Bucket Seat: Lepas L6 EV

Lepas is getting ready to make a bigger impression on the South African EV market with the arrival of the new L6 EV, an all-electric crossover that brings together sharp styling, decent performance and a claimed range of up to 450 km. Visually, the L6 has a modern and sporty stance, helped by its 19-inch alloy wheels and red brake calipers, while the front-mounted electric motor produces 160 kW and 275 N.m, sending power to the front wheels. It also supports both AC and DC charging, making it practical for everyday use and longer journeys. Lepas is even sweetening the deal for early adopters, with the limited pre-order package including a 7 kW home charger, standard installation, a Type M charging cable, V2L functionality and R5,000 worth of charging credit.

Inside, the L6 continues with a strong technology focus, featuring an 8.88-inch digital instrument display and a large 13.2-inch central touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There is also an eight-speaker Sony sound system, wireless smartphone charging, heated and ventilated electric front seats, dual-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof and a powered tailgate. Safety has not been forgotten either, with 20 advanced driver-assistance systems, seven airbags, a panoramic camera and automatic parking forming part of the package. On paper at least, the L6 certainly doesn't feel like Lepas has tried to cut corners when it comes to standard equipment.

But the big number here is that 450 km range. For South African buyers, range remains one of the biggest considerations when making the switch to electric, and the L6's claimed figure should make it capable of handling the daily commute while still offering enough breathing room for longer trips. The inclusion of V2L is another nice touch, giving owners the ability to use the vehicle's battery to power compatible appliances and equipment. Add the home charger and installation into the pre-order package and Lepas is clearly trying to make the transition to EV ownership as straightforward as possible.

The one piece of the puzzle still missing is the price. Lepas has yet to confirm exactly how much the L6 EV will cost in South Africa, and that will ultimately determine where it sits in an increasingly crowded EV market. With Chinese manufacturers continuing to bring more electric models into the country, the L6 will need to offer the right combination of price, range and equipment to get buyers interested. For now, though, the L6 EV certainly looks like an interesting addition to the local market, and with its distinctive styling, 450 km range and generous specification, it is one we will be keeping an eye on. 

Bucket Seat: Leapmotor C10 REEV

I'll be honest, I cannot keep up with the various Chinese brands that are entering our market and I'm in the motoring space, so I can only imagine how the general consumer feels. It's like over the last year, there's just been a sudden influx of brands that we have never heard of popping up. Some are affiliated or are sub-brands of well known Chinese manufacturers that have a really good footprint and some are just totally new. For my first test car of 2026, I had one of the latest brands give me a car to spend some time with, and it was from "Leapmotor". Founded in 2015 in Hangzhou China, they are now the third largest new energy vehicle startup in China, having sold over 400,000 EV's in China as of July 2024. So over year has passed since that last stat, so that number has grown exponentially since then. The Financial Times calls them a "no-frills" EV maker", with offerings cheaper than their Chinese counterparts BYD which helped them gain market share in China, catching the likes of Tesla and soon BYD. Now while the SA market is still getting accustomed to the Chinese offerings, let alone EV's, Leapmotor which is partly owned by leading global automobile group Stellantis, they've taken the decision to introduce the C10 REEV, which is a petrol hybrid model medium SUV to the market. Offering locals a test of their EV technology but the safety net of a range extender petrol engine. After spending a week with the car, here are my thoughts on this latest addition to our market. 

DESIGN

When the C10 cruised into my driveway, I was surprised at the size of it, as I was expecting something a bit smaller, sort of the Corolla Cross size but this was substantially bigger, about the size of the Audi Q5, if not a bit bigger. The clean design reminded me of the Geely which I saw late last year of which the lines are similar but with their own added flair. There aren't many ridges or edges but rather smooth flowing panels with subtle and soft curves that make the car look futuristic and elegant. It is a handsome looking car, I cannot deny that, the front LED headlights sit recessed into the front facia almost making it look like it was carved into the the body work. The slim grille that connects the two headlamps provides a subtle break in the body work with a straight edge difusser to make the front face more pronounced. There is a curvature to the bumper that folds into the body which just adds more character. The profile of the car is sleek with recessed door handles that continue the minimalist look with a black badge protruding from the front just above the wheel arch with the Leapmotor branding on it. The 20-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels are standard on the "Design" version of the C10 are really eye-catching. The rear is more of what you expect, clean, smooth and a solid light bar that runs across the back with a design very similar to that of the Porsche Cayenne. In fact, at a quick glance of the rear, some might mistake it for the German sports SUV. 

