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
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