‘Long journeys remain a thing for me’
With the BMW iX1, BMW serves a popular segment. The compact SUV is doing quite well, with just under 3,500 Dutch sales last year. This could well increase with the arrival of a new ‘entry-level’ model. What range can you expect from this electric BMW?
The BMW iX1 is based on the regular X1 and available in two variants. The xDrive30 is a four-wheel drive with a system power of 313 hp. BMW recently added the eDrive20 to its range. This entry-level model has one less engine, sending a maximum of 204 hp to the front wheels. Very clear: the battery pack is the same size in both versions, with a net 64.7 kWh. The maximum WLTP range is 440 kilometers for the xDrive30 and 474 kilometers for the eDrive20.
Range iX1 xDrive30
We have already tested the BMW iX1 xDrive30 against the Volvo C40 Recharge. The BMW achieved a consumption of 18.2 kWh/100 km. A quick calculation puts the range at 355 kilometers. The test was done at temperatures around 18 degrees Celsius, on a cloudy day and on dry asphalt. Excellent conditions for an electric car. If we include the charging loss, the BMW consumes 19.5 kWh per 100 kilometers. This obviously has no influence on the range.
The owner of an iX1 xDrive30 states in his review that the average consumption after 8,000 kilometers is 19.6 kWh per 100 kilometers. “It’s getting a bit colder, so consumption will be a bit higher,” he explains. About the range he writes: “BMW recommends not charging the battery beyond 80 percent. The reason is that the load on the battery is higher above that. This does mean that the range will be lower, approximately 250 kilometers in practice.” And also: “Long journeys remain a thing for me. You cannot travel 360 kilometers round trip with a full battery.” Indeed, for this the consumption should not exceed 18 kWh/100 km.
It’s possible
Another xDrive30 driver takes stock after 10,500 kilometers. “Consumption is now 19 kWh/100 km and if you do not include the 2,000 kilometers of the holiday trip, only 17.96 kWh/100 km.” That’s just enough for those 360 kilometers. “Decent, considering my fast driving style, and it’s not even summer yet,” he adds optimistically. During the aforementioned holiday trip, on the way back to Austria, his consumption is quite high: 23.3 kWh/100 km. This reduces the maximum range to 277 kilometers. The average consumption of both our test car and the iX1 reviewers is 19.5 kWh/100 km, good for a range of 332 kilometers.
This means that the BMW iX1 is not as economical as the lower, streamlined BMW i4 eDrive40. The range is also considerably more limited due to the smaller battery pack. We look forward to more BMW iX1 reviews, especially of the ‘entry-level’ eDrive20, to see if it shows lower power consumption and a longer range.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl