Electric vehicles are all starting to feel the same to drive.
Yes, there are big and small, faster, expensive, and (kind of) modestly priced. But the driving experience is pretty much the same in any vehicle, regardless of price or power.
It will take some adjustment for drivers who have spent the last 40 years admiring the ripple of a big petrol V8, the breathtaking response of a small turbocharged four-cylinder firecracker, or even the restrained and steady wave of a refined diesel.
There’s almost a complete lack of character – the thing that has made enthusiasts fall in love with so many cars in the past (think Toyota’s phenomenal three-cylinder Yaris GR, or a decade or so before that, Subaru’s thrummy boxer engine, turbocharged WRX). Great cars to drive and models that became part of an owner’s personality.
But there’s very little individuality to electric-powered cars to set them apart. There’s just calm, quiet efficiency. It’s almost clinical.
Not that there’s anything particularly wrong with that. It just means there may be less to write or read about in the coming years.
Perhaps this feature is most noticeable when a well-known car – the BMW X3, for example – is suddenly transformed into an electric model (now the iX3) overnight.
At least these “transplant” models provide some reference point for the original models – but being in a conventional machine without the usual engine noise also feels a bit creepy.
BMW recently unveiled the three models at the forefront of the brand’s electric offering in Australia in the coming months.
The iX3 will be joined in BMW showrooms by the company’s latest purpose-built electric machine, the iX, and the i4 midsize sedan.
But be quick. BMW reports that all three models will sell well into 2023.
So, is this refined, beautifully developed iX3 worth the wait? Yes and no.
The iX3 is dynamically sharp but not leading in its class. It’s not as fast as the comparable Volvo XC40 Pure Electric (certainly the only time a Volvo has shadowed a BMW for performance).
At $114,000, it’s also nearly double the cost of another Swedish rival – Volvo’s Polestar 2, which costs around 60 thousand, making the iX3 a treat.
It will take on German rivals such as Mercedes-Benz’s GLC and Audi’s Q3 (both now available in electrified form).
As if to justify the price, the iX3 is generously equipped. The features include the M-Sport package with 20-inch wheels, panoramic glass sunroof, electric and heated seats, mood lighting package, electric tailgate, Harman-Kardon audio with 16 speakers, wireless smartphone charging, and Connected Package Profession (navigation and infotainment).
The only options available on the iX3 are laser headlamps ($2000) and a “shadow package” that brings darker glass for an extra $2000.
The iX3 illustrates the benefits of using an existing platform and cab design when introducing a new electric model. Buyer familiarity is one – when plunging into the EV pond, many would rather do so in a familiar and familiar cockpit.
From a manufacturing standpoint, there’s also an advantage to using a vehicle that has two decades of evolution behind it rather than reinventing the wheel (so to speak).
And the iX3 speaks to that theory. It’s a beautifully resolved, carefully curated family machine, made even better by its new smoke-free powertrain.
The BMW electric motor is sharp, if not as fast as some (including the rivals mentioned above), but few, if any, electric buyers will do it primarily for performance.
The single-engine electric powertrain offers a hefty 210 kW and grumpy 400 Nm of torque, enough to make this X3 more powerful than anything but its top-end petrol equivalent. That means he will reach the speed limit in a perfectly decent time of 6.8 seconds.
Officially, it will drive 440km before needing a recharge, which isn’t cutting edge but not far off. On a high-speed charger, up to 80 percent of a full charge can be reached in about 30 minutes. Long enough for a cup of coffee and a muffin.
BMW has done its best to keep the driving experience familiar for new EV inductees, showing few vices despite the hefty weight of the batteries under the floor.
And in appearance, the odd-looking infills on the grille and the absence of tailpipes in the rear are the main clues that it’s anything but a garden variant X3, at least until it’s launched.
At that point, there’s a very intrusive (or annoying) soundtrack that BMW has created to prevent the iX3 from functioning as a stealth weapon.
The little gong at start-up and the Star Wars-esque hum as you slowly drive around looking for a parking space are typical but not to everyone’s taste. Fortunately, the system, called BMWIconicSounds, can also be disabled.
But at least it makes this electric car look slightly different from all the others.
BMW iX3
* HOW BIG: It’s identical to the X3 mid-sized SUV, which already has a strong following of young, increasingly mobile families. It is very suitable for driving in the city or on the highway.
* HOW FAST: While dazzling acceleration has been a feature of many electric models, the BMW will reach the speed limit in a modest 6.8 seconds.
* HOW THIRSTY? It will partially charge overnight in a household outlet, while journeys over 440km will require a layover to recharge – which takes less than half an hour on most fast chargers.
