Munich. The BMW Group is pushing ahead with its electrification
strategy by extending the reach of its all-electric mobility offering
to the company’s core brands. The BMW Concept iX3 – presented for the
first time at the Auto China 2018 show in Beijing – offers a look
ahead to the expansion of the model line-up in this area. The first
model from the BMW brand to be driven purely by electric power will be
a fully-fledged Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) – and without
compromises when it comes to functionality and comfort.
The BMW Concept iX3 underscores the BMW Group’s resolve to further
strengthen its leading position in the field of electric mobility. The
expansion of the company’s range of vehicles offering locally
emission-free mobility is one of the central spheres of activity
defined by the Automated, Connected, Electrified and Services (ACES)
technological fields, on which the company is driving forward the
transformation of the mobility sector as part of its NUMBER ONE
NEXT strategy.
The expansion of locally emission-free mobility vehicles is one of
the key areas of centralized action, alongside with automated driving,
high-end connectivity and new digital services, which are driving the
company’s transformation of the mobility industry as part of the
NUMBER ONE NEXT strategy. Under the generic term
“iNext”, and as an enabler for the entire BMW Group, the
future-model-kit is now being developed, in which the BMW Concept iX3
is playing a key role
____
Among the innovations showcased in the BMW Concept iX3 is the fifth
generation of BMW eDrive technology. A key benefit of this electric
drive technology of the future is the grouping together of the
electric motor, transmission and power electronics within a new,
separate electric drive component. Plus, the fifth-generation electric
drive system also includes new and more powerful batteries. This fresh
package of technology brings considerable advances in terms of
performance characteristics, operating range, weight, packaging space
and flexibility – and will be making its debut in the purely
electrically-driven SAV.
The unparalleled technological expertise of BMW i has also played a
prominent role in the development of the fifth-generation electric
drive system, providing further evidence of BMW i as a nerve centre
for sustainable mobility. The transfer of the drive system technology
originally developed for BMW i cars into vehicles from the BMW Group’s
core brands is entering a new dimension here.
Fully electrified
vehicles of the core brand will in future bear a BMW i brand logo.
This is visible in the concept vehicle both in the side and in the
rear. BMW eDrive technology today already is part of the plug-in
hybrid drive system employed by the BMW iPerformance models and
MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4. In the BMW Concept iX3, the next,
highly integrated development stage of this technology delivers
all-electric mobility. The future series-production version of the
electrically powered SAV will therefore also benefit from the
technological basis underpinning the powertrain of the BMW iNext, due
to be presented in 2021.
Flexible architecture enables sustainable
mobility.
With the world premiere of the BMW Concept
iX3, the BMW Group is opening a new chapter in its electrification
strategy. The future will see the company’s flexible, further
developed vehicle architectures accommodating all types of
front-wheel, rear-wheel and all-wheel drive. This will pave the way
for models from all the company’s brands to be equipped with different
drive system variants. And that means a pure combustion engine,
plug-in hybrid drive system or battery-electric solution can be
integrated into any model, as desired.
The launch of the fifth-generation electric drive system technology
once again makes integration into different vehicle architectures
significantly easier. The individual components of this new BMW eDrive
technology stand out with their lower weight, scalability and
extremely compact construction. Added to which, they fit into a
flexible modular design structure and can therefore be utilised in a
variety of different ways. BMW’s approach to highly integrated
electric drive system technology can in future be applied to a large
number of different models.
In order to exploit this potential, the vehicle architectures of
current and future models from all the company’s brands will allow for
the integration of different drive system variants. In this way, the
BMW Group will be able to meet the ever increasing need for
electrified vehicles with a wealth of different variants tailored to
meet specific demand. The BMW X3, on which the concept vehicle is
based, is one of the first models whose architecture demonstrates this
flexibility. In addition, the BMW Concept iX3 features a specially
developed rear axle subframe and specific chassis integration.
Scalable components, flexible production.
The
fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology is distinguished by its
extremely compact design. The electric motor, transmission and power
electronics are now grouped into a single component, making it much
easier to integrate them into different vehicle architectures. Plus,
their modular construction enables them to be adapted to the
performance levels required and the available space. Another notable
element is that the electric motor does not need any rare earths,
which means the BMW Group is not dependent on their availability.
The modular design approach has also been further optimised in the
development of the next-generation high-voltage battery. The
experience amassed by BMW i and the company’s established expertise in
the areas of cell technology and cell design have been rigorously
applied to further enhance the performance, energy content, charging
capability and durability of the battery. Moreover, production of
battery cell prototypes enables full analysis and understanding of the
value creation processes for the cells and prepares potential
suppliers for cell production according to specific requirements.
