The main problem with BEV's is the battery and this isn't changing any time soon. Gasoline is a much better energy storage device. The question for BMW is how much of their resources should they devote to BEV's? From where we stand today BMW has likely over invested, but that decision was made years ago.

One thing BMW doesn't have are regular hybrids throughout the model line-up. Plug in hybrids are fine, but they add cost and weight. A standard hybrid requires almost no compromises and can return excellent efficiency. I picked up a new Toyota Prius (nothing like the old one) as a daily and it is amazing. Easy to get an honest 50mpg, which equates to $40 for 400 miles even with California's high gas prices. Plus it looks good and is fun to drive.

If ICE is going to stick around for awhile it would make more sense to spread the limited supply of batteries across all vehicles instead of packing them into a few BEV's. The biggest gains in efficiency to electrifying a vehicle comes from the initial hybridization.

Cortexiphan wrote

Watch the BMWBlog review first. As always, HB makes me feel like I’m in the driver’s seat, asking exactly the questions I’d ask. Huge thanks to him.

The segment where he drives in the rain? Absolutely incredible. These Neue Klasse cars are going to be something special.

As for EV haters—they’re going to sound more and more absurd over time. The so-called advantages of ICE cars are shrinking fast. Eventually, they’ll be left clinging to vague concepts like “soul” or nostalgic quirks like “I miss the smell of gas.”

I appreciate it. I always try to put myself in the shoes of a customer. That's the best way to review cars. Otherwise, too many biases. Like for example, I'm not a 7 Series type of customer, but I can review it from their perspective. Or at least i can try

The rain segment is wild, actually the car feels so fast in real life. I couldn't really show that in the video. I tried hard to break grip with aggressive steering angles and wasn't easy.

bandersen wrote

Living with street parking and no home charger, I don’t count the X5 50e (I’m in an X5 40) as a ‘hybrid’ since I would have to plug it in to recharge/doesn’t recharge like a Toyota..:that’s just me.

But it’s still a PHEV whether you count it that way or not… you have a mild hybrid which is genius tech. We average over 20 mpg on our X7. But PHEV are over 30.

Marcon71 wrote

I get the concept and tech however I'm not sure if this the right strategy for BMW in doubling down on EVs right now. With all the turbulence in the world I dont believe we are ready for a complete EV shift. In my opinion hybrids would have been better.

Yeah, nobody complains about the M5

yousefnjr wrote

Yeah, nobody complains about the M5

Lol 😆

yousefnjr wrote

Yeah, nobody complains about the M5

Marcon71 wrote

Lol ��

That was funny. Problem is they made it a PHEV and not a regular hybrid. PHEV's are too heavy, especially for an M car which should be more about performance.

I love Thomas' videos at Autogefuhl.

While I'm not BEV ready myself, I have to say that I'm very optimistic about what BMW is doing with the Neue Klasse. The tech an UX seem pretty well thought out and the driving dynamics seem to be solid.

Based on the review, it would seem that this is a solid v3 BEV driving experience.

Wow, that steering wheel and that rhomboid looking screen are horrible.

I don’t care how well it drives if it’s so visually off putting.

Long live ICE

Kid Red wrote

Wow, that steering wheel and that rhomboid looking screen are horrible.

I don’t care how well it drives if it’s so visually off putting.

Based on one of the videos/articles, it sounds as if there were multiple versions of the steering wheel depending on the mule used. So some of that stuff is likely still TBD.

bandersen wrote

Living with street parking and no home charger, I don’t count the X5 50e (I’m in an X5 40) as a ‘hybrid’ since I would have to plug it in to recharge/doesn’t recharge like a Toyota..:that’s just me.

That would be 100% wrong.

mckman wrote

That was funny. Problem is they made it a PHEV and not a regular hybrid. PHEV's are too heavy, especially for an M car which should be more about performance.

I don't think that means what you think it does.

HEV / PHEV has nothing to do with weight. You can make an HEV as heavy as a PHEV, just give it the same size battery.

Also, if you don't recognize that it needs to have EV range in order to meet emissions / consumption regs, you're not understanding the game.

hb wrote

I appreciate it. I always try to put myself in the shoes of a customer. That's the best way to review cars. Otherwise, too many biases. Like for example, I'm not a 7 Series type of customer, but I can review it from their perspective. Or at least i can try

The rain segment is wild, actually the car feels so fast in real life. I couldn't really show that in the video. I tried hard to break grip with aggressive steering angles and wasn't easy.