PERFORMANCE

While Leapmotor are known for their EV's in China, the C10 REEV is a PHEV, meaning it has an electric plug in motor as well as an internal combustion engine but while most PHEV's use the electric motor as a slave with the master being the ICE, with the C10 its the opposite. If you have enough charge, it will use the electric motor for most part of your drive. Hence giving you a total range with a full tank of fuel and fully battery of 970km! The switch over from petrol to electric is seamless and only can be felt on the highway when extra power is required where the all too familiar groan of the CVT kicks in. The dual power plants are broken into a 158kW electric motor that punches our which is rear wheel driven that has a 28.4kwh battery and gives you a pure electric range of 145km on a full charge. The ICE part of the car sits up front with a 1.5L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine that has 63kW and 125Nm of torque, this is the sort of engine you'd find in a small C-Segment car. It has a 50L petrol tank so quite big but don't ask me how to open the fuel car for it as I'll explain that further in the next paragraph. The vehicle feels solid and steady on the road, with minimal body roll and extremely smooth on most surfaces. The steering wheel is light and rear active making easy work of controlling this big car on the road. I didn't take it on any gravel road but I feel with its raised suspension and big profile tyres, it would make light work of it. 

COMFORT

The C10 is big, its spacious, its futuristic and most importantly, its comfortable. Like most of the Chinese cars, the brief for the interior seems to be standard "Big infotainment screen in excess of 10-inches, small instrument screen behind the steering wheel, little to no buttons, and floating center console with hard to reach USB ports". I get the whole futuristic thing but there's certain things about the C10 that annoyed me, a lot. For starters, the key, its an NFC card that only unlocked and locks the car from the driver side mirror. It had no proximity sensor which also means that there isn't comfort access for opening the tailgate when you are carrying a lot of things in your hands. With the cover on the car, it also made it tricky to get the card to read on the mirror. Once in the car, the second thing that annoyed me, was adjusting the side mirrors, no physical buttons meant going into the menu on the massive display screen, when you eventually find the sub-menu to adjust the mirrors, you have to use the little dials on the steering wheel to move the mirrors on either side. Extremely frustrating especially when you are trying to do this while driving. Then comes the climate control, works like a charm, dispelling even Durban's harsh humid conditions but when you want to change the direction of the airflow, you met with another conundrum, there isn't any physical lourves to adjust, how do you do it? Yes, you guessed it, its on that magic big screen, granted this one was much easier to access and it was pretty cool to just move your finger to show which direction you want the the air to go but all of that doesn't compare to the biggest gripe I have with the car, THERE IS NO MOBILE APPLICATIONS! Yes, no Apple Car Play, no Android Auto! in 2026?! Really?!!!! Well enough of the complaining, lets talk about the nice things, the seats were ultra comfy and have heating and ventilation, the ambient lighting is subtle and has a nice "rhythm" feature which changes colour to the beat of the music you are listening too. The electric seats are quite nice to use and easy to save for driver memory. The panoramic roof is large and the tint lets in the light without the heat. The driving safety sensors are not as pedantic as the other Chinese cars. The infotainment screen is easy to use and the vehicle menu gives you quite a comprehensive breakdown on the driving stats but I wish it had a graphic to show you when you are using the electric motor and when you are using the petrol engine. 

