaks overlooking the shores of Lake Geneva.
A model of comfort and silence
We therefore chose the BMW iX xDrive50, the top-of-the-range version of the electric SUV equipped with two motors. A necessary configuration for our final destination, at an altitude of 1,323 m at the Col de la Faucille.
For this first trip, we made a round trip through the highways and roads southwest of Paris, leading to Le Mans and Saumur. A rather flat and clear road profile, not necessarily encouraging to use all of the available power, on the contrary. And that's what this SUV prefers, as padded as it is watted, which shows a damping that suffers from no criticism with the air springs on the four wheels on this version, but also excellent soundproofing.
On the road, you find yourself playing the eco-driving card by using the various regenerative braking modes. But we can then regret the absence of controls on the central console or the steering wheel to select one of the three normal modes (low, medium and high), where the adaptive mode, which can switch to freewheel mode but which shows generally difficult to exploit when there is traffic with optimistic slowdowns.
Joining the motorway or overtaking is done in the snap of a finger, especially with the Sport which then releases the 523 hp and 765 Nm of torque (available for 10 seconds) delivered by the two rotor motors wound. A technical choice by BMW for its GEN5 mechanics which is part of a continuous search for more responsible cars: without magnets, these blocks do not carry any rare earth, whose availability and ecological impact linked to their extraction is at the heart of questions.
In the sportiest operating mode, the behemoth sprints from 0-100 km/h in 4.6 seconds, while we measured 80-120 km/h in just 3.3 seconds. All in a spatial sound environment signed Hans Zimmer.
The auditory illusion according to Hans Zimmer
But if the composer did not choose his epic signature that punctuates the blockbusters, he seems to have put his way of using Shepard's scale to work: like an endless screw, the sound gradually climbs giving the impression of never stopping, like the breathless thrust of the iX.
This contributes to the (sporty) driving experience in an electric car, where the fixed-ratio motor hardly deviates from the Shepard principle. Fans will be able to listen to the composer's complete works in the optional Bowers&Wilkins Diamond Sound system, at the modest price of €4,850.
The snowproof electric transmission
Musical parenthesis closed and winter tires mounted, it is towards the Jura that we are now heading. And it is on these winding mountain roads that the BMW iX will show us its second face: that of defying the laws of physics. Because with its suspension and its four-wheel drive and steering, the SUV not only has fun cornering like no other machine of this weight and size (there are not many), but like a vehicle more smaller and much lighter. Especially since the adaptive steering proves convincing on playful rhythms, unlike that of a BMW X5 for example.
In any case, physics has its laws, and if it is not felt at the wheel, the mass is present. However, his technical efforts to maintain it are not small. The SUV is made mostly of aluminium, half of which are molded with recycled aluminium. It even chooses carbon fiber reinforced plastic structural elements that can be seen on the rear door sills, as on the BMW i3.
Behind the atypical steering wheel, you are surprised to raise your voice, even on snow. The all-wheel drive without mechanical link doing wonders in terms of dosage and responsiveness, we allow ourselves to disconnect the driving aids. And if they are never really cut, they leave leeway to have fun taking the angle at the wheel. Also, the system embeds a traction control which, as on the BMW i4, acts by restricting the engine torque before the loss of traction (and not by braking with more or less delay the wheel in loss).
The BMW iX is not a sporty SUV, but it is a perfect companion for going out in the snow. Comfortable on the highway, it transforms into a GT on mountain bends with copious strength, flawless traction and a whole range of equipment that will make life easier on the heights: we quickly appreciated the seats and armrests heaters as well as the heated rear camera to melt snow deposits.
BMW iX xDrive50: range and charging
Like all electric cars, it is in terms of autonomy and recharging that the BMW iX is expected at the turn. And to ensure a radius of action to match his ambitions in terms of versatility, he opted for a heavy (800 kg) but thin (140 mm high) lithium-ion battery and a capacity of 111.5 kWh, including 105.2 kWh of usable capacity. Enough to ensure up to 630 km of autonomy according to the WLTP cycle.
With Pirelli P Zero summer tires during our first test, the iX presented an average consumption of 28 kWh/100 km on a route mainly on the motorway. In the other direction, consumption has gone up a notch, reaching an average of 29 kWh/100 km on the highway. It's no surprise here, with a more hilly ride and the presence of more fuel-guzzling Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV tyres.
