iX

Make
BMW
Segment
SUV

The all-new BMW iX is a huge deal for the German automaker. Along with the also-new i4, both are pure battery-electric models that represent the future of the company. BMW hasn't taken as drastic an approach as its Volkswagen Group and Mercedes-Benz rivals have towards electrifying their entire lineups and phasing out combustion engines, but the writing is on the wall. It's going to happen sooner or later to every carmaker.

Set to go on sale early next year, pre-orders for the iX and i4 are underway right now, and the SUV will commence deliveries in March. The i4 won't be far behind.

However, the iX is currently only being offered as the fully-loaded xDrive50 trim, which means 523 horsepower and 564 lb-ft of torque and over 300 miles of range on a single charge. Sound good? Oh yeah, but it's not cheap. Customers are being required to have $80,000 or so available and that's simply too much for some. Fortunately, a solution could be just around the corner.

Bimmerpost claims the less powerful and cheaper iX xDrive40 will also go on sale in March 2022. Instead of a 100-kWh battery, the supposed "entry-level" xDrive40 has a still impressive 70-kWh pack that's good for 300 hp and a 249-mile range. It also gets the same 200-kW charging speed as the xDrive50, meaning a 10 to 80 percent battery charge in less than 40 minutes.

A 56-mile quick charge time of 10 minutes will also be possible. Pricing remains unknown at this time, but it's expected to be similar to that of the X5, which begins at about $60,000 for the xDrive40i. If that amount is still too much and you live on the West Coast, then BMW will also offer a rear-wheel-drive version (eventually). Owners will lose some traction and power but the savings could be well worth it, especially for the iX 40.

For now, BMW is only talking about the iX xDrive50 but we hopefully won't have to wait too long for the equally cool xDrive40 that's already confirmed for Europe. Further down the road, a range-topping iX M60 is looking likely.