2022 BMW iX First Look: Bavaria’s EV SUV
- BMW’s new technological flagship in a Sports Activity Vehicle design.
- 5th Generation of BMW’s eDrive Technology producing 500 hp.
- EPA estimated driving range of 300 miles.
- Modern exterior and interior design architecture.
- New BMW Charging Powered by EVgo service using 100% renewable energy.
A vision is turning into reality, as the BMW Vision iNEXT becomes the BMW iX. With its entirely newly developed design, the BMW iX is the first representative of a generation of cars poised to redefine the driving experience, the feeling of space inside, and the relationship between vehicles and those on board.
The BMW iX is the first model based on a new, modular, scalable architecture that will be BMW’s future. From the beginning, the IX was envisioned as purely electric mobility, redefining the successful Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) concept. The BMW iX provides something beyond just mobility – an exhilarating driving experience combined with a sense of well-being for both drivers and passengers while enjoying the journey with safety, security, and a new form of luxury process.
“The BMW Group is constantly striving to re-invent itself. That is a central element of our corporate strategy,” says Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG. “The BMW iX expresses this approach in an extremely concentrated form.”
BMW’s new technology flagship – the “workshop for the future”
The design and technology of the BMW iX form an integrated package that lays the foundations for what is, in many respects, a new kind of driving experience. In so doing, it embodies the BMW i brand’s character, whose mission is to transform personal mobility. BMW i plays a central role at the BMW Group as a “workshop for the future” and a driver of innovation. The BMW i3 – conceived from day one to be a lightweight and fun-to-drive electric vehicle– provided a future-focused springboard towards sustainable urban mobility. The visionary design of the plug-in hybrid BMW i8 has come to exemplify leading-edge drivetrain technology in the premium sports car segment.
The BMW iX goes into production at BMW Plant Dingolfing in the second half of 2021 and arrives on U.S. shores in early 2022. The iX will bring together the company’s latest developments in the strategic innovation fields of Design, Connectivity, Electrification, Digital Services, and Sustainability. These developments will show up in the car, such as its optimized aerodynamics, intelligent lightweight Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic design, and extensive use of natural and recycled materials.
Fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology delivers efficiency and range.
The fifth generation of BMW eDrive technology encompasses two electric motors, the power electronics, the charging technology, and the high-voltage battery – which delivers improved efficiency and performance. The power unit developed by the BMW Group and manufactured sustainably without rare earth raw materials will develop around 500 hp by the most recent calculations. That will be enough to propel the BMW iX from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in under 5.0 seconds.
The vehicle will deliver a lower combined electric power consumption figure based on the current model, which equates to a range of 300 miles according to the EPA’s FTP-75 test procedure.
D.C. fast charging: over 75 miles of range in ten minutes
The new charging technology of the BMW iX enables D.C. fast charging at up to 200 kW. The battery charges from 10 to 80 percent capacity in under 40 minutes. In just ten minutes, enough energy can be fed into the battery to increase the car’s range by around 75 miles. It takes less than eleven hours to charge the high-voltage battery from 0 to 100 percent at an 11 kW Level 2 charging station.
The batteries fitted in the BMW iX are designed as part of a long-term resource cycle and allow for a very high recycling rate. The power used to produce the battery cells and the high-voltage batteries come exclusively from renewable sources.
“Technology is driving the advances we need to tackle even the greatest challenges. This applies in particular to climate protection,” says Oliver Zipse. “We are in no doubt: mobility has to be sustainable if it is to represent a truly outstanding solution. For the BMW Group, premium mobility is not possible without responsibility.”
BMW Charging Powered by EVgo
Recognizing the critical importance of public charging infrastructure to E.V. drivers in the U.S., BMW is partnering with EVgo, the nation’s largest public fast-charging network and the first in the U.S. to be powered by 100% renewable energy. The new BMW Charging service will provide BMW EV and PHEV drivers with access to more than 800 EVgo locations and partner charging network stations via an easy to use mobile app. BMW Charging Powered by EVgo will enable BMW drivers to see chargers’ real-time status, initiate a charging session, check their account status, and more.
Starting from December 2020, new electrified BMW owners will be able to sign up for the BMW Charging Powered by EVgo program using the Personal Activation Code provided in the Welcome Email of their new electrified BMW. A download of the BMW Charging App will allow them to find available chargers, swipe to start their charging sessions, and access account information on their mobile phone.
New iX technology architecture underpins further advances.
The new technology architecture making its debut in the BMW iX provides the platform for significant progress in digital services and future automated driving systems. For example, the level of computing power to process 20 times the data volume of previous models.
“All the innovations are impressive on an individual level. But only together can they make a real difference,” explains Oliver Zipse. “We are integrating technological progress – in all its complexity and interdependence – into inspirational and sustainable products.”
“The BMW iX shows how we can give new technologies a very modern and emotional design. The car is technologically complex, but it feels apparent and uncomplicated,” says Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design. “The BMW iX offers a mobile living space in which people will feel at ease, where the car’s intelligence is only there when you need it.”
Muscular SAV proportions and intelligent kidney grille
With its exterior dimensions, the BMW iX combines fully electric all-wheel drive with the functionality of the BMW X5, with the sporting nature of the BMW X6, and with the visual impact of the BMW X7.
The available panoramic glass roof features a large single-piece transparent surface that spans the entire interior, making it the largest glass roof ever fitted in a model from the BMW Group. The panoramic glass roof greatly enhances the sense of spaciousness and the lounge-style ambiance inside the BMW iX. It maximizes the headroom for the occupants by removing the need for an interior shade liner.
