BMW has announced that its next wave of electric vehicles - namely, the iX3, the i4 and the iNext - will have the fifth iteration of its eDrive technology, allowing for even greater all-electric driving range.
Fifth-gen eDrive technology
With the announcement focusing mainly on the new BMW iX3, as that's the closest to production (it will start in 2020, whereas the i4 and iNext are slated for job one in 2021), the 74kWh battery capacity in the EV SUV should lead to a WLTP-ratified driving range in excess of 440km. BMW says it has thoroughly redeveloped both the drive system and the high-voltage battery pack for the iX3, the latter featuring pioneering cell technology.
Indeed, the iX3 will sit alongside a plug-in hybrid version of BMW's mid-sized premium SUV, making it the first model in the company's history to be available with conventional petrol and diesel engines, as well as PHEV and EV options. All examples of the iX3 will be built in China, by the BMW Brilliance Automotive joint venture.
iX3: 286hp and 400Nm
The key to the fifth-generation eDrive technology's power is the fact that BMW has brought the electric motor, the system electronics and the transmission into one central housing unit. This reduces installation space of the drive system, as well as trimming lots of weight out of the EV as a whole - which should improve both vehicle performance and its demands on the battery's reserves; BMW cites a ratio between motor output and weight of the system that has been improved by around 30 per cent.
Talking of power, the iX3 will have a 210kW motor, which equates to 286hp. This is bolstered by 400Nm of instant torque, while - intriguingly - the SUV will be rear-wheel drive, rather than sporting any electrical version of xDrive. BMW says this decision to go 2WD will increase the drive system's efficiency and make the iX3 sportier to drive, like a proper BMW.
Second battery life planned
BMW's new battery 'eliminates the need for rare earth materials' and uses 'NMC-811' tech in a prismatic design. With a high gravimetric energy density (about 20 per cent better than on previous BMW batteries) and two-thirds less cobalt in their make-up, they're also compact - meaning the interior passenger space and boot capacity of the iX3 will be comparable to a conventionally powered X3 - while they have a low power consumption of less than 20kWh/100km (WLTP). BMW also claims that the battery has a 'second life' planned in, as it will be used as a stationary power pack once it has served its use in its first life in the electric SUV.