Photo: BMW
For EV owners, a distance of as little as 6 miles (10 km) can still mean the difference between reaching the destination safely, or getting stranded in the middle of nowhere. That’s why companies building such cars are going out of their way to reduce drag as much as possible.
One way of extending the reach of an EV is by fitting it with special wheels. With a few exceptions, usually in lower end of the market, every electric car now available comes with specially-designed wheels, created as a means to cut drag and increase range.
BMW’s iX3, the carmaker’s first electric SUV that will launch later this year, will use such wheels too. A derivation of the existing hardware used by the Germans, the new BMW Aerodynamic Wheel will help the EV along in achieving maximum mileage on a battery fill.
As per BMW, the wheel is made of a new combination of aluminum and individually designed inserts, weighs 15 percent less than existing Bavarian wheels, and it is shaped in such a way as to cut drag by 5 percent and electricity consumption by 2 percent.
That should translate, as per measurements made under the WLTP test cycle, in savings of 0.4 kWh/100 km and an increase in range of 6 miles (10 km).
For effect, any type of paint can be applied on the wheels, and they can be specified as matt or polished.
“Furthermore, inserts can also be combined with different surface designs within a single wheel,” says BMW.
“The end result is a multitude of aerodynamically optimised wheel possibilities, each with a design that matches the vehicle’s character, the equipment line selected and the customer’s individual preferences.”
The iX3 is an electric SUV powered by a 74-kWh battery and an electric motor that develops 282 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The car’s range is rated at 273 miles (440 km).
BMW’s iX3, the carmaker’s first electric SUV that will launch later this year, will use such wheels too. A derivation of the existing hardware used by the Germans, the new BMW Aerodynamic Wheel will help the EV along in achieving maximum mileage on a battery fill.
As per BMW, the wheel is made of a new combination of aluminum and individually designed inserts, weighs 15 percent less than existing Bavarian wheels, and it is shaped in such a way as to cut drag by 5 percent and electricity consumption by 2 percent.
That should translate, as per measurements made under the WLTP test cycle, in savings of 0.4 kWh/100 km and an increase in range of 6 miles (10 km).
For effect, any type of paint can be applied on the wheels, and they can be specified as matt or polished.
“Furthermore, inserts can also be combined with different surface designs within a single wheel,” says BMW.
“The end result is a multitude of aerodynamically optimised wheel possibilities, each with a design that matches the vehicle’s character, the equipment line selected and the customer’s individual preferences.”
The iX3 is an electric SUV powered by a 74-kWh battery and an electric motor that develops 282 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The car’s range is rated at 273 miles (440 km).
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