In 202, BMW’s first purely electric Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) – the iX3 – introduces BMW eDrive technology of the fifth generation and, starting in 2021, the technology will also be available in the i4 and the iNEXT. Production of the iX3 will commence in 2020 for the world market by the joint-venture company, BMW Brilliance Automotive, in China.
The iX3 is a further milestone in the consistent realisation of the BMW Group’s electrification strategy. In 2020, the new SAV will become the brand’s first model available both with conventional petrol and diesel engines as well as plug-in hybrid and purely electric drive. With this ‘power of choice’ offer, the company is taking into account the various different requirements and needs of their customers worldwide as well as maximum effectiveness in the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.
The fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology is the result of consistent development work within the framework of BMW EfficientDynamics and the experience gained by the BMW Group in the field of electric mobility spanning more than 10 years. All powertrain components were developed solely by the BMW Group.
Moreover, the electric motor and the high-voltage batteries are produced in corporately owned manufacturing facilities. In this way, the BMW Group ensures it has a decisive influence on the product properties and the quality of each component. Furthermore, the drive unit and the high-voltage battery unit are flexibly scalable in terms of power and energy content and can thus be used in various different vehicle concepts and segments.
EfficientDynamics at its best
In the iX3, EfficientDynamics reaches a new level. The new technology comprises a drive unit in which electric motor, system electronics and transmission are brought together into a central housing. As a result, the required installation space of the drive technology and its weight are considerably reduced. The ratio between motor output and weight of the drive system improves around 30% compared to the previous generation.
The electric motor installed in the iX3 delivers a maximum power output of 210 kW/286 hp. The torque of 400 Nm allows for high initial acceleration and keeps a high level even at the upper motor speeds because of exclusive BMW design measures. A further special feature of the electric motor being deployed in the iX3 for the first time is a construction method that eliminates the need for rare earth materials.
The electric motor transfers power to the rear wheels. This enables a further increase in drive system efficiency. Moreover, the range of the BMW iX3 benefits from the drive design conveying the traditional BMW rear-wheel drive experience.
Batteries with significant higher energy density
The high-voltage battery unit is based on the latest evolution in NMC-811 technology in BMW typical prismatic design. The BMW Group has outstanding development capabilities in this field. This know-how flows into precise specifications with regard to the use of materials and battery design, according to which the battery cells are produced. Consistent R&D work not only raises energy density but also constantly improves all battery cell characteristics, in particular also durability and safety.
Greater range because of high efficiency
With a net energy content of 74 kWh, the high-voltage battery pack achieves a range of more than 440 kms in the legislative WLTP test cycle. Within its segment, the iX3 boasts not only a unique low power consumption of less than 20 kWh/100 kms (accordingly to the WLTP test cycle) but also stands for a novel ratio between battery size and range.
Thanks to the favourable efficiency rating of the drive components and the high energy density of the high-voltage battery unit, the iX3 achieves a range that is only possible for common electric vehicles with larger and thus heavier batteries.
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