BMW iX1 EV revealed

June 1, 2022August 17, 2022 John Carey 4452 Views BMW EV, BMW iX1, BMW iX1 EV

When the BMW iX1 arrives in Australia in 2023 it will be the most affordable model in the company’s expanding EV line-up. The Munich-based car maker has revealed the first images and details of its all-new compact SUV, due to launch in Europe in October. For the first time the range includes an EV.

While BMW will put ICE-powered versions of the third-generation X1 into production first, the new battery-powered variant will quickly follow. After this mild and plug-in hybrid versions will be added. All will be manufactured on a single production line in BMW’s Regensburg plant in southern Germany.

The iX1 xDrive30 is a dual-motor all-wheel-drive EV with snappy performance and a sizeable underfloor battery pack.

Dimensions of the iX1 are the same as ICE-powered members of the compact SUV family

Combined maximum power and torque outputs of 230kW and 494Nm deliver a snappy 0-100km/h acceleration time of 5.7 seconds, according to BMW. And the battery pack’s usable capacity of 65kWh is good for an estimated WLTP-rated driving range of 413 to 438km.

Fifth-generation BMW’s eDrive means the motors and their power electronics are tightly integrated for compactness. The iX1 will also feature the same improvements to charging software introduced in the big i7 luxury sedan.

All members of the new X1 family are based on BMW Groups ‘s flexible platform for small vehicles. Known as FAAR, it’s designed to accommodate ICE, hybrid and EV power, combined with either front- or all-wheel-drive.

And this means BMW has the option of adding a more affordable single-motor, front-drive variant of the iX1 in the future.

Blue body accents and boot badge set the EV apart from other X1 models

Slightly longer and wider than the model it replaces, the new X1 has a roomier interior with more elevated seating for five and a 540-litre cargo compartment behind the 40:20:40 split-folding backrest of the rear bench.

There’s also a major upgrade to interior tech. The infotainment and instrument cluster screens are powered by BMW’s latest Operating System 8. And there’s a broader array of standard driver assistance and active safety systems.

Interior adopts latest BMW tech and design themes

Pricing for the iX1 xDrive30 hasn’t been announced for Europe, so what it will cost in Australia is a matter of guesswork. But the compact SUV is sure to undercut the larger, Chinese-made, $115,000 BMW iX3.

This means the iX1 will effectively replace the discontinued i3 as the entry point to BMW’s four-wheeled EV line-up.

Innovative but quirkily designed, the little i3 was a slow seller in Australia throughout its eight-year life. As a compact SUV the iX1 is instead a member of the strongest selling category in the automotive world right now.

It’s surely destined to become BMW’s best-selling EV in Australia…

John Carey

Grew up in country NSW, way back when petrol was laced with lead. Has written about cars and the car business for more than 35 years, working full-time and freelance for leading mags, major newspapers and websites in Australia and (sometimes) overseas. Avidly interested in core EV technologies like motors and batteries, and believes the switch to electromobility definitely should be encouraged. Is waiting patiently for someone to make a good and affordable EV that will fit inside his tiny underground garage in northern Italy, where he's lived for the past decade. Likes the BMW i3, but it's just too damned wide...

One thought on “BMW iX1 EV revealed”

Clubman08
June 2, 2022 at 9:39 am
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John, I disagree that it is a replacement for the i3. The i3 is a raised hatchback bespoke lightweight EV at 4006 mm length, whilst the ix1 is a much larger 4500mm long heavy SUV built off an ICE platform. It is a shame that BMW is having an each-way bet by continuing to use ICE platforms for their EVs, apart from the ix.