The BMW iX Philippines is an electric-powered crossover. Its sole variant in the local market is the iX xDrive40, and it comes with an introductory price of Php 6,290,000.
Size-wise, the iX has a length of 4,953mm, a width of 1,967mm, and a height of 1,695mm. It also has a wheelbase length of 3,000mm, and a ground clearance of 202mm.
Powering the iX xDrive40 is a permanent magnet AC synchronous motor. It provides a range of 372km, and it can produce up to 326 horsepower and 630 Nm of torque.
Locally, the BMW iX xDrive40 doesn’t have a midsized, all-electric competitor in the local market. In other markets though, it goes against the Audi e-tron, and the Tesla Model X.
Launch
The BMW iX was launched for the Philippine market on April 2022. Its sole variant, the xDrive40, is available with an introductory price of Php 6,290,000. It also comes with BMW’s 6-year inclusive warranty, a 5-year BMW factory warranty, as well as an 8-year high-voltage battery warranty.
Exterior
As expected from a BMW, the iX still sports the iconic kidney grille. It also gets a pair of sharp-looking LED headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, and a thermally insulated windshield.
From the sides, one can see that it rides on a set of 21-inch wheels. These are aerodynamic, and they come in a polished 3D design. The doors of the iX also have a soft-close function. Likewise, the rear door is also automatic.
Interior
Inside, the iX offers a well-equipped and well-arranged cabin with plenty of luxury touches. All of its seats are wrapped in natural leather, and there’s plenty of soft-touch surfaces too.
Keeping its passengers cool is a 4-zone automatic conditioning system. It also gets ambient interior lighting, an electronically adjustable front seat, a flat-bottom steering wheel, as well as a sizable 12.3-inch information display for the driver.
In total, the iX can comfortably seat up to five occupants. It also has ample room for cargo as well.
Tech and Safety
As mentioned, the iX is equipped with a 14.9-inch digital instrument cluster. This is then seamlessly connected to a 12.3-inch touchscreen headunit, which is curved to face the driver. Its connectivity options include Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Wireless smartphone charging is also available for this model.
Safety-wise, the iX is filled to the brim with driver assist features. It gets an adaptive cruise control system with a braking function, a parking assistant, pedestrian detection, front collision warning, and plenty of other driver assist features.
Supporting those is a set of sensors positioned all throughout the car. These include five cameras, five radar sensors, as well as 12 ultrasonic sensors.
Besides the ultra-high tech safety equipment listed above, the iX also gets what you’d expect from a modern vehicle.
It has anti-lock braking, dynamic stability control, hill-descent control, ISOFIX child seat anchors, a tire pressure monitoring, etc.
A tire repair kit and a warning triangle with a first-aid kit is also present on this electric-powered model.
Chassis and platform
The BMW iX uses a bespoke electric drivetrain architecture. It is the sole model that uses its platform. Its body meanwhile is made out of a combination of high-strength steel, thermoplastics, carbonfibre-reinforced plastic, as well as aluminum.
For suspensions, it uses a two-axle air suspension for the front and rear. These also come with electronically-managed dampers.
Braking for the iX is then handled by 17-inch disc brakes for all four wheels.
Engine and Performance
Under the hood, the BMW iX xDrive40 uses the eDrive technology. This consists of two electric motors, power electronics, as well as single-speed fixed ration automatic gearbox. ALl power is sent to its wheels, and it can make up to 326 horsepower and 630 Nm of torque.
On a full charge, the iX also has a range of 372 kilometers.