The BMW iX Breaks Cover A Funky Steering Wheel and 300 Miles of Range

How Is The BMW iX On The Outside?

The iX’s body shell is composed of CFRP, high-performance thermoplastics, high-strength steel, and aluminum. CFRP components are also used for the side frame, rain channels, roof frame, cowl panel, and rear window frame that together constitute a ‘Carbon Cage’ in the BMW iX body.

Unlike the i4, which was launched along with the iX, this SUV doesn’t look conventional from any angle. Looks are subjective, but if you thought the kidney grille looks bad on the M3 and the M4, check this out. However, it serves as an ‘intelligent sensor panel’ for the SUV. But, with those prominent hood lines going upwards from the grille, the iX looks like Bane from Batman. The rear isn’t as loud as the face, but it features massive surrounds for the reflectors along with sleek taillights.

The iX rides on 20-inch aero-optimized wheels wrapped in 235/60 section tires as standard. 21- and 22-inch Air Performance wheels can be had for extra moolah. Another feature to increase aerodynamic efficiency and cooling is the active control flap function. With this, the flaps, which are generally closed, open up and let air to the brakes and powertrain. Despite being a rather large vehicle, BMW has managed to achieve a drag coefficient rating of 0.25. This is on par with the slightly smaller and sleeker i4 M50.

The SUV also features a double-wishbone suspension setup up front and a five-link design at the rear. You can also opt for an adaptive suspension setup including electronically controlled shocks and two-axle air suspension with automatic self-leveling.

How Big Is The 2022 iX?

The iX measures 195 inches in length, 77.4 inches in width, and 66.7 inches in height. It has a 118.7-inch long wheelbase. The SUV sits eight inches above the ground. The front track is 66 inches wide and the rear track is 67.2 inches wide.

How Is The BMW iX On The Inside?

The cabin looks quite modern. Surprisingly, the automaker hasn’t revealed a lot about the interior. The hexagonal steering looks a little weird at the onset, but the design could grow onto us. It’s not like the Tesla yoke steering at least, which will feature on the Model S and the Model X. The cabin seems spacious for now and we don’t think there will be a dearth of space anywhere given it’s a two-row SUV with a 118.7-inch wheelbase. There’s no word on the cargo space and frunk space either.

The digital instrument cluster and the infotainment touchscreen are in a single frame, although the dimensions and sizes are not mentioned. If it’s the same size as the i4, then it’s a 12-3-inch digital instrument cluster with a 14.9-inch touchscreen system. The whole setup doesn’t sit flush on the dash and kind of hangs in the air with the support of hinges. This is the second ‘in-your-face’ thing in the SUV… after the grille, of course. The touchscreen runs on the iDrive 8 infotainment system. It also comes with 5G connectivity – the first BMW to come with it – and a personal eSIM.

How Much Power Does The BMW iX Make?

The 2022 iX xDrive50 comes with a dual motor setup. The motor mounted on the front axle makes 268 horses and 260 pound-feet of torque, whereas the rear axle-mounted motor produces 335 ponies and 564 pound-feet of torque. Combined, they churn out 516 ponies and 564 pound-feet of twist. The SUV can sprint to 62 mph from rest in 4.6 seconds and has a top speed of 124 mph.

A more powerful M60 trim will arrive in the future with over 600 horses. Expect that one to breach the sub-four-second 0-60 mph time.

How Long Can The BMW iX Travel On A Single Charge?

The BMW iX comes with an EPA-estimated range of 300 miles. These are preliminary ratings and we should have the actual figure in the coming months. The SUV is powered by a 111.5 kWh battery pack, 106.3 kWh of which is usable. That’s 2.69 miles per kWh. We don’t know the SUV’s curb weight yet, but even then, it’s not a very efficient battery, to be honest.

The company has been designing its batteries in-house since 2013 and has still not managed to perfect it, or even be good, for that matter. To put things into perspective, the Lucid Air comes with a 113 kWh battery pack that’s good for 517 miles. That’s 4.58 miles per kWh. 300 miles of range may sound alright on paper, but it will be considered poor very soon. Heck, the iX’s primary rival, the Tesla Model X offers 360 miles of range on a full charge in the Long Range trim. If the automaker needs to pip its American counterpart, this is the first thing that will pull customers from Tesla to BMW.

When connected to a Level 2 wallbox charger that supports speeds of up to 11 kW, the iX can recuperate from 0 to 100-percent in 11 hours. The batteries also support fast charging up to 200 kW. Connect it to this and your battery can charge from 10 to 80-percent in a little over 40 minutes.

How Much Does The BMW iX Cost?

The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50 starts at $83,200 plus $995 destination charges. This doesn’t include the $7,500 federal tax credit. If you are eligible for the full credit, then the iX could effectively cost you $76,695. This will make it over $13,000 cheaper than the Tesla Model X.

When Will The BMW iX Arrive In The U.S.?

The 2022 BMW iX will arrive in the first quarter of 2022.