BMW iX Electric SAV Now Available in Singapore

BMW’s all-new electric Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) has finally arrived in Singapore shores.

BMW Asia announced the local availability of the BMW iX, a vehicle that touts a combination of progressive luxury and emission-free driving. The latest iteration of the popular model boasts improved all-electric driving performance and an extended range, achieving a WLTP range of up to 602 km. It also features a variety of new modifications in both its exterior and interior design thanks to advancements in BMW’s eDrive technology.

“The new BMW iX has now been upgraded across the board – with a glowing kidney grille, the ability to stream YouTube videos and play games on the control display, a newly-improved digital key, and much better range,” said Lars Nielsen, Managing Director of BMW Group Asia. “It is clearly built for those who want comfort, space, and long-distance capability in an electric vehicle.”

New Look

First, the exterior of the vehicle received a not-so-subtle facelift, characterised by an overall sleeker look. BMW describes this new look as monolithic, characterised by the SAV proportions, a design language reduced to the essentials and clearly defined surfaces.

The front design is characterised in particular by the redesigned BMW radiator grille with a frame and a structure of vertical and diagonal lines in its interior. Meanwhile, the BMW Iconic Glow kidney grille with contour lighting comes as standard.

The headlights have also been redesigned with vertical elements for daytime running lights and turn indicators. The standard equipment of the new BMW iX includes adaptive LED headlights with cornering light function. And the structure of the BMW kidney grille is echoed in the diagonal lines of the headlight covers.

The sleek look spills over to the front and rear aprons of the new, which now feature an almost seamless design and a higher proportion of body-colour painted surfaces. Meanwhile, the M Sport package emphasises the dynamic character of the vehicle with powerful lines, striking air intakes at the front and vertical reflectors at the rear. In conjunction with the optionally available M Sport package Pro, the vehicle is equipped with dark M Shadow Line headlights and rear lights.

The range also includes the new finishes Arctic Race Blue metallic, Dune Grey metallic, Carbon Black metallic, BMW Individual Frozen Deep Grey metallic, BMW Individual Frozen Pure Grey metallic, Tanzanite Blue metallic and Space Silver metallic. The BMW Individual Exterior Line Titanium Bronze is also available as a further option.

Performance Improvements

Of course, the improvements aren’t limited to aesthetics; the vehicle also got some upgrades under the hood.

The BMW iX features an electric motor on both the front and rear axle to create that smooth electric, all-wheel drive. Additionally, the drive system has been fine-tuned and the power electronics further developed to deliver noticeably more power. The vehicle delivers a system output that has been increased by 60 kW/82 hp to 300 kW/408 hp. That added power results in a 1.0 second improvement in acceleration from zero to 100 km/h to 5.1 seconds. It also has an electronically limited top speed of 200 km/h.

Alongside the boost in power, the vehicle also has a new battery cell technology, increasing the energy content of the battery by around 30% to 94.8 kWh.

New battery cell technology increases the energy content of the high-voltage battery for the new BMW iX xDrive45 by around 30 per cent to 94.8 kWh.

What’s more, a new inverter technology for the power electronics optimises the power density of the drive system. This enables the transfer of energy from the high-voltage battery to the electric motor to be more efficient. In combination with the higher energy content of the battery for the new BMW iX and other efficiency-enhancing measures, this results in a range increase of up to 40%, depending on the model. The new BMW iX xDrive45 has a range of 602 km as compared to its predecessor’s (BMW iX xDrive40) range of 425 km.

Meanwhile, adaptive recuperation contributes to increased efficiency while driving. The vehicle’s Max Range function can also increase the range remaining before the next charging stop by up to 25%, significantly alleviating any range fears.

More Efficient Charging

The Combined Charging Unit of the new BMW iX now enables direct current charging with an increased output of 175 kW. In addition, the charging current control has been enhanced to make the best possible use of the high charging capacities. The charging socket outlet of the new BMW iX now has a release button, and alternating current can be charged with a maximum power of 22 kW.

To make electromobility even more convenient for Singapore drivers, BMW Asia is offering BMW EV customers either a comprehensive home or public charging package.

For home charging, customers will receive a BMW Wallbox with complimentary installation service. For public charging, on the other hand, BMW Asia continues its partnership with Shell Recharge by offering customers a subscription package of up to three years free charging (up to 10,000 kWh) at Shell Recharge stations with no monthly cap for charging. This is equivalent to 50,000km of driving range (assuming average energy consumption of 20kWh/100km).

The BMW Wallbox provides drivers a fast way to charge their vehicle at a rate of up to 22kW. Once the vehicle is plugged in, charging begins and will end automatically when the battery is full or has reached its predetermined level.

Other key performance features include a new chassis and suspension set-up and a hydraulic rear axle support bearing that optimises the balance between sporty dynamics and ride comfort.

Refined Interior

Inside, the new BMW iX can combine the generous space and progressive luxury the model is known for with the sporty design features of the M Sport package. These include the optional M multifunction seats with natural leather upholstery, the M leather steering wheel, the two-tone instrument panel with M logo, the Dark Silver trim finishers, the anthracite headlining, the M pedals and the centre console with high-gloss black finish. Meanwhile, the standard equipment of the new BMW iX includes an alarm system, the Welcome and Goodbye animation, BMW Iconic Glow kidney grille, adaptive LED headlights, Comfort Access, automatic soft-close function for the doors, as well as the BMW Live Cockpit Professional and the Harman Kardon Surround Sound System.

On top of these, customers can also avail of other optional extras, such as the Sky Lounge panoramic glass roof, the Clear & Bold interior applications, active seat ventilation, the Heat Comfort package and, the Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System.

The new BMW iX operates on BMW Operating System 8.5. One key feature of the software is BMW iDrive, which offers intuitive operation using the touch function on the BMW Curved Display and voice control with the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, plus the use of digital services such as video streaming and in-car gaming. Customers, however, can update to the Operating System 9 to access the YouTube video app, provided they’ve activated BMW Digital Premium.

Furthermore, the Personal eSIM in BMW Operating System 9 can now be activated for improved telephony and a Wi-Fi hotspot in the vehicle.

Customers can also use the BMW ID and the My BMW App access a personalised user experience for their vehicles.

Moreover, the BMW Digital Key Plus can be set up as standard for suitable smart devices with iOS or Android operating systems. The new BMW iX automatically unlocks when approached using the digital key on mobile devices. This is made possible by ultra-wideband (UWB) radio technology. The engine can also be started without taking the device out of the driver’s pocket.

The BMW Digital Key Plus is even easier to set up with the new Setup Card. Simply hold the card up to a smartphone or scan the QR code on the back. The BMW Digital Key Plus can be shared digitally with other people with individually definable rights and offers additional control functions via the My BMW App in the vicinity of the vehicle. Even better, different roles and permissions can be set for the vehicle when sharing the keys. For example, customers can set limits to the vehicle’s acceleration and top speed – a particularly useful feature when the vehicle will be driven by a novice driver.

The BMW iX xDrive45 Sport retails for S$451,888 at the time of writing, while the BMW iX xDrive45 M Sport A1 retails for S$473,888.

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• BMW Asia today announced the Singapore availability of the BMW iX electric SAV.

• The latest iteration of the popular model boasts improved all-electric driving performance and an extended range, achieving a WLTP range of up to 602 km.

• The BMW iX xDrive45 Sport retails for S$451,888 at the time of writing, while the BMW iX xDrive45 M Sport A1 retails for S$473,888.