BMW was there early in the ranks when it comes to an electric car. Their first fully electric model, the i2013, was launched in 3. However, it took more than seven years before a second electric vehicle, an SUV, saw the light of day in BMW's Chinese factory, the BMW iX3.
BMW connoisseurs can immediately see from the naming that this is not an EV designed from scratch. The X3 is a much longer existing model. According to BMW, the iX3 fits perfectly into their philosophy of 'Power of Choice', which means that the driver can choose which powertrain he or she wants to drive from this model; on fossil fuel, as a plug-in hybrid or, like the iX3, fully electric.
The fact that the iX3 is built on an already existing model has both advantages and disadvantages. For example, nobody will notice that electric driving is used. The only difference is the blue striping applied as an accent, because the design and interior are identical. However, a place had to be found for the 80 kWh battery, which eventually ended up under the floor. This makes the car quite heavy, it weighs no less than 2260 kilos, but it can only pull little. A maximum of 750 kilos can be hung on the hook, which means that a trip with the caravan is unfortunately not possible. Sporty driving is also not really an option with this weight. Add to that the somewhat stiff suspension and the bumps in the road seem bigger than they are.
Regenerative braking
On the other hand, the range of the iX3 can certainly be called decent, more than 300 kilometers is easily achievable. This is partly due to the good energy density of the battery cells, but also because of the aerodynamic rims that reduce air resistance. The car is also perfect for using regenerative braking. If you put the lever of the automatic transmission in position B (Brake), you switch to driving with one pedal. This makes braking virtually unnecessary and the car always adapts to the environment and to the speed of the vehicle in front.
The digital key
A nice new gadget in the field of technology is the digital key of the BMW iX3. If you have an iPhone, the key functions can be placed on it with a special app. This data can then be shared digitally (with other iPhone owners) without having to hand over the key. The owner can even set certain restrictions this way; such as the maximum speed that can be driven and even the volume of the music. In this way, six digital keys can be shared, which can be deactivated immediately at any time, if necessary.
The BMW iX3 is certainly not cheap. The starting price is € 67.500. But then you don't have to pay more for various options. Adaptive cruise control, blind spot and cross traffic warnings and active lane support are included in the price. And that also applies to a panoramic roof, for alloy wheels, for heated, electrically adjustable seats and for a WiFi hotspot.
More technical features are here readily available.
With electric driving you are opting for a more sustainable future. But how do you arrange that you can charge quickly and easily at home or at your (own) company? The experts at EV Service know everything about charging stations, wallboxes, cables and connections. They provide a charging solution that suits you exactly. Even if you want to generate electricity for your car via solar energy.
Also read: There are many electric scooters in the Netherlands