VERDICT

For it's first model to hit the roads in South Africa, the C10 REEV is a decent offering, the thing that will appeal to most is the range of the car. 970km is quite impressive and the overall package is nice apart from those few grips I shared about, but I realised I forgot two more, to start the car, you need to place the NFC card on the wireless charging mat while pushing on the break, while it worked most of the time, some times I found myself fighting with the car to start. The car has a premium feel to it which I loved, the design is different to what we are used to and looks more on the sophisticated side instead of being brash and in your face. The drive is great and I'm sure on long distances it will perform extremely well. While some in the industry said they feel this car was rushed, I think it was just short-sightedness from the brand to not see what the local market liked and adapted that to their offering but they rather chose to just give us what they think we wanted, or hoped we would ignore those short-comings with some fancy things. The price tag for this model is quite high, with it being just shy of 800K, so it's hard to ignore those factors when you are paying European money for something coming out of China. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	1.5L N/A 4 cylinder  +28.4kWh electric motor
Gear Box	Automatic CVT
Power	158kW + 63kW
Torque	320Nm + 125Nm
Average Fuel Consumption	6.1L per 100km (as tested)
Price	R799,900

 

Bucket Seat: Volkswagen ID.4 Pro First Impressions

This week I was invited as part of a select few motoring media to test drive Volkswagen's fully electric offering the ID.4 Pro. This isn't the first fully electric model brought by the manufacturer to the country as it previously had the e-Golf and ID.3 but again, only for testing purposes and very few media getting to experience them. With the ID.4, which the first edition being launched in Europe way back in 2020, VWSA see this as the ideal car to introduce to the local market as their first fully electric offering but there's still a catch. While it might be in the country now, there are only 10 and these will serve as test fleets for the upcoming months, for both media and other selected fleet companies. I'll explain the roll-out a little later in the article but for now, lets get into the car itself. 

As stated before, the ID.4 was launched in Europe back in 2020 and did quite well in terms of sales and the feedback they got form customers was very positive. Fast forward 4 years and they released the Pro version which is an updated car from the original launch model which features a better battery, more tech on the inside and and the Pro badge that is seen on the side. This is the car which is brought down in the batch of 10 that we got to drive. The power plant is rather impressive with the electric motor producing 150kW and 310Nm of torque, having no gearbox, this gives the ID.4 Pro a smooth 0-100km/h time of just 8.5 seconds. The top speed of the ID.4 is 160km/h and it can reach that very easily on a straight stretch. Even though there is no gearbox, the car has two driving modes, one being D that allows you a much more normal driving experience, and "B" which increases the cars regeneration process where as soon as you leave the accelerator pedal, the cars automatic breaking increases pressure to allow that kinetic energy build-up to recharge the cars battery. The ID.4 has a claimed range of 531km from a single full charge and that is extremely impressive given that most EV's currently on the market struggle to break the 400km range. 

So, how is it to drive? Well, lets start from the beginning, getting into the car is an experience on its own, with just by having the key in your pocket, the cars proximity sensor will recognise this and unlock the car for you, soon as you sit in the drivers seat, the car powers up, so there is no conventional start/stop button like other cars, get off the seat and it powers down as well. The gear stalk is situated behind the steering wheel which is designed to protrude from the drivers instrument cluster as a stalk and gears can be selected by simply twisting it in the direction of the gear required. The pedals have a nice sense of fun to them with the accelerator having the "Play" symbol and the brake having the "Pause" symbol. On the road, the ID.4 has probably more of a normal ICE car feel than most EV's, yes the noise of the combustion engine isn't there but with the large 235 tyres and 19-inch rims, couple with the SUV design and seating position, it just gives of a more "normal" driving experience. Switching over to the "B" gear is where  you would get the more EV driving experience with the harsher braking. The car handles like a dream and with its low centre of gravity, it really has sporty handling for a big body. This is thanks to the weight distribution which is a close to the idea value of 50:50. A McPherson design is used for the front axle, while the rear is a complex five link suspension. 

Design of the ID.4 although being 4 years old still looks great, the front end looks simple but classy at the same time, VW call it a "powerful front end", no pun in that I suppose, but they say it symbolises the vehicles robustness and strength. While the car is an SUV, the design says more MPV to me but its a clean flowing design that has smooth curves and eye catching highlights. The lights are an integral part of this with the front end having the sweeping IQ LED's and the back having a much more similar styling to other VW SUVs in their line-up. The interior design is just as clean as the exterior with a minimalist approach, a floating like dash with two screens, a 5.3" for the instrument cluster and a 10" for the infotainment which VW dub "Ready 2 Discover" OS which has wireless mobile app connectivity. The center console has a smartphone tray with wireless charging, twin USB C ports for charging additional devices and the cabin has ambient lighting with 30 different colours to choose from to suit your mood. The AI voice assistant is pretty efficient too, with it picking up questions when asking, with no command prompt required. There is no built-in nav system so the car relies purely on your phone for that, personally I think this is a better option since most of us have places of interest saved to our phones maps and inputting them on the cars is quite tiresome. Other assist functions include park assist, front assist, active cruise control and pedestrian monitoring. 

