Photo: CarPix
BMW has big plans in terms of electrified vehicles. The German automaker’s Untere Klasse family will spearhead the all0electric push, and the M performance division is looking into quad-motor setups, because why not? Until then, customers will have to settle for electric vehicles based on either the UKL or CLAR vehicle architectures.
The Munich-based company’s most affordable zero-emission vehicle is the iX1, at least for the time being. It will soon be joined by the unimaginatively but logically named iX2, pictured in the main photo in the form of a camouflaged prototype charging at a Tesla Supercharger.
Tesla opened its charging network to non-Tesla electric vehicles in November 2021. The program has since expanded to 16 countries, including northern states where automakers love to test the hell out of upcoming models in sub-zero conditions. Cold weather testing is all the more important for EVs, which don’t offer as much range in sub-zero conditions as they do when the weather is nice.
Similar to the X1, which entered its third generation in June 2022 as a 2023 model, the X2 is due a redesign this year as a 2024 model. It sports the well-known Untere Klasse platform of its predecessor, although it’s now referred to as FAAR due to a few minor improvements.
Similar to the iX1, the iX2 follows a tried-and-tested recipe as far as the front-end styling is concerned. The massive front grille is there, hiding under all that camouflage, a garish design element that is all the more garish due to being closed off. The design of the headlights also seems to closely resemble the iX1, and further back, there’s a more sloping roofline than the F39 generation.
Slightly more of a coupe instead of a stylized wagon, the second-generation X2 in zero-emission flavor is expected to premiere in the second half of 2023 at the latest. It’s certainly going to feature a dual-motor powertrain, most likely the xDrive30 of the iX1. A single-motor setup is likely to be added to the lineup in order to increase sales.
Even though it will feature one motor instead of two, the sDrive-something variant won’t disappoint in a straight line. The near-instant torque of that single electric motor ensures excellent acceleration in the urban jungle. One motor also means less weight, translating to more range.
The xDrive30 we’re probably looking at isn’t cheap. Over in Germany where the iX1 is manufactured, the dual-motor specification costs a whopping 55,000 euros or a little over 59,000 bucks at current exchange rates. The catch is that BMW throws in a whole lot of standard kit.
The 64.7-kWh battery of the iX1 xDrive30 provides a WLTP-estimated range of 439 kilometers ( miles). The dual motors generate 313 ps (308 horsepower) and 494 Nm (364 pound-feet) of torque when you give it the beans, resulting in 5.6 seconds to 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) and a top speed of 180 kph (112 mph).
Tesla opened its charging network to non-Tesla electric vehicles in November 2021. The program has since expanded to 16 countries, including northern states where automakers love to test the hell out of upcoming models in sub-zero conditions. Cold weather testing is all the more important for EVs, which don’t offer as much range in sub-zero conditions as they do when the weather is nice.
Similar to the X1, which entered its third generation in June 2022 as a 2023 model, the X2 is due a redesign this year as a 2024 model. It sports the well-known Untere Klasse platform of its predecessor, although it’s now referred to as FAAR due to a few minor improvements.
Similar to the iX1, the iX2 follows a tried-and-tested recipe as far as the front-end styling is concerned. The massive front grille is there, hiding under all that camouflage, a garish design element that is all the more garish due to being closed off. The design of the headlights also seems to closely resemble the iX1, and further back, there’s a more sloping roofline than the F39 generation.
Slightly more of a coupe instead of a stylized wagon, the second-generation X2 in zero-emission flavor is expected to premiere in the second half of 2023 at the latest. It’s certainly going to feature a dual-motor powertrain, most likely the xDrive30 of the iX1. A single-motor setup is likely to be added to the lineup in order to increase sales.
Even though it will feature one motor instead of two, the sDrive-something variant won’t disappoint in a straight line. The near-instant torque of that single electric motor ensures excellent acceleration in the urban jungle. One motor also means less weight, translating to more range.
The xDrive30 we’re probably looking at isn’t cheap. Over in Germany where the iX1 is manufactured, the dual-motor specification costs a whopping 55,000 euros or a little over 59,000 bucks at current exchange rates. The catch is that BMW throws in a whole lot of standard kit.
The 64.7-kWh battery of the iX1 xDrive30 provides a WLTP-estimated range of 439 kilometers ( miles). The dual motors generate 313 ps (308 horsepower) and 494 Nm (364 pound-feet) of torque when you give it the beans, resulting in 5.6 seconds to 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) and a top speed of 180 kph (112 mph).
Google News