German legacy automaker BMW, through its local arm, will deliver three new affordable electric vehicle models in Australia.
The mix includes the new i4 eDrive 35 mid-size sedan, iX3 M Sport mid-size SUV, and iX1 eDrive 20 small SUV, Drive reported.
BMW aims to deliver these new entry-level variants in Australian showrooms by late 2023 to early 2024. Moreover, they will all have a base price of sub $89,332 to qualify for the Luxury Car Tax and Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) exemptions.
BMW iX1 eDrive 20
The new BMW iX1 eDrive 20 FWD version will cost $78,900 (excluding on-road fees). This pricing is $6000 cheaper than the existing xDrive 30 variant.
It has an electric motor that generates a maximum output of 150kW and 247Nm of torque, Which Car reported. It sports a battery pack with 64.7kWh capacity, enabling a European WLTP-estimated driving range of 430-475km.
Moreover, it can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 8.6 seconds. It also boasts a 170km/h top speed. It can also support a charging speed of 10% to 80% in just 29 minutes with a 130kW DC charger. However, it is also compatible with AC chargers at up to 22kW for a 100% charge in just three hours and 45 minutes.
Presented below are the 2024 BMW iX1 eDrive 20 standard features:
- 18-inch alloy wheels with tyre repair kit
- Adaptive LED headlights
- 10.7-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, rear-view camera, digital radio, over-the-air software updates (iDrive 9)
- 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
- Wireless smartphone charging
- Dual-zone automatic climate control
- Power tailgate
- Head-up display
- Keyless entry and start (with Digital Key Plus)
- Leather-wrapped sport steering wheel
- ‘Veganza’ synthetic seat upholstery
- Sensatec synthetic leather-look dashboard
- Black headlining
- Roof rails
- Auto-dimming side mirrors
- Adaptive cruise control with stop and go
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Lane-keep assist
- Lane centring assist
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- 360-degree camera
- Reversing Assistant
- Front and rear parking sensors
- BMW Drive Recorder (in-built dash cam)
- Tyre pressure monitoring
- BMW Iconic Sounds Electric
- 22kW AC onboard charging capability
- 130kW DC onboard charging capability
- Flexible fast-charge cable (Mode 2)
- Public charging cable (Mode 3)
- 12-month Chargefox subscription
BMW iX3 M Sport
It will have a base price of $89,100 before on-road costs. This pricing indicates a $15,800 reduction from the cost of the current iX3 variant (M Sport Pro).
It has a rear electric motor with a maximum capacity of 210kW/400Nm. It is equipped with a 74kWh battery pack that enables a driving range of up to 461km. It can also accelerate from 0-100km/h in 6.8 seconds.
It can charge from 0% to 80% in just 34 minutes using a DC fast charger, while an AC charger can support up to 11kW.
BMW has yet to reveal the full standard features of this variant. Nonetheless, below are some of the confirmed ones:
- 19-inch alloy wheels
- M Sport package
- Metallic paint
- Panoramic glass sunroof
- Keyless entry and start
- Heated front sports seats
- Leather upholstery
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Adaptive cruise control
- Lane-keep assist
- Lane centring assist
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Front and rear cross-traffic alert
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Reversing camera
BMW i4 eDrive 35
The new BMW i4 eDrive 35 will cost $85,900 before on-road expenses. It is $17,000 cheaper compared to the existing eDrive 40 model variant.
It has an electric motor with a maximum output of 210 kW and 400 Nm of torque. It can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 6 seconds. It also has a battery pack that supports a maximum capacity of 67kWh. Its estimated driving range is 430km, based on the Australian lab testing.
Moreover, it can support a charging rate of 180kW maximum using a DC fast charger and 11kW with an AC plug.
Its standard features are as follows:
- 18-inch alloy wheels with tyre repair kit
- Dusk-sensing LED headlights with automatic high-beam
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 14.9-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, digital radio and satellite navigation
- Head-up display
- Three-zone automatic climate control
- Wireless smartphone charging
- Power-adjustable front sports seats
- Sensatec synthetic leather-look upholstery
- Keyless entry and start
- Ambient interior lighting
- Power tailgate
- Black headlining
- Unbranded “Hi-Fi” sound system
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Lane-keep assist (not centring)
- Adaptive cruise control with stop and go
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Flexible fast charging cable
- Public charging cable, Mode 3
- 12 month Chargefox charging subscription
- BMW Iconic Sounds Electric
- Acoustic pedestrian protection
Here are the BMW model variants’ prices in Australia:
| Variants | Prices |
| iX1 eDrive 20 | $78,900 (new) |
| iX1 xDrive 30 | $84,900 (previous cheapest model) |
| i4 eDrive 35 | $85,900 |
| i4 eDrive 40 | $102,900 (previous cheapest model) |
| iX3 M Sport | $89,100 |
| iX3 M Sport Pro | $104,900 (previous cheapest model) |
See Also:
- BMW unveils next-gen EV model to compete with Tesla and BYD
- BMW to exhibit a lineup of only EVs at the 2023 Munich Motor Show
- BMW raises EV spending to compete with Tesla
- BMW China to localize L3 autonomous driving development
- BMW’s first electric 5 Series sedan finally enters series production
BMW will launch the i4 eDrive 35 and iX3 M Sport in Q4 2023. The iX1 eDrive 20 will follow in Q1 2024. The German automaker aims to introduce 12 model variants, including the BMW iX large SUV, in the country.