Horatiu:

This comment from your article;

"The ride was firm but never harsh. Unlike some setups that bounce excessively over uneven roads, the iX3’s dampers rebounded quickly and settled almost immediately. I drove it over every type of surface BMW had in their diverse Miramas testing ground—wet tarmac, potholes, patched asphalt, elevations—and it always remained composed. There was no floating, no secondary oscillation, just a clean, crisp response. Compared to steel setups in other EVs—and even some adaptive systems—the iX3 struck a sweet spot."

Would you say that the iX3 avoids that typical "pogo" effect that many EV's on steel springs are plauged with due to having to damp such a heavy battery? Like the Model 3 in particular?

also, I'm not 100% sure from your article but I think I'm reading it right: the car gives you blended braking (i.e. mostly regen) using the pedal even when not in B mode, correct? It's not like a Lucid or Tesla where the pedal only controls the friction brakes, and regen is all by releasing the throttle?

Marcon71 wrote

I get the concept and tech however I'm not sure if this the right strategy for BMW in doubling down on EVs right now. With all the turbulence in the world I dont believe we are ready for a complete EV shift. In my opinion hybrids would have been better.

There is currently the X5 40i, M50i,..M60i,...and 50E (Hybrid),...the full BEV X5 is forthcoming! BMW will have a shoe that fits everyone,...even Shaq!

Based on the screen readout, it looks like this car has over 500 miles of range!

It’s showing 544 km (338 miles) at just 67% charge — which would put it around 504 miles at 100%. And they’re clearly not driving it efficiently either.

hb , feel free to correct me if I’m off here.

If BMW prices the iX3 right, this could end up being one of the most successful models in the brand’s history. The Model Y — which is far less refined — is the best-selling car in the world, and it costs about the same as an X3 outside the U.S.

Oh, and it charges from 10% to 80% in just 10 minutes.

And you can do controlled power slides at 90 mph. Seriously.

Mind-blowing.

Eric500 wrote

what's the size of this compared to the X3? It sits kind of low for an SUV

Size specs have been in my thread for months now. https://g45.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=901686

I've just added some performance numbers there too.

Cortexiphan wrote

Based on the screen readout, it looks like this car has over 500 miles of range!

No surprise here: almost 110kWh usable with a dedicated EV platform.

LuisBoston wrote

EVs aren’t going away. Yes there’s lots of turbulence but EVs are still the future. They’re better than ICE in every way.

Continuing to spend money investing in ICE and complicated PHEVs is what’s wasteful. ICE will be dead in 10 years. Bookmark this if you want. I’ll eat my words.

In "every way". ICE dead in "10 years".


24hr Le Mans is this weekend. When do you think an EV will take overall at Le Mans? How many years?

Cortexiphan wrote

Based on the screen readout, it looks like this car has over 500 miles of range!

It’s showing 544 km (338 miles) at just 67% charge — which would put it around 504 miles at 100%. And they’re clearly not driving it efficiently either.

hb , feel free to correct me if I’m off here.

I never really trust the guess-o-meters in my EVs. But this is promising.

Current BMW EVs definitely need better efficiency and dc fast charging speeds.

Needsdecaf wrote

also, I'm not 100% sure from your article but I think I'm reading it right: the car gives you blended braking (i.e. mostly regen) using the pedal even when not in B mode, correct? It's not like a Lucid or Tesla where the pedal only controls the friction brakes, and regen is all by releasing the throttle?

iX does this as well. I'm pretty sure i4, i5, i7 do the same, but don't quote me on that.

M3WC wrote

24hr Le Mans is this weekend. When do you think an EV will take overall at Le Mans? How many years?

We all will love driving to ICE racing events in our EVs.

M3WC wrote

In "every way". ICE dead in "10 years".


24hr Le Mans is this weekend. When do you think an EV will take overall at Le Mans? How many years?

You know you can't drive NASCAR cars on the street, right?

And he said EV will take over car industry. Which it will.
Not speciality races.

With this logic,

When do you think ICE will take over Calgary Stampede ?