WORDS: Rebecca Morse
It’s natural for parents to worry about the planet our children are going to inherit. A move towards electric vehicles is one way we can help reduce our carbon footprint, and it’s never been so timely with current global conflicts around oil supply.
My 10 year old Frankie and I took the new all-electric BMW iX for a test drive around Glenelg, stopping for coffee, cake and juice at popular local haunt Seafaring Fools.
It became clear when I parked the iX out the front, this vehicle is a head-turner. It has a futuristic BMW kidney grille and the flush handles and frameless doors finished with golden-bronze detail are just a few of its modern design elements.
It’s also a family-friendly ride, with the relaxing lounge seats and charging ports in the rear winning Frankie over immediately.
The interior is pleasing not just for its modern and unique aesthetic, but its sustainability credentials. The floor coverings and mats are made from nylon produced from old fishing nets recovered from the sea and the distinctive and super-comfy seats are treated with olive-leaf extract, just to name a couple of examples.
Say hello to Shy Tech. The BMW iX Shy Tech concept is a hidden world of functionality at your fingertips and blends into the background of the iX until needed. This invisible intelligence can be experienced in many details of the exterior and interior such as the kidney grille which functions as an intelligent surface, invisibly embedded speakers of the audio system, radar functions, state-of-the-art sensor technology and heating elements and haptic controls concealed by open-pore wood trim.
Understandably the most common questions about electric vehicles are around the charging process. You can explore much further afield than Glenelg with a full charge taking you up to 620kms.* You can get up to 150kms out of a quick 10 minute charge or in under 40 minutes you’ll recharge up to 80%.^
All BMW electric models include the basic charging equipment and a complimentary a 5 year usage subscription to the Chargefox network of public chargers across Australia. Furthermore, you can explore the installation of a BMW Wallbox for further home charging solutions.
When Frankie finished her green juice, we hopped back into our green car. The iX is just the start of sustainable motoring at BMW.
The friendly staff at Glenelg BMW would be more than happy to talk you through it.
Vehicle Technology Features
The iX is equipped with a host of cutting edge technology.
- Heads-Up Display
- Augmented reality navigation
- BMW iX Shy Tech Concept
- Next Generation BMW 8.0 Operating System
- BMW Curved Display
- Voice and Gesture controlledIntelligent Digital Assistant
*Electrical consumption and range is based upon the Combined Driving Test Cycle in accordance with ADR 81/02 on purpose built test vehicles and is provided for comparative purposes only. Actual range will vary in real world conditions depending on many factors including traffic conditions, driving habits, prevailing conditions and your vehicle’s equipment, condition and use.
^The values refer to an initial state of charge of 10%.
Glenelg BMW, 141 Brighton Road, Glenelg
glenelgbmw.com.au
@glenelgbmw