On the other hand, it is more economical on the road. In the early morning, on icy roads, the warming up weighs heavily with a consumption of 26 kWh/100 km on the road, despite the presence of a heat pump. And when the temperatures become milder, the BMW iX is much less greedy with an average of 22 kWh/100 km at regulatory speeds.
Climbs result in consumption of more than 30 kWh/100 km in the cold. It will therefore be necessary to think about going through the recharging box before climbing, to free your mind. But the breakdown is in any case postponed with such a battery: after the climb of the Col de la Faucille from Ferney-Voltaire and after many recreational sessions, the SUV has ingested 58.3 kWh / 100 km. That is 180 km of autonomy in conditions of use that it will never encounter.
It's hard to talk about autonomy, as we observed different averages depending on the weather and the profile of the roads. But it appears that the BMW iX can easily reach 480 km of autonomy on the secondary network in winter, and reach a value of 380 km on the highway. But remember that on this last ground, it is the network of fast charging stations that will dictate the length of the stages, especially since it is necessary to subtract on average 30% of the charge which will not be recovered (we rarely recharge under 10% and we rarely go beyond 80%).
And despite its advertised DC charging power of 200 kW peak power, the BMW iX is no exception to the 80-100% game. Because even if we noted a power of 61 kW once passed the 80%, it is below that it is the most efficient: the maximum power can be reached a little before the bar of 40%, while the curve will slowly drop to 100 kW around 70% load.
On paper, BMW announces a recharge time of 10% to 80% in 35 minutes. On the slow charging side in alternating current (at home or on suitable terminals), its 11 kW charger offered as standard should cover all daily needs. Recharging from 0% to 100% does not make sense here, but it will not exceed 11 hours in this case.
Note that the BMW iX also includes navigation equipped with a planner based on the route. Its estimates are pessimistic, as with most embedded systems. We can then do without it, but we should not forget to select a destination terminal in order to allow the system to precondition the battery before recharging: in the event of an unplanned stop, the power at the start of recharging could increase less powerful 26 kW. And although it can benefit from a preferential price with the Ionity network of which BMW is part (0.30 €/min with a free subscription the first year), the time (and therefore the recharging power) is the money.
BMW iX xDrive50: prices and equipment
The BMW iX xDrive50 opens its catalog at a price of €103,500. It offers LED headlamps, the BMW Curved Display, electric seats, the heat pump and various driving aids such as Drive Assist, Active Guard and Park Assist as standard. Against an extension of 3,050 €, the M Sport version of this test is embellished with some cosmetic improvements with a specific shield, 21-inch rims or blue brake calipers. We also find in the list of equipment the smartphone charger by induction, the Active Guard Plus, the heated seats as well as the front and rear pneumatic suspension.
Then opens a catalog of options of which only German manufacturers have the secret with innumerable references invoiced at full price. Count between €1,200 and €2,500 for one of the metallic colours, up to €1,550 for 22-inch rims or €3,550 for the red Suite Castanea interior of this test model. Do you want more ? It will be necessary to add 1,150 € for the Clear&Bold controls, 1,650 € for the multifunction seats or 800 € for the 4-zone air conditioning. In short, unlike a Tesla Model X, your BMW iX will not look like your neighbor's if you pay the price.
Note that the range also includes the 326 hp xDrive40 version and a 71 kWh net capacity battery providing up to 425 km of range.
BMW iX review: should we fall for this electric monster?
After having been absent from the electric car scene for a long time, BMW is back with an exotic product in the segment. Like the BMW i3, the iX is not just another electric SUV: it pushes the concept of the clean car a little further than the others by relying in part on materials inscribed in a circular system, while its definition and its presentation are as sweet as its environmental ambitions.
To better mark the brand's return to the future, it also presents itself as a technological showcase while waiting for the next BMW i7. It offers all the latest Munich innovations in this area. But the technological package confronted with its culture of the minimum can sometimes give some ergonomic complications.
On the road, it racks up praise, with plush comfort, excellent soundproofing and more than enough performance for a machine of this size. While they seem at the limit of the correct in extreme conditions, consumption should be much more controlled with milder temperatures. Still, at this price, this model is aimed at a particular clientele - those who have the means to drive up to the ski resorts on a regular basis. The BMW iX3 is more affordable, but also more outdated due to the iX's superiority in performance and comfort.
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