iX

Make
BMW
Segment
SUV

Following a slight delay, series production has officially begun on the 2022 BMW iX, the brand's first all-electric SUV to be offered in the United States. BMW previously rolled a few pre-production units off the assembly line at the Dingolfing plant in Lower Bavaria but has now started to produce customer vehicles. Dingolfing is a highly advanced factory that builds combustion cars, plug-in hybrids, and fully electric vehicles on one assembly line.

"The launch of the BMW iX marks another milestone in our expansion of electrification and demonstrates our production network's successful transformation towards electromobility and digitalization," Milan Nedeljkovic, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for production.

The iX is assembled alongside the 5 Series, 7 Series, and 8 Series models. BMW recently spent 400 million euros (approximately $474 million), expanding and refurbishing the Dingolfing plant to build such a diverse vehicle range. This investment will help when the next-generation 5 Series and 7 Series enter production in the coming years; both sedans are already confirmed to receive all-electric variants.

As for the iX, it will arrive in the US sporting only one drivetrain at launch. The iX xDrive50 produces 516 horsepower from two electric motors, yielding a 0-60 mph time of 4.6 seconds. It will go on to hit 124 mph and travel 300 miles on a full charge. Pricing starts at $83,200.

Not only is the iX a zero-emissions vehicle, but its production is highly sustainable as well. For example, the Dingolfing only uses locally produced hydroelectric power and uses lithium mined from Australia in accordance with environmental standards. BMW even started importing aluminum from the United Arab Emirates, produced using solar power. This will help lower carbon emissions by 2.5 million tons by 2030. Taking the lessons learned from the iX, BMW will soon begin series production of the i4, which will be built in Munich, Germany alongside the 4 Series Gran Coupe.