Now, when can you buy one? There's the catch, you can't. For now, the current 10 test fleet will go into rotation with some going out to media and the others going out to select fleet companies. There after more units will be brought in for 2025 when Volkswagen SA set to introduce it on a lease option to bespoke clients for the new year. Only in 2026 will VWSA be offering it to the general public, but again on a leasing basis. Many journo's at the launch seemed confused by this approach and even questioned the leasing over buying decision. Having studying the market over the past 3 years and seeing the dramatic increase in the price of all cars during this time, leasing cars is the most logical and best financial option for many now. Many look at upgrading their cars in 3-4 years in any case, so why buy to own when you eventually want to sell? Other OEMS's have introduced this with various fancy names with reasonable success, as word gets out on how it works, may others would see that this is the better option in the long run. VW might change their stance on this going forward but for now, with the price of cars and what their research tells them, this is the best option for now. Info on leasing pricing will only be made available in time to come. Now, there will be upgrade to the ID.4 over the upcoming months and SA will not be left behind, meaning that every model brought in will be the latest model and not older ones fobbed off to us by Germany. 

To end off, I think its an exciting new chapter for VWSA and with the target to reduce global emissions, it is the future of cars to come. VW has reiterated its stance on an electric future with them not opting for hydrogen in their future models and couple with their sister company Audi, it can only mean a strong future for the brand. Charging networks in SA are growing and VW are already in talks with Rubicon to provide more charging points in public spaces around the country. With the grid getting more stable, and us seeing the back of load shedding, the proper electric evolution can properly start now. 

Bucket Seat: Audi Q6 e-tron

In the quest to go green, Audi's commitment to a 2026 deadline of zero internal combustion engines in new models coming of the the production line in their plants has taken a massive step in the right direction this week with the unveiling of the Q6 e-tron and SQ6 e-tron. The model is the first production model on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE), this firms Audi's strategy in becoming a provider of premium electric mobility. The model is defined not only by impressive driving and charging performance but also by increased efficiency and long range. The PPE, developed jointly with Porsche and E3 1.2 electronic architecture are important milestones in the expansion of Audi's global range of electrically powered models. The Q6 e-tron features a newly developed lithium-ion battery consisting of twelve modules and 180 prismatic cells with a total gross capacity of 100 kWh that gives the car an approximate range of up to 625km from a single charge. Performance wise, the cars electric motors produce 285kW with the SQ6 etron offering a total power output of up to 380kW when the extra function is engaged. 0-100km/h times clock in at 5.9 seconds for the normal Q6 while the SQ6 e-tron reaches that target in just 4.3 seconds. The vehicles top speeds are regulated to 210 and 230km/h respectively. 

Charging wise, the cars come with 800-volt technology and a maximum charging capacity of 270kW as standard, this translates to shorter charging stops with the car being up to obtain 255km of range fro mjust 10 minutes of charging at an appropriate charging station (HPC). Currently South Africa has no High Power Charging stations but the Direct Current fast chargers are not far from those speeds. Alternatively, one can opt for AC charging up home with up to 11kW from normal home chargers. An important component in increasing the efficiency and therefore the range of the Audi Q6 e-tron is the advanced recuperation system. Around 95 percent of all everyday braking processes can be handled by this system. The Audi Q6 e-tron recuperates at up to 220kW.

The Q6 e-tron position in the market will be in the premium midsize segment as it measures 4.7 meters long and just under 2 meters wide. As with the other e-trons, luxury is not compromised in the Q6 with a full premium cabin adorned in quality materials and textures. A new infotainment system that uses Android Automotive OS as its operating system for the first time. The screen measures 14.5-inch and and is a MMI touch display. Content is always up to date thanks to over-the-air updates. The latest Audi connect services and the enhanced e-tron route planner, included as standard, are therefore always up to date. Apps such as YouTube are available via the store for third-party apps, which is integrated directly into the MMI and does not require a smartphone, Premium sound is a must and that is why the Q6 e-tron comes fitted with the Bang & Olufsen Premium sound system, that consists of 20 loudspeakers with 830 watts of power. Four of these are integrated into the headrests. 

