BMW has just unveiled the iX, a brand new all-electric SUV. But are the specifications enough to leave Elon Musk’s Tesla in the dust? Here’s how it stacks up.
The BMW iX is a new four-wheel drive SUV that runs on two electric motors, and it boasts some stunning performance stats that could go toe-to-toe with other leading manufacturers in the electric car business. For starters, it recorded a 0-62mph time of less than five seconds, offering a meaty 500bhp and has achieved a range of over 373 miles without needing to recharge.
When you do need to juice up the battery again, Wired UK calculates that the battery can be charged from 10% to 80% in under 40 minutes; or a 200kW fast charge will give you 75 miles of extra range in just 10 minutes.
So are these numbers promising enough to worry the likes of Tesla? Certainly not when it comes to acceleration; for comparison, the Tesla Model X SUV can go from 0-60mph in just 2.6 seconds. But the argument for range would swing in BMW’s favour; the Model X has a range of 351 miles, which is 20 miles short of the iX – so we’ll have to wait and see if the rumoured 2021 variant will improve on this.
When it comes to self-driving tech , the BMW iX will reportedly reach Level 3 autonomous capability, with assisted parking functionality. All cars currently on the market remain short of Level 5 – full autonomous capability – as they all require there to be a driver behind the wheel. So you’ll still have to put that sci-fi fantasy on ice for the time being, regardless of which electric car you buy… or, more likely, dream of buying.
But in spite of which SUV comes out on top when the two go head to head, it’s encouraging to see competitors stepping up to the plate as the electric car market starts to establish itself as an attractive alternative to petrol and diesel.
Leave a Reply