BMW iX3 To Feature Lightweight Aero Wheels That Reduce Drag By Nearly 5%

BMW is gearing up to launch the iX3 later this year and the company has announced the electric crossover will be equipped with aerodynamically-optimized wheels.

According to the automaker, wheels on modern automobiles influence a vehicle’s overall efficiency by up to 30%. As a result, they have a significant impact on electric vehicles where range is a priority.

Given this importance, BMW created unique wheels for the iX3 which are constructed out of aluminum and feature angular accents between the spokes. The company says the design help to reduce drag by approximately 5% when compared to the conventionally powered X3. They are also incredibly lightweight as they are “15% lighter than the aerodynamic wheels previously fitted by BMW.”

Also Read: 282 HP BMW iX3 Will Be Rear-Wheel Drive, Deliver 273 Miles Of Range

Thanks to the combination of lightweight construction and aerodynamic styling, the wheels lower the power consumption of the iX3 by 2% in the European WLTP test cycle. That doesn’t sound like much, but it helps to extend the crossover’s range by 6.2 miles (10 km).

BMW says the wheels don’t require any special tools to produce and noted their “appearance can be varied in numerous different ways, enabling a vast variety of possibilities for the design of wheels on future models.” That’s something to keep in mind as the company confirmed aerodynamic wheels will also be used on the 2021 i4 and iNext.

Besides the aerodynamic wheels, the iX3 have a 74 kWh battery pack and an electric motor that develops 282 hp (210 kW / 286 PS) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque. The motor powers the rear wheels and will give the crossover a range in excess of 273 miles (440 km) in the WLTP test cycle.