Like the vehicle architectures and eDrive technology of the future,
the BMW Group’s international production network is also set up to
provide a high level of flexibility – in this case for the production
of models with electric drive systems. Indeed, electrified vehicles
are already rolling off assembly lines at ten BMW Group locations
around the world. The eDrive components for these vehicles are
supplied by production facilities in Dingolfing (Germany), Shenyang
(China) and Spartanburg in the US. BMW Group Plant Dingolfing plays a
leading role here as the network’s centre of expertise for electric
drive systems.
The BMW Brilliance Automotive joint venture will produce the future
series-production version of the BMW Concept iX3 in Shenyang, China.
BMW Concept iX3 with more than 200 kW/270 hp electric motor
and a WLTP range of more than 400 kilometres (249
miles).
The BMW Concept iX3 represents another milestone
on the road to locally emission-free driving under the BMW Group’s
electrification strategy. And so a Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) once
again blazes a trail for a new and groudbreaking form of BMW’s fabled
driving pleasure. The current BMW X5 xDrive40e iPerformance (petrol
consumption combined: 3.4 – 3.3 l/100 km [83.1 – 85.6 mpg imp];
electric power consumption combined: 15.4 – 15.3 kWh/100 km;
CO2 emissions combined: 78 – 77 g/km) made its debut in
2015 as the BMW core brand’s first plug-in hybrid model. And the BMW
ActiveHybrid X6 presented in 2009 was the world’s first Sports
Activity Coupe with a full-hybrid drive system.
The BMW Concept iX3 previews the fusion of the multi-faceted driving
pleasure for which BMW X models are renowned and a locally
emission-free drive system. The version of the fifth-generation
electric motor developed for the SAV generates maximum output of over
200 kW/270 hp. The likewise model-specific high-voltage battery has a
net capacity of over 70 kWh, which is enough to give the electric SAV
a range of more than 400 kilometres (249 miles) in the WLTP cycle.
Another feature of the high-voltage battery developed for the fifth
generation of eDrive technology is its optimised charging capability.
The energy storage system has a newly developed Charging Control Unit
and is designed to be hooked up to fast-charging stations generating
up to 150 kW. The high-voltage battery can be charged in just
30 minutes from one of these stations.
Electric mobility also means a differentiation in design.
In the front, the kidney and the brand emblem show the
affiliation with the BMW i brand. The closed double kidney with the
blue accentuation continues the BMW i Vision Dynamics brand already
featured in the BMW i Vision Dynamics. The closed area within the
kidney reduces air resistance, providing aerodynamic benefits.
Identifying features of the BMW Concept iX3 include a closed-off BMW
kidney grille with familiar BMW i car graphic, BMW i Blue accents
around the kidney, around the brand logo at the front and along the
side skirts, and a diffuser element in the same colour integrated in
the rear apron. These styling cues provide a striking contrast against
the Moonstone Silver matt exterior paint finish. The concept study is
also fitted with light-alloy wheels in an aerodynamically optimised
design.
Alongside the world premiere of the BMW Concept iX3 and the BMW
i Vision Dynamics study also on display in Beijing, the BMW Group is
also highlighting the spectrum of design differentiation between the
BMW and BMW i brands. The styling of the BMW i Vision Dynamics is
characterised by the pioneering design language developed exclusively
for BMW i models. The signature looks of BMW i cars will also mark out
future models from the brand. This study of a first all-electric model
from BMW is clearly defined by the robust and sophisticated all-round
character of an SAV, which remains unaffected by the presence of a
locally emission-free drive system under the skin.
The electric
drive will be visible through the design elements from the BMW i
design language in the exterior design mentioned above.
About BMW i
BMW i is a BMW Group brand focusing on connected mobility
services, visionary vehicle concepts and a new understanding of
premium strongly defined by sustainability. BMW i is represented in 54
countries with the BMW i3 electric car for urban areas, BMW i8 plug-in
hybrid sports car and plug-in hybrid BMW iPerformance Automobiles.
BMW i opens up new target groups for the company and serves as an
incubator for innovations. Technologies which have debuted
successfully in BMW i cars are carried over to parent brand BMW’s
other models.
BMW i is also associated with enterprises including DriveNow
(car sharing), ReachNow (car sharing 2.0), ChargeNow (easy access to
the world’s largest network of charging points), ParkNow
(straightforward location, reservation and payment of parking spaces),
venture capital company BMW i Ventures (investment in start-up
companies with a focus on urban mobility), BMW Energy (energy
optimisation services) and the Centre of Competence for Urban Mobility
(consultancy for cities).