Overall the Q6 e-tron and SQ6 e-tron models mark a significant placemark in Audi's future as this shows the plan in action for their future vision as a company. The stats on paper look truly remarkable and the complete product makes quite a statement in terms of an offering to the segment at a large. Audi South Africa say that the introduction of this model to our market is still under consideration and if they do decide to bring it in, the price tag would be interesting to see, as if priced well could see it give healthy competition to their rivals with ICE models.

Bucket Seat: Rolls Royce Spectre

When one thinks of Rolls Royce, words such as "Opulence", "Luxury", "Rich" come to mind. Of course one also associates it with Royalty but since there's too much drama going on at Buckingham Palace with the Windsor's, I'll exclude that one for this article as I am about to talk about something quite special from a special brand in the motoring world. Ever since the introduction of the Carbon Tax in Europe, vehicle manufacturers were forced to make their cars more green or introduce models that would have lesser impact on the environment than before. Rolls Royce had a major problem on their hand as most, if not all of their cars at the time had massive V12 engines fitted in them. They couldn't go down the route as their British counterparts Aston Martin and make a 1-litre car like the Cygnet, that would mock its very existence! Instead, with the help of their parent company BMW, Rolls Royce found innovative ways to work around this, until now that is. With the introduction of the first fully electric model named the Spectre, this would be a massive plus in their books. The Spectre was first showcased back in October 2022 with production models being ready by end of 2023. This week I was extremely fortunate enough to sample what this electric beauty has to offer and my word it is magnificent. 

I think my history with electric cars has been mentioned one time too many, but I still get blown away when I see the progression in technology from the various brands. Rolls Royce being in a category I've never driven before, be it ICE or EV, I was in for something really special and you couldn't wipe the smile off my face even if you tried. Just standing and looking at the car feels special, the design of it echoes the brands styles but with a modern yet classic twist. The car exudes elegance in any angle that you look at it, the regal nature of its silhouette has onlookers shocked at its stature. Yes, it's a coupe but one that measures 5.475 meters, that is longer than the new BMW 7-series! Inspiration for the Spectre's design is drawn from worlds far beyond automotive, including haute couture, modernist sculpture, nautical design, tailoring and contemporary art. The Spectre features the widest grille ever on a Rolls Royce and the first which is illuminated, it is adorned with split headlights either side of it. The vanes of the Pantheon grille are now smoother in section and a flusher fit, designed to help guide the air around the motor car’s front. The profile of the car has classic lines from the Phantom Coupe, with the eye catching fastback rear design that mesmerizes you as the car glides by. 

Stepping inside, you are greeted by a vast array of plush materials, from the shaggy pile sheep wool carpets, to real oak inserts on the dash. The long suicide doors feature a star light pattern that has over 4,000 inserts, this is married with various high quality leathers which is available in any colour of your imagination. No, really, the specification guide seems endless with the combinations available making each and every car made bespoke to the owners tastes. I've driven a lot of fancy cars that cost a pretty penny but this league is next level. I found myself flabbergasted seeing the details and feeling each and every panel and trim on the interior. There's no detail spared, and it shouldn't given the price tag. While the user interface and some of the controls feel familiar from the Germans, the the comfortable seats and plush surroundings make up for it. The car has loads of tech, all of which come from BMW but it has a few tricks up its sleeve too, the automated closing doors is definitely a feature I could get used to and a handy trick is that when the driver presses the brake pedal, the door automatically starts to close. 

