BMW iX Leads Luxury EV Charge at PIMS

Although not as heralded as its other stablemates at the 2022 Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS), the fact that the BMW iX occupied significant real estate at the German automaker's booth showed that the electric vehicle era for local BMWs has officially begun.

Initially pegged at Php 6.29 million (the price is said to be heading a shade under Php 7 million), the Sports ActivityVehicle (BMW-speak for sport-utes) has a 372-kilometer range on a full charge and comes with a wall box charger that BMW gets to install for free at your home. Although the German car company refused to give details about the charging time, they did mention that the underbody-placed 71 kWh lithium-ion battery has an eight-year warranty separate from a five-year factory warranty and a six-year BMW Service Inclusive warranty.

The battery's location in the vehicle lowers the center of gravity. This feature, along with two wishbones at the front axle and multiple stabilizer links on the rear axle, adds to rare nimble handling from a utility runner.

The sole locally available iX – a  326 ps /630 Nm iX xDrive40 – has all-wheel-drive as standard. BMW's Intelligent Control drivetrain computer box channels enable a smooth transition from using the rear wheels to distributing torque to all four wheels, done via dual electric motors and the principle of tandem electrical excitement. Making the electric motor "excited" (read: making electrons move) means feeding electrical energy and fixed magnets. The result is enhanced grip and a broad power curve, so even an impromptu trip on challenging dirt hills shouldn't be a compromise in road holding.

BMW's display at PIMS also featured the rest of its available lineup. So if you're in the market for luxury mobility, your next stop should be a BMW showroom. Are you on your way?