About a week ago, BMW kicked off production of the iX1 at the Regensburg plant in Germany where the electric compact crossover is built exclusively as an xDrive30 model. It’s already been rumored an entry-level variant will be added to the lineup at some point next year. Now, a well-placed company insider claims to be in the know about the possibility of a cheaper model.
Bimmer Post forum member ynguldyn alleges the iX1 with a single motor and front-wheel-drive layout will carry the “eDrive20” suffix. It’s reportedly slated to enter production about a year from now (11/23), which could mean deliveries are scheduled to start in early 2024. Other details are not available for the time being, but logic tells us it’ll significantly undercut the dual-motor iX1 xDrive30 priced from €55,000 in Germany.
Eschewing the rear-mounted electric motor will bring it closer to the pricing of the defunct i3 hatchback, which was discontinued a few months ago. The name lives on in China for an electric sedan based on the locally produced long-wheelbase 3 Series LCI. How much power should we expect from the iX1 eDrive20? Certainly, considerably less than 313 horsepower (230 kilowatts) and 364 pound-feet (494 Newton-meters) of torque offered by the xDrive model.
Consequently, it’ll be significantly slower to 62 mph (100 km/h) from a standstill than the 5.6 seconds needed by the dual-motor variant. Another piece of the puzzle we’re missing has to do with the battery size, specifically if BMW will fit the same 64.7-kWh pack or opt for a smaller setup. Rumor has it a more potent sDrive25 could arrive further down the line, but nothing is official at this point.
As a refresher, BMW has decided against bringing the iX1 to the United States where the old i3 was axed in mid-2021. With no direct or indirect replacement in sight, the most affordable way to get behind the wheel of an electric vehicle in the US remains the i4 eDrive35 from $51,400.
Source: ynguldyn / Bimmer Post
