Best features of BMW iX electric vehicle
What's the story
German automaker BMW has unveiled its first electric car in the Indian market, the iX. It will be launched here on December 13. The four-wheeler has a striking design and gets a tech-forward cabin with digital innovations as well as a bunch of comfort-based facilities. It delivers a range of up to 620km. Let's have a look at some of its highlights.
Context
Why does it matter?
The BMW iX had already made its appearance in the global market in June this year. It is the first of the three EVs that the auto giant aims to announce in India in the next six months. The deliveries of iX will begin in April 2022 and it will take on rivals such as the Audi e-tron and Mercedes-Benz EQC.
Exteriors
The front grille design hides cameras and sensors
The attractive design language of the BMW iX includes a muscular bonnet, frameless doors, angular air duct-like openings, and huge 22-inch wheels. The kidney grille on the front houses cameras, radars, and sensors that power the intelligent driver assistance systems. The lights on the front and rear are the slimmest that BMW has ever incorporated in a production model.
Interiors
The vehicle boasts largest panoramic glass roof from BMW
The futuristic and luxurious cabin is claimed to be a "living space on wheels" as it embodies high-quality furniture and a "floating" center console that gets an iDrive Controller surrounded by FSC-certified wood. There are loudspeakers embedded into headrests, a hexagonal steering wheel, slim seats, and the largest panoramic glass roof ever on a production BMW car.
Technology
The car also gets an intelligent digital assistant
The fully-digital "Curved Display" debuts inside the BMW iX. It splits into a 12.3-inch instrument console and a 14.9-inch infotainment panel. There is also an intelligent digital assistant that responds to your voice commands and gestures to control the infotainment system. The car is equipped with a new operating system, called the BMW Operating System 8.
Performance
There are four charging options available
BMW iX comes in xDrive40 and xDrive50 variants with 76.6kWh and 111.5kWh batteries, respectively. Paired with two electric motors, the former delivers a range of 420km while the latter promises 620km/charge. They have a top-speed of 200km/h and come with four charging options: a 2.3kW charging cable, a flexible fast charger, a 7.4kW single-phase Wallbox charger, and an 11kW three-phase Wallbox charger.