Driving in luxury, comfort and silence – that was what I experienceD in the beautiful electric BMW iX40, writes Lauren Dickerson.
First impression was – “Oh wow! That’s stunning.” The sleek black exterior definitely is eye-catching and will turn heads. As I listened to the many features this electric car offers I felt excitement inside and couldn’t wait to put the car to the test. But then the nerves kicked in. Battery powered, range and percentage – all new terminology for me – so how difficult could this be? This is a whole new experience, and very easy – too easy. Just plug in, charge up and drive.
The BMW iX is one of the higher-end models in the electric range, with its futuristic look and feel interior, and advanced technology.
With up to 425km on a full 100% charge, this elegant BMW takes cars into the future, and with its noise cancellation tyres you feel as though you’re gliding along in silence. Adaptive break control makes for ease of breaking during town, city and long distance driving even on cruise control, which in turn helps to recharge the batteries and save power.
Without the home charging option yet, when needing to recharge it is advised to stop in at your nearest BMW dealership to use the external charging station. The vehicle takes up to two hours to fully charge, and a mere 10 minutes to charge to 50%.
There are some technology features that are unique to this electric BMW, like the Android Auto – perfect for me as I do a lot of driving.
This function allows you to connect your phone to the car, so no picking up your phone up at all while driving. It syncs your phone to the car – contacts, WhatsApp, media, calls – and allows you to listen to messages, emails and reply, without picking up your phone. And all accessible on the stunning 14.9-inch curved display screen which runs in front of you while you drive. It can also be controlled from the middle centre consol.
Personal BMW ID is another awesome feature. The car gets to know you and a guest driver, and will remember and personally set up your driving experience – from your phone to the interior light, media to your seat and steering wheel alignment.
Each profile is set to your needs and driving preference, which is memorised in both your key and that of the guest driver, so when approaching the car, the car automatically knows who will be in the driver’s seat.
Step into the future, you won’t look back with this 100% electric, powerful and beautiful car.