Ultimate Electric Machine

BMW's new electric SUV is the eye-popping car of the future

by Jordan Golson

BMW has been teasing the iX for years and it's finally here: a 300-mile EV that portends an exciting new future for the Ultimate Driving Machine.

First, some numbers:

300

miles of range

516

horsepower

40

minutes to charge from 10-80% with 200kW DC Fast Charger

4.6 sec

0-60 MPH

What else?

BMWs signature kidney grille is front and center (literally) on the iX. You can’t miss it. But it’s more than just aesthetics.

The front-facing radar is hidden behind the grille and a camera tucked between the kidneys, too.

The camera even has its own cleaning system.

BMW manufactures the grille using a “nanoscale vacuum-based coating process” and then “vaporization using laser technology” to create a precise and durable finish.

Sounds complicated.

The BMW roundel (aka, the logo on the hood) is even a functional component. It pops up with a push, and that’s how you fill the windshield washer fluid.

That’s good because you can’t actually open the hood and there’s no “frunk.” Sad.

The rear BMW roundel has a camera hidden in the black ring at the bottom. The camera lens is cleaned automatically by a water spray system hidden in the logo.

The front-facing radar is hidden behind the grille and a camera tucked between the kidneys, too.

The camera even has its own cleaning system.

The interior is pretty wild, too.

This is the first BMW with a hexagonal steering wheel.

There are hardly any buttons on the dashboard. Instead, almost everything is handled via this command console between the front seats.

It’s a BMW, so of course the interior is going to be lovely.

This quilted leather is gorgeous, and the cupholder/phone charger arrangement beneath the command console is an interesting design choice.

BMW has put a big focus on sustainability in the iX.

The leather is tanned with an environmentally friendly olive leaf extract, and recycled plastics and sustainably farmed wood are used in the interior.

Other interior options include a microfiber/wool blend, and three other non-leather choices.

The single-piece panoramic glass roof has electrochromic shading. That means it can be open to the world like this ...

... or with the flick of a switch it can instantly block out sunlight and heat. No shade required.

The BMW iX will start at $84,195 and US deliveries begin early next year.

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