In 1900, Rolls-Royce co-founder, Charles Rolls, prophesised an electric future for the motor car. Having acquired an electric vehicle named The Columbia Electric Carriage, he foresaw its suitability as a clean, noiseless alternative to the internal combustion engine – providing there was sufficient infrastructure to support it. 120 years later, that vision is finally here. Rolls Royce boasted the quietest cabin noise as they viewed it as disruptive to listen to the mechanics of the engine in the car whilst driving. They strive for this silence and to an extent much of their line-up delivered through many sound proof layers in the engine bay, but with an all electric setup, its not required as the silence is guaranteed. The two electric motors pump out and equivalent power output of 577 horses and a max torque of 900Nm which gives it a 0-100km/h time of 4.5 seconds! Bear in mind this car weights just less than 3,000kgs thanks to the lithium iron batteries which have a 102kWh capacity and fully charges in 95 minutes using a DC fast charger. The maximum reported range from a full charge is 520km, this includes regeneration through braking. The term "floating on clouds" come to mind when driving this car, as it glides along any surface with ease, the rear wheel steering help navigate the long chassis with ease. 

The Spectre is Rolls Royce introduction into the EV era and my word is it something, if this is the start the company is making into an all electric future, it does look like a bright one from the company. Starting price for the Spectre is in the region of R15 million.

Bucket Seat: BMW iX1 XDrive 30

Like it or not, electric cars are coming in thick and fast, the Eskom and load shedding jokes are getting boring on this topic as most charging station now have back-up power, also with mobile applications like Plug Share, you can see where your nearest fast chargers are and if they're occupied! As much as the purist denounce the EV, I am still of the opinion that the two can live simultaneously in harmony with each other. A few weeks ago I spent some time with BMW's latest fully electric offering, the new small SAV iX1 and testing it in probably the countries most toughest cities for an EV, Johannesburg. Talk about getting thrown in the deep end, but thankfully, having experienced EV's from it's pre-production inception till now, my range anxiety has managed to calm down a few notches to not have me sweat every time I see the range dip below 100km. The technology has advanced so much over the past 2 years, it's quite exciting to see what we will be getting in the coming years. Anyway, I'm not here to advocate for which type of car is better, I'm here to tell you about my experience with the iX1 so here it goes. 

DESIGN

The X1 is probably one of the best looking crossovers on the market at the moment, BMW have done a stellar job, both on the exterior design and the interior. It's the smallest in the X range but has that bold styling that still makes it stand out despite its small stature. The sharp lines, bold grille and intimidating headlights make the iX1 a stunner on the road. With the iX1 there are a few details that differ from the normal combustion version, for example the grille comes in the full plastic covering with no vents, but if spec'd in the M Sport package, you will get the normal grille with the slated vents, but there is no openings and just there for aesthetic purposes. Other difference would be the rims but this specific spec came with the M Sport style rims, there is also blue accents around the car, which just gives the indication that you are driving something from the i range. There are no exhaust pipes but the rear diffuser is designed as such to give the car a neat and stylish rear.  The interior is exactly like the normal X1, with BMW's new design language with the floating arm rest and that gives it that modern and ergonomic feel. The focal point would be the curved display that houses a split between the infotainment and instrument cluster but that will be discussed later in the review. 

PERFORMANCE

The iX1 comes powered with BMW's fifth generation EV drive, known as the eDrive 5.0. It has two electrically excited synchronous electric motors fitted to each axle making it all-wheel drive and hence getting that xDrive badge on the back. The e-Motor is capable of delivering 200kW with a max torque factor of 494Nm. This is all regulated via the various driving modes which is interchangeable by the driver depending on the type of drive they require. Obviously, the more output you want from the motor will equate in the more power consumed. I found that driving it in comfort mode was the best as it gave you a great mixture of power efficiency and performance. If there was a need to get a short burst of power, there is a single paddle shift behind the steering wheel on the left that serves as a boost function. In sport mode, the iX1 is capable of reaching 100km/h from a standing start in just 5.6 seconds with a top speed regulated at 180km/h. Now, electricity consumption, looking at the brochure, it will tell you that the iX1 averages 18.3kWh per 100km but what does that mean? I think its better I explain to you in range terms, a full charge will give you a range of 400km for average driving styles but as displayed on the instrument cluster, this range will vary and you could get up to a maximum of 450km from a single charge. The high-voltage 48V battery with recharging capabilities works like a dream on the car with it adapting well to any driving environment. Recouping energy on highway driving was what impressed me the most. Normally long distances on open road driving was frowned upon in EV's but with the iX1 I rarely noticed the drastic depletion in range and in some cases ended up gaining more range. So whether you're driving a total of 5km or 50km to get to work, chances are you're going to consume and generate the same percentage ratio of power to that you're consuming. 

