BMW plays the odds with all-fuel X3, now supported by all-electric version
Is it a gamble, or is it plain common sense, asks Iain Robertson, while reflecting on the German company’s Chinese-built iX3 that will arrive in the UK in the summer of 2021, for which specifications and final pricing are presently under consideration?
Charging into electrification is the second promise made by our present government, after it won an election based on extraction from the European Union. While it is unlikely that many of the current MPs will survive the intervening years prior to the cessation of fossil-fuelled car sales, rest assured that the target from all sides (of all political hues) is ‘zero emissions’ for our personal transportation needs.
Naturally, battery-powered vehicles are fraught with environmental and social issues of their own, many of which are being carelessly ignored by the pro-EV lobby, in its evangelistic rush to support driving electric. If you contemplate many of its actions thus far, they are actually little better than the BLM campaign, although statues erected in the memory of automotive pioneers are not being felled as eagerly.
EVs are as old as ICE. The ‘Infernal’ Combustion Engine has been with us for the best part of a century and a half but so have the precepts of electric vehicles, which raises the first major issue: battery technology. In truth, while some of the components are less demanding of space availability, the only real advancement may lie with fuel cell technology, unless greater use can be made of super-capacitors. BEVs, or Battery Electric Vehicles, which are being promoted like fury at present, are ‘old hat’ and in dire need of reconsideration.
In many ways, BMW is being exceptionally smart. Its all-new iX3 model that relies on the relative conventionality of the familiar, albeit larger nostriled version of its popular SUV, is being built at its Chinese partner’s factory, BMW Brilliance Automotive, at Shenyang. Regardless of the weight of anti-Sino feeling that exists in some political quarters, China is surging ahead with cleaning-up its environmental situation that, to be frank, has been dire for the past 100 years at least. As that nation has become the world leader in manufacturing terms, this should come as no surprise, especially as the ‘west’, desperate to reduce manufacturing costs, placed immense demands on China to fulfil the need.
Yet, BMW is continuing to build petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid versions of almost exactly the same model at its other factories around the world. While the anti-diesel knee-jerk reaction from not only our government but several others besides took no account of the re-engineered ‘cleanliness’ of the heavy fuel, consumer demand remains moderate. BMW has already proven the fuel conscious worth of its petrol engines and combining their efficacy with hybridisation is actually a more perfect compromise (should such a thing exist outside of political convention) for consumers seeking the best of both worlds.
Covering all of the bases is not simple commercial intelligence, it is also incredibly wise and BMW has achieved its nirvana by the most cost-efficient means.
The new iX3 is also BMW’s fifth generation eDrive model that combines the latest electric motor, power electronics, charging technology and high-voltage battery. It is a logical progression and will also feature in the forthcoming iNEXT and i4 models also due in 2021. The iX3 is also upgradable, within pertinent limits of volume production, despite its right-for-market approach.
Its integrated drive system plays a vital role in optimising efficiency and power development. The electric current-excited synchronous motor (no magnets), transmission and power electronics are now arranged together in a more compact single housing. Ingenious design eliminates the use of rare earth materials for the motor and creates a pair of interesting power boasts: 30% denser power; 93% efficiency (contrasted with <40% ratings for ICE). It also develops a familiar (for BMW) 286bhp and a peak torque of 295lbs ft.
With a 0-60mph acceleration time of just 6.5s, it matches the performance of the xDrive30i model. Mind you, its maximum speed is restricted to just 112mph, partly for the sake of battery durability but mainly due to the fact that EV buyers are not seeking 155mph top whacks. The iX3 relies on rear-wheel drive, for a long time BMW’s most significant feature, its traction managed by electronic means.
Unsurprisingly, BMW describes its battery-cell technology as ‘cutting-edge’, its storage capacity having been increased substantially, relative to the installation space required and its overall weight. A gross energy content of 80kWh, of which 74kWh is utilised, and the high efficiency of the drive system allow the new iX3 to offer a range of up to 285 miles (on the WLTP test cycle), which is a key step in the right direction. A new charging unit, which sends power to both the 400V battery and the 12V on-board power supply, enables both single-phase and three-phase AC recharging at up to 11kW. Plugged into a DC rapid-charging station opens the door to charging outputs of up to 150kW, meaning that the high-voltage battery can be charged from 0-80% of its full capacity in 34 minutes (virtually the same as most recent rivals). Drivers can elect to add 62 miles to the car’s driving range (in the WLTP cycle) in a mere 10 minutes; a genuine coffee-stop opportunity.
The driving experience is much the same as for other modern EVs, with single pedal reliance taking precedence (the driver only needs the brake pedal for full halts). By maintaining a low centre of gravity, the iX3 almost conceals the extra bulk of the electric components but re-gauging the suspension set-up helps to maintain BMW’s ‘good handling’ repute. BMW has also optimised airflow around the car, with the adoption of special alloy wheels and a few visible changes to the rear design of the X3 outline.
Naturally, connectivity and driver aids are manifold and supported by a digital instrument panel and matching centre-stack touchscreen in an otherwise conventional BMW interior. BMW is playing a clever game with its current new model strategy and the iX3 demonstrates that its applications of enhanced available technology can meet business expectations perfectly. It will be interesting to see what the company can achieve on the fuel cell front.