[Auto] BMW iX put to the test, electric mobility proposal as refined as it is impressive

[Draeno]

 

A decade ago, BMW surprised the world by presenting the i sub-brand, whose range included two products that seemed to come from the future: on the one hand, the BMW i3, a sophisticated urban vehicle, and on the other, the i8, an exotic PHEV sports car. which, with a three-cylinder engine and an electric drive, managed to deliver performance equivalent to that of an M3 of the time.

The BMW i models were not only astounding for their electrified mobility proposition, but also for the sustainability of their manufacturing processes and how technologically advanced they were at the time.

In any case, the BMW i did not evolve in accordance with the demands of the electric car market, the global proposal that prevailed was that of Tesla and its cars with titanic batteries, although much less proactive in other aspects.

Although it was a pioneer in adopting electrification, the Munich manufacturer quickly fell behind, but with the arrival of the iX (which, by the way, relies heavily on the Vision iNext concept), BMW delivers a resounding blow of authority on the table and we delivers a brilliant product, very much in line with current market trends, but maintaining the innovative proposal of the i sub-brand, with a focus on sustainability throughout the manufacturing process, state-of-the-art technology, and the great handling that is expected of a good car. Of the brand.

 

BMW iX xDrive40 M Sport: engine and technical characteristics

BMW's electric flagship, which Autogermana officially introduced in Colombia early last year, looks much larger than it actually is: it's 4,953 millimeters long; in fact; To give you an idea, it is just 67 millimeters higher than the BMW X5, although they share practically nothing. In the case of the iX, we have a hybrid construction architecture of aluminum and carbon fiber.

The floor houses a huge lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 71 kWh (for the xDrive40 version, which was the one we tested) and with which the iX announces a range of up to 425 km. It is worth noting that this vehicle has an integrated air conditioning system, which not only controls the well-being of the cabin, but also favors the management of the high-voltage accumulator, by optimizing its operating temperature.

To fully recharge this large battery in a 7.4 kW wallbox requires just over 10 hours, but if the process is done in a fast charging station (50 kW), charging up to 80% can take just about 90 minutes.

The iX uses two electric motors, one on each axis and, therefore, the traction is integral. These propellers together deliver 325 hp of power and 630 Nm of torque, which are managed through a single-speed transmission. This allows it to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.1 seconds and let's not forget that it is a family SUV of almost five meters and weighing 2,365 kilos. The cold numbers tell us that this model, in particular, offers an astonishing power-to-weight ratio of 7.27 kilos per horsepower.

 

https://noticias.autocosmos.com.co/2023/04/25/bmw-ix-a-prueba-propuesta-de-movilidad-electrica-tan-refinada-como-impactante