BMW debuts all-electric iX3 SUV at the Beijing Motor Show


BMW has taken the wraps off the pure-electric SUV concept iX3 at the on-going Beijing Motor Show. Set to rival the likes of Jaguar I-Pace, Audi e-tron Quattro and Mercedes EQ C, the production version of the iX3 is planned to be the third pure electric model from the BMW Group and is planned to go on sale in 2020. The German marque says lessons learnt though the establishment of its i sub-brand helped it come up with a more desirable product for its customers. Instead of giving it a futuristic look, BMW went ahead with a design that leans heavily on the standard X3. To make the iX3 stand out from the third-gen X3, BMW added some unique design elements such as a newly styled grille, futuristic-looking bumpers, aerodynamically optimized wheels with low rolling resistance tires and a new rear diffuser element. The body has also been smoothed out to reduce wind resistance. The kidney grill on the iX3 no longer has slats to feed air to the radiator. Because it’s an EV, the car doesn’t need that air and it lowers the vehicle’s aerodynamics.

The BMW iX3 concept features a modular EV drivetrain in which the electric motor, transmission and power electrics are all grouped into a single component. According to BMW, this makes it easy to “integrate into different vehicle architectures” and “adapt to the performance levels required and the available space.” The electric motor according to BMW develops over 270 horsepower and the battery is claimed to have an overall capacity of over 70kWh. This provides the electric SUV with an overall range of more than 249 miles on the latest WLTP cycles. With 150kW fast chargers, the battery can be fully charged in under 30 minutes.

[Via:Engadget]

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Sayan Chakravarty, a Senior Writer at Luxurylaunches, brings over 10 years of automotive journalism expertise. He provides insightful coverage of the latest cars and motorcycles across American and European markets, while also highlighting luxury yachts, high-end watches, and gadgets. An authentic automobile aficionado, his commitment shines through in educating readers about the automotive world. When the keyboard rests, Sayan feeds his wanderlust, traversing the world on his motorcycle.