The new glass roof features electrochromic shading instead, which can be activated at the press of a button to shield the interior from direct sunlight.
The panoramic roof is a steel frame, two laminated glass panels, and three layers of film in between. This construction offers both optimum protection against ultraviolet rays and an excellent standard of acoustic comfort. The upper glass panel’s triple silver low emittance coating is designed to maintain a comfortable cabin climate.
Instead of having an interior shade, the roof is the only one of its kind in the automotive industry to employ PDLC (Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal) Technology for shading the interior.
LED headlights and BMW Laserlight
The slimmest headlight units to ever be featured on a series-produced BMW provide a new and minimalist take on BMW’s familiar face. With integrated turn signals, daytime driving lights have a new design as two-dimensional strips along the upper edge of the headlight units. The hood does not have an opening mechanism for use by the customer; the drive systems and power electronics can only be accessed by workshop technicians.
Doors with integrated flush handles and frameless windows – The BMW iX features electric door handles that fit flush into the door surfaces and are finished contrasting, along with doors with frameless windows.
Shy tech for the exterior: subtly integrated technology
The intelligence panel in the BMW kidney grille, the BMW iX, also has an array of discreetly positioned cameras and sensors; the underlying principle here is that the technology stays in the background and only becomes apparent when the relevant functions are called into action.
Optimized aerodynamics for increased range
The BMW Group has reduced fuel consumption and emissions to great effect with Efficient Dynamics. Reduced air resistance and intelligent lightweight design are both important contributory factors to the all-electric SAV’s range. As a result, the BMW iX boasts outstanding aerodynamics for its class, with a drag coefficient (Cd) of just 0.25.
The aerodynamic elements for the front end, rear end, underbody, and wheel areas alone add over 40 miles (WLTP measurement) to the car’s overall range. Another drag-reducing feature on the BMW iX is the sealing measures of the underbody. Spanning the largest area between the front and rear axles is the smooth aluminum casing of the high-voltage battery, located low down in the vehicle floor.
Lower air resistance and weight: Air Performance Wheels
The BMW iX rides on standard 20-inch light-alloy wheels with an aerodynamically optimized design. The Air Performance Wheels are an aluminum base wheel with customized inserts between the spokes with a flat design, especially on the outside of the wheel, resulting in far smoother airflow. They weigh around 15 percent less than conventional light-alloy wheels. The driving range increases by 9 miles (WLTP measurement) courtesy of the Air Performance Wheels.
Interior: Where people are center stage and technology fades into the background
“We designed the BMW iX from the inside out,” says Domagoj Dukec, Vice President BMW Design. “In the process, we took particular care to create a modern, warm, and minimalist interior design with a very spacious feel.”
Lots of room, a top-quality selection of materials, newly developed seating, and the extraordinary expanse of the single-piece panoramic glass roof combine to immerse all five seats inside the BMW iX in a luxurious lounge-style ambiance.
The displays and controls are all stripped down to their essentials, reinforcing the impression of an uncluttered relaxing cabin. The shy tech includes hidden speakers, intricately styled air vents, radiant heated surfaces, and the discreet recessing of the BMW Head-Up Display’s projector into the instrument panel, so it is almost invisible.
Upholsteries in Sensatec and exclusive natural leather
The surface of the natural leather used for the seats and instrument panel is treated with a natural olive leaf extract, avoiding any product residue harmful to the environment while also giving the leather a high-quality and natural look.
BMW Curved Display
Making its production vehicle debut, the BMW Curved Display is held in place by a supporting structure concealed from occupants’ view, so it appears freestanding. It has a magnesium housing and a frameless, single-piece glass surface.
BMW Head-Up Display with frameless projector integration
The latest version of BMW’s Head-Up Display projector is flush-fitted into the instrument panel without a frame, allowing it to follow the shy tech theme. The information projected by the BMW Head-Up Display includes the car’s speed, speed limits, check control messages, status indicators and warnings from the driver assistance systems, detailed route guidance and turn instructions, as well as telephone and entertainment lists.
Automatic climate control with new controls and integral nanofiber filter
The BMW iX comes with either available 2.5-zone or 4-zone automatic climate controls. Cutting-edge nanofiber filter technology purifies the air inside the car more effectively. Pre-heating and pre-conditioning functions are standard.
Pioneering Bowers & Wilkins Surround Sound System with 4D Audio
The standard Harman Kardon Surround Sound System delivers an excellent listening experience with a seven-band equalizer, eighteen speakers, 655 watts of audio power, and sound adjustment based on the car’s dynamic performance level. Four built-in speakers in the rear head restraints complement five midrange and five tweeter speakers. Two central bass speakers and two additional subwoofers located under the rear seat ensure a powerful sound performance. The system’s tweeters are housed behind perforated grilles, while the midrange speakers hide beneath the door panels’ fabric trim.
The latest version of Bowers & Wilkins’ optional Surround Sound System takes the listening experience to a whole new dimension. The fully active audio system boasts a seven-band equalizer and microphone-assisted sound control based on the vehicle’s dynamic performance and five sound modes. With 30 speakers and an impressive 1,615-watt amplifier output, this advanced system produces an exceptionally clear and wonderfully nuanced sound.
Standout features include eight speakers integrated into the front and rear head restraints, two Diamond tweeters, a quartet of 3D speakers, plus two central bass speakers and two subwoofers under the rear seats. In addition to this, the Bowers & Wilkins Surround Sound System also incorporates a 4D Audio function generated using ‘shakers’ in the front seats. Their precise, magnetically controlled vibrations result in an intense perception of bass frequencies, even at low volumes.
The U.S. market launch will be in early 2022.
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