The BMW iX xDrive40 may be down on power compared to the xDrive50 and the M60, but it’s no slouch either. It’ll still hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in 6.1 seconds, which is remarkable for an EV that weighs as much as the moon. Sure, it’s not sports car-quick, but you do get the practicality and comfort of a large and luxurious SUV brimming with tech.
It was put through its paces in a top speed test on a crowded German highway during the evening. To accurately measure the electric SUV’s velocity, YouTuber Cars on Autobahn used an app that relies on the GPS to calculate the vehicle’s real speed. For this reason, you will notice some minor differences between what the car’s digital speedometer shows and the smartphone.
It’s far from being the best vehicle to devour the Autobahn and its sections where there aren’t any speed limits. The BMW iX xDrive40 only hit 124 mph (200 km/h), but that’s only because it has an electronic limiter. The beefier xDrive50 has the same setup as only the range-topping M60 can do a still-limited 155 mph (250 km/h).
You will notice the iX xDrive40 is perfectly stable and impressively quiet even at full tilt and in less-than-ideal conditions. We can’t help but wonder how the plug-in hybrid XM coming late this year will fare in a similar test. That one too will be a large and heavy SUV while retaining the V8 working together with an electric motor.
BMW has decided against bringing the entry-level version to the United States where only the xDrive50 and M60 are available. Should the company have a change of heart, it would significantly undercut the midrange version available from $83,200. Stepping up to the M60 raises the price to six figures, at $106,095.
[Source: Cars on Autobahn / YouTube]
