If you wish to perceive why the one e-motor front-wheel drive BMW iX1 eDrive20 exists look no additional than the federal authorities’s Electrical Automotive Low cost, which awards Fringe Profit Tax concessions to EVs (and plug-ins till April 1 2025) which might be priced below the Luxurious Automotive Tax threshold,
At $78,900 plus on-roads, the iX1 eDrive20 is the most cost effective of six BMW EV variants from 4 totally different mannequin strains – the iX1, iX2, iX3 and i4 – that qualify for a concession that may save eligible corporations and people 1000’s of {dollars}.
The technique has been a spectacular success and helped propel BMW again to the highest of the luxurious phase gross sales charts over arch-rival BMW for the primary time since 2012.
To the tip of July sub-LCT BMW EVs accounted for 23 per cent of all gross sales for the model in Australia in 2024. The iX1 eDrive20 alone acocunts for 4 per cent of these gross sales, headed solely by the iX1 xDrive30 (5 per cent) and the spectacularly profitable i4 eDrive35 (seven per cent and greater than 1000 gross sales).
Alright, now we perceive the logic of it let’s get to the emotion of it. Would you really need a BMW like this?
READ MORE: BMW iX1 xDrive 30 reviewREAD MORE: BMW iX2: Is that this the EV discount of the 12 months?READ MORE: New BMW iX3 breaks cowl
Nicely, for those who might look previous the value of the 2024 BMW iX1 eDrive20 it could genuinely look like a sexy, satisfying possibility for somebody looking for a small SUV with inexperienced credentials, loads of EV-punch efficiency for carving by way of visitors and a pleasant sprinkling of Germanic journey, dealing with and steering really feel.
However for those who can look previous a value like $78,900 plus on-road prices for the entry-level model of an electrified BMW X1 (that will get you only one electrical motor, the dual-motor iX1 xDrive30 will get two for $84,900 plus on-roads) you’ve clearly acquired sufficient cash to purchase one thing flashier, like a Porsche. You too can get the identical underpinnings and drive system within the BMW iX2 eDrive20, which will get a sleeker and extra aggressive design and the FBT concession.
When you’re a extra typical client you’re most likely going to take a look at this and ask the plain query – is it actually value that a lot when put next with a Tesla? At time of writing a Tesla Mannequin Y could be had from as little as $55K plus on-road prices, however as we all know Tesla costs can change commonly.
When you’re an fanatic, or a fan of the BMW model, you’re going to ask a less-obvious query – why on Earth is the one motor fitted to the entrance axle, when the whole Bavarian model was constructed on the inherent superiority of the rear-wheel drive platform, and does being front-wheel drive spoil this X1?
Personally, I’m sufficiently old to recollect a senior BMW exec swearing blind that the corporate would by no means, ever construct FWD vehicles, however that was most likely final century.
2024 BMW iX1 eDrive20 value and gear
Sure, we’re again to that value once more, and I’ve to say that for $78,900 this doesn’t really feel like a variety of BMW, and even a variety of small SUV.
Frankly, I used to be a bit shocked after I came upon what BMW was asking for it. Contemplate that you would be able to have the admittedly smaller Mini Countryman, constructed on the identical platform, from $49,990 pus on-roads, albeit with a type of soiled outdated petrol engines, and it actually does really feel like lots. To be honest, the EV Countryman is $67,990, and lots uglier than a BMW.
I used to be additionally a bit shocked by simply how tinny and skinny the doorways felt after I shut them. That whack-thwack thump you usually get from a German automobile, the sort of thick, dense sound that reminds you why you’re spending Euro-spec cash on a premium-brand automobile each day, was distinctly lacking right here.
On the plus aspect, the iX1 is a handsome beast, significantly when parked subsequent to my neighbour’s gosh-ugly and otiose BMW X7. I actually like what they’ve achieved with the solid-looking BMW kidney grille on the EV. It retains the normal look whereas cleverly modernising it and stamping it immediately as an EV as a result of there aren’t any cooling vents for the non-existent radiator right here.
Inside, the contact and really feel stays comparatively premium and up-spec and you’ll select numerous moods and modes by way of the touchscreen. I additionally just like the upright cellphone charger beneath the display screen, which is straightforward to make use of and locks your cellphone in tight so it gained’t slide off the cost pad.
What I hate, on this and all BMWs, is the truth that it’s a must to reconnect your cellphone and the Apple CarPlay two out of each thrice you restart the automobile for those who’re trying to make use of the wi-fi connection. Positive, you need to use a cable, but when they’re telling you you’ve paid for wi-fi CarPlay you shouldn’t should.
The truth that BMW can’t make this work can be motive sufficient for me to not purchase a contemporary one. Which is disgrace, as a result of on the subject of EVs I feel BMW is maybe the model that’s doing the perfect job of transitioning to the following stage of motoring, and doing it the quickest. I’ve mentioned it earlier than, however I might be severely temped by a BMW i4 as a driver’s automobile.
