These days, or say this year, it seems we are going to see more premium electric car launches than ever. This week started with the unveiling of the Audi Q6 e-tron. Yesterday, we had a new strategic announcement between SAIC and JSW for the new-age vehicles, and today, apart from VW showcasing ID.4, BMW has launched the higher-spec variant of the iX, the xDrive50 for 1.40 Cr (ex-showroom). BMW iX was introduced in India back in 2021 at a price point of 1.16 crore; however, back then, it was launched only in xDrive 40 guise. However, we still do not get a performance-centric performance M60 trim.
On the design front, nothing significant has been changed. It still looks like the earlier xDrive 40, apart from an aero-enhanced 22-inch wheel and badging at the rear. The overall silhouette looks the same. However, the standard Sport Package features gloss black trim elements.It also features an active air flap control on demand for extra cooling when needed.
On the inside, xDrive50 gets a large curved display unit, out of which 12.3-inch is the instrument cluster and 14.9-inch is an infotainment unit with a better OS 8.5 operating system. It now has front-ventilated seats, and the materials used are more sustainable. An 18-speaker Harman Kardon system governs the audio quality.
The performance and range have been bumped up. It now gets a bigger 111.5kWh battery pack and claims to have a WLTP range of 575-635 km. There are two electric motors – one on each axle, thus making it an all-wheel drive system. It produces a combined peak power of 523hp and torque of 765Nm, which helps the SUV propel to 100kph in just 4.6 seconds. In terms of charging, the battery can be charged with a 195kW DC charger that can be charged to 80 per cent in about 35 minutes.
