I live around 180km west of Dublin, so pulling into my driveway from a trip home from the capital with almost 550km of electric driving range still in the 'tank' was certainly a first. The peace of mind that comes with BMW's new iX3 is, quite frankly, a game-changer for EV driving.
When the press release from BMW landed in my inbox late last year claiming to have breached the 800km range mark from an electric vehicle, I must admit I did hesitate to believe the German automaker. You see, in my circa three years of weekly car and van road testing, I previously only managed to comfortably break the 500km barrier in an EV on less than a handful of occasions.
BMW will tell you the iX3 can do up to 805km from one full charge, but by reckoning around 750km is its real-world range. That is Mizen to Malin Head and back down to Donegal town on electricity alone.
Tucked away under the iX3 is a 108.7kWh usable battery pack powered by two electric motors, which together generate an output of 469hp and 645Nm of torque. The iX3 debuts BMW’s sixth-generation eDrive technology, which comprises an 800-volt technology for recharging speeds of up to 400kW – not that there is a charger in Ireland capable of such speeds.
The iX3 is the first BMW to don the brand's 'Neue Klasse’ design language. The new grill will be a feature of some BMW models going forward (see the new X5 ), which has not been without its critics. To BMW's credit, it does look better in the metal, the pictures do it little justice.
The Neue Klasse design continues inside, as we are introduced to a new steering wheel and centre console setup. I would question whether the plastic steering wheel toggles will hold up over time, but, despite the lack of physical buttons, I do think BMW has done a good job with the 17.9-inch infotainment screen. It is not intrusive and has simple one-touch controls for the overspeed warning and lane assist. Air con is also easy to adjust on the go.
However, overall interior build quality does not match up to the likes of Volvo and Polestar. The gear selector feels cheap, as does the trim around the air vents. Storage under the armrest and in the glovebox is shallow. Seats are comfortable, but I did first struggle to find my preferable driving position.
No car is perfect, and it is easy to set aside these minor flaws. The iX3 has already claimed World Car of the Year and Top Gear Car of the Year awards. I would not bet against it picking up the top Irish motoring prize this November, either.
Priced from €73,925 rising to more than €90,000 for the M Sport variant, the BMW iX3's outstanding range no doubt puts it in a 'Klasse' of its own.
