Photo: CarPix
Previewed in April 2018 at the Beijing Motor Show, the iX3 concept is one of 12 electric vehicles that BMW and MINI will introduce through 2025. Scheduled to enter production in China in 2020 at the same facility where the electric MINI Hardtop will be built, the iX3 doesn’t look all that different from the internal combustion-engined model.
You could say that BMW is playing it sensible with the exterior design of the iX3, but then again, don’t forget how wild the i3 and i8 look by comparison. The Audi e-tron SUV and Jaguar I-Pace also break the norm, with Mercedes-Benz keeping it just as sensible as the Bavarian competitor with the EQ C.
Spied in Germany, the prototype in the photo gallery wears minimal camouflage up front and on the rear bumper. What’s not exactly usual is the cardboard affixed in front of the windshield-mounted camera. Focus your sight on what hides behind the lower grille, and you’ll also notice a yellow wire hanging around as if it’s an afterthought.
Admiring the vehicle from the profile, you’ll notice economy-oriented tires and a braking system designed for energy harvesting. The black interior with beige upholstery also reveals no paddle shifters on the steering wheel, but then again, what did you expect from an EV?
Because an electric motor handles propulsion, the iX3 doesn’t use a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic with a torque converter. And because an electric motor develops maximum torque from zero revolutions per minute, there’s no need for more than one gear ratio to keep the propulsion system in its happy zone.
Similar to Tesla, Jaguar, and Chevrolet, the 2020 BMW iX3 features a fixed-ratio transmission. Even though this means top speed will be limited, acceleration will be impressive even by hot hatchback standards.
The iX3 concept features one electric motor with 270 horsepower on tap, connected to the fourth-generation battery. With 70 kWh of juice at its disposal, BMW claims the iX3 can travel more than 400 kilometers (250 miles) in this configuration before recharging.
On a related note, the G20 generation of the 3 Series will borrow the drivetrain for its own electric option, spied by the carparazzi earlier in August. If it were your money, what would you choose between the electrified 3 Series and iX3?
Spied in Germany, the prototype in the photo gallery wears minimal camouflage up front and on the rear bumper. What’s not exactly usual is the cardboard affixed in front of the windshield-mounted camera. Focus your sight on what hides behind the lower grille, and you’ll also notice a yellow wire hanging around as if it’s an afterthought.
Admiring the vehicle from the profile, you’ll notice economy-oriented tires and a braking system designed for energy harvesting. The black interior with beige upholstery also reveals no paddle shifters on the steering wheel, but then again, what did you expect from an EV?
Because an electric motor handles propulsion, the iX3 doesn’t use a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic with a torque converter. And because an electric motor develops maximum torque from zero revolutions per minute, there’s no need for more than one gear ratio to keep the propulsion system in its happy zone.
Similar to Tesla, Jaguar, and Chevrolet, the 2020 BMW iX3 features a fixed-ratio transmission. Even though this means top speed will be limited, acceleration will be impressive even by hot hatchback standards.
The iX3 concept features one electric motor with 270 horsepower on tap, connected to the fourth-generation battery. With 70 kWh of juice at its disposal, BMW claims the iX3 can travel more than 400 kilometers (250 miles) in this configuration before recharging.
On a related note, the G20 generation of the 3 Series will borrow the drivetrain for its own electric option, spied by the carparazzi earlier in August. If it were your money, what would you choose between the electrified 3 Series and iX3?
Google News