My favorite characteristic within the wintery week I had the automobile was the heated steering wheel, however that was really a non-standard additional and a part of a $5154 Enhancement Package deal that additionally included metallic paint, therapeutic massage perform and a greater stereo.
Customary equipment on the entry-level iX1 consists of 18-inch alloy wheels with tyre restore equipment, adaptive LED headlights, an influence tailgate, a superb head-up show, leather-wrapped sport steering wheel, ’Veganza’ artificial seat upholstery and Sensatec artificial leather-look dashboard.
Security assistants embrace adaptive cruise management with cease and go, autonomous emergency braking, lane preserve help, lane centring help, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a 360-degree digicam, reversing assistant, entrance and rear parking sensors and an in-built sprint cam.
The iX1 eDrive20 can cost at 22kW AC (which requires three-phase energy) and a modest 130kW DC. A versatile fast-charge cable (Mode 2) and a public charging cable (Mode 3) come commonplace.
Whereas we’re on all that, BMW claims a ten to 80 per cent DC recharge time of 29 minutes. Utilizing the AC socket, a full cost would take three hours and 45 minutes.
You additionally get a 12-month Chargefox subscription, which sounds good till you keep in mind that lot of different corporations offer you multi-year variations of the identical factor. BMW does too, for dearer fashions.
2024 BMW iX1 eDrive20: What we predict
The 2024 BMW iX1 eDrive20 is powered by a single electrical motor growing 150kW and 247Nm that’s hitched as much as a 64.7kWh battery pack. It claims a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 8.6 seconds and a high pace of 170km/h (which simply sounds embarrassing for a BMW) and, vitally, a variety of between 430 and 475km in European WLTP testing.
By comparability, the dual-motor iX1 xDrive 30 delivers considerably extra grunt at 230kW and 494Nm, plus all-wheel drive for a zero to 100km/h time of 5.6 seconds. Nevertheless it does solely declare “as much as 400km” of WLTP vary.
On paper, then, this iX1 ought to really feel a bit underpowered, underwhelming, maybe even a bit poo, however right here’s the factor. I acquired into this automobile after spending every week in an iX3, which I discovered so boring and unremarkable that I can barely bear in mind a factor about it.
Getting out of that into the iX1, for some motive I simply felt immediately extra enamoured with the smaller automobile. Maybe it’s the wheelbase, or the lighter weight, however the iX1 simply felt insanely extra like a BMW, extra alive, extra talkative by way of the steering in that specific Munich-made manner, and simply extra German on the whole.
I preferred this automobile, aside from the truth that it turned me, in line with my household, into a foul Uber driver. I’d prefer to blame the pretty brutal regen of the iX1, which did make modulating your stopping difficult to get used to, however the truth is I drive a number of EVs, so I’ve no excuse.
I got here to assume that it was simply the zippiness of the iX1 making me drive just a little too enthusiastically, which is unusual as a result of 150kW and 247Nm isn’t lots, and one motor is clearly inferior to two, and but at no level did this automobile really feel sluggish. Such is the genius of torque supply in an EV.
It definitely didn’t really feel sporty, however this can be a shopping-trolly, school-run model of a BMW, not a sports activities automobile, and as my metropolis automobile and commuter for every week I discovered it a genuinely satisfying companion.
I didn’t take it out for a blast on nation roads – why would you trouble? Nor did it rain through the week, so I’ve to say the front-wheel-drive arrange didn’t trouble or alarm me, though I’m certain it could make it a lesser automobile in some methods. Significantly to an fanatic. However then fans shouldn’t actually be shopping for small SUVs.
2024 BMW iX1 eDrive20: Verdict
As I mentioned in the beginning, it’s laborious to go previous the value right here, and I assume it’s all relative. This BMW iX1 eDrive20 is now the most cost effective approach to get right into a BMW EV, and that makes it necessary, if not precisely tempting to everybody (though judging by gross sales, clearly sufficient to justify).
If it was, say, $10K cheaper, I feel it could be a vastly tempting proposition and for some patrons, BMW sorts with more money, it’d properly nonetheless be one.
What did shock me was simply how a lot I loved driving it. Regardless of its native existence being pushed by logic, there’s undoubtedly a few of the outdated BMW magic right here.
SCORE: 3.5/5
BMW iX1 eDrive20 specificationsPrice: $78,900 (plus on-road prices)Fundamentals: EV, 5 seats, 5 doorways, compact hatchback, AWDRange: 430-475km (WLTP)Battery capability: 67kWhBattery guarantee: 8 years/160,000kmEnergy consumption: 15.7kWh/100kmMotor: 1 entrance synchronous, 150kW/247NmAC charging: 22kW, Kind 2 plugDC charging: 130kW, CCS combo plug0-100km/h: 8.6 seconds