Electric 2023 BMW iX1 Has 313 HP And A 272-Mile Range, But It’s Not Coming To U.S.

Shortly after BMW presented the latest-generation X1 for the North American market, the new compact SUV has also been showcased in European-guise where it will be offered as an EV as well, dubbed the iX1. According to a BMW spokesperson, the “only model currently planned for the US is the X1 xDrive28i”.

Set to be offered exclusively in xDrive30 guise, the 2023 BMW iX1 is the first all-wheel drive EV from BMW to compete in the premium compact segment. It sports a pair of electric motors that combine to deliver 313 hp and up to 364 lb-ft (494 Nm) of torque. These figures allow the SUV to hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in 5.7 seconds and a 112 mph (180 km/h) top speed.

Providing these motors with their juice is a 64.7 kWh battery pack that is positioned flat within the SUV’s floor. The battery supports DC fast-charging at up to 130 kW, meaning it can be charged from 10 to 80 per cent in 29 minutes or 120 km (75 miles) of range can be added in 10 minutes. It also offers single- and three-phase AC charging at a rate of up to 11 kW which can be increased up to 22 kW.

BMW says the iX1 xDrive30 has a combined electric consumption of 17.3 – 18.4 kWh per 100 km, resulting in a range of between 413 km (256 miles) and 438 km (272 miles).

Buyers of the iX1 gain access to the IONITY charging network across Europe and will have the monthly membership fee waived for the first 12 months. Shoppers will also be pleased to know that the automaker says the iX1’s global warming potential throughout its lifecycle is roughly 30 per cent lower than a new X1 sDrive19i and if renewable power is used for charging, its lifecycle global warming potential is around 60 per cent lower.

A number of visual changes distinguish the iX1 from combustion-powered variants of the third-generation X1. For example, the front end includes bright blue air intake shrouds. BMW has also equipped it with blue accents around the kidney grilles, blue accents on the side skirts, and blue trimmings on the rear bumper.

Europe Gets Three-Cylinder Options As Well As Diesels Too

It is not just the electric iX1 that differentiates the new SUV from the one set to be offered in North America. Whereas just a single 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder will be offered stateside, European shoppers will have many more engines to choose from.

Found at the base of the range is the X1 sDrive18i with a turbo 1.5-liter three-cylinder with 136 hp and 170 lb-ft (230 Nm) of torque. Sitting above it is the xDrive23i with a 2.0-liter turbo four complete with 48-volt mild-hybrid technology and rated at 204 hp and 236 lb-ft (320 Nm). Two diesels are also offered, namely the xDrive18 with a 2.0-liter turbo diesel producing 150 hp and 265 lb-ft (360 Nm) and the xDrive23d, fitted with a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder that adds mild-hybrid technology and makes 197 hp and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm).

Two petrol hybrids will also be offered from November 2022. The first is the xDrive25e with a 1.5-liter turbo three-cylinder and a plug-in hybrid system, rated at 245 hp and 352 lb-ft (477 Nm) combined. Offering more performance is the xDrive30e with the same basic plug-in hybrid powertrain but uprated to 326 hp and 352 lb-ft (477 Nm).

The new 2023 BMW X1 will be available across Europe from October. Pricing details have not yet been announced.