CHARGING

I think a separate section on charging is required as I've had plenty of questions come in before on this topic. Yes, while it will take you maximum 10 minutes to fill up a combustion engine car at your fuel station, when it comes to electric cars its a little different  with charging times varying from 30 minutes to 4 hours at public chargers. I mentioned earlier about a mobile application called plugshare which basically gives you locations of various charging points, tells you what sort of chargers are present and if they are in use or not. The last part required the driver to "check-in" which I found was few and far times between, I'm guessing because this is still new to many and with the limited number of EV's on the road, there isn't a need right now to do so. I always found that when it comes to charging, its best to plan your charging trips, for example I only needed to charge the iX1 once, so I planned to meet a friend for coffee and quick catch up, I found a DC fast charging station that was convenient for the both of us to meet, got there, plugged it in and the car was done charging in 25 minutes! Most chargers are located in public spaces such as shopping malls, so many can integrate this into their shopping schedule or lunch plans, there wont be a need to sit and wait for your car to charge. Also, most of these charging spots have dedicated bays that are located close to entrances of the establishments so you have prime parking! The card that comes with the car can be loaded with credits to charge the car which still I'm told works out to cheaper than petrol per kilometer. The DC fast chargers do cost more to top up at than the regular AC chargers. The other option can be to charge at home which can be done via your normal 3-Pin socket but this takes up to 8 hours from 0-100%., if you get a 11kW wall box installed, this time drops to 2 hours. 

COMFORT

With the additional weight load of the batteries, you'd think it would make a difference to the ride quality but with the dual motor system and balancing from the overall design, you still get that famed 50/50 weight distribution that BMW have been renowned for. The car handles like a dream around bends and on the open road. The interior finished off in black leather was a decent contrast to the exterior white, but this combo might be boring for some, perhaps a change to a brown or mocha might stand out a bit more. Like most EV's, you have to get used to the silence from the drive, I find the additional engine noise through speakers in some other EV's being too gimmicky, which is why I'm glad BMW have embraced the change by not opting for that. Plus, the optional extra Harman Kardon sound system that the car came with was more than enough to keep the silence at bay. The infotainment comes with built in mobile apps which are accessed wireless but there are USB C charging ports available in the car for up to 4 devices. The car comes with all the creature comforts like the normal X1, from dual-zone climate control to the panoramic sunroof.  Was a bit disappointed that the driver seats was manually adjustable, would have expected for the price-tag that it would come with electric seats as standard but maybe it used too much battery power, I kid. The rear seats are spacious enough for two adults and the luggage space is a handy 491-litres and if need be the rear seats do fold down for additional loading requirements. 

VERDICT

The signs of progression in the electric car segment is positive and the iX1 is proof of this. Fitting in well with its environments and giving the driver a sense of confidence in doing extra distances without the fear of getting stuck with a flat battery or worrying where to charge it. Yes, with the prices starting at just north of R1,2 million, it is a tough pill to swallow but when you think about the fluctuation in fuel costs and basic maintenance in ICE cars, depending on the conditions, the EV could be the car just for you. If your daily commute to and from work is minimal and on the odd occasion you find yourself going on slightly longer drives, you could save a lot of money on fuel with a car like the iX1 and the good thing is you still have the space to do so. As we see brands adapt to the market, bringing in a bigger range of their EV's, we should start seeing healthy competition in this space with keener pricing. Apart from that, the ever growing network of charging facilities will grow as there will be a demand for this as well. Like I said at the beginning of this article, I think a world where EV and ICE can coexist in harmony, as technology in the EV segment continues to improve, this might see some house-holds phase out the latter, it all comes down to user preference. Either way, the future of motoring is exciting and dare I say, electric. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Motor	eDrive 5.0 M170SF
Gear Box	Single stroke
Torque	494Nm
Power	200kW
0-100km	5.6 seconds
Price	R1,205,000*

*base price