BMW has redesigned its X1 compact SUV and is introducing an all-electric version of it. The new iX1 xDrive30 is the company’s latest EV option built on its fifth-generation eDrive platform, the same one that the new BMW i4 is built on. Unfortunately, BMW spokesperson Jay Hanson tells The Verge there are currently no plans to offer the iX1 in the US.
The German automaker will be building the new X1s in Regensburg, where gasoline, diesel, plug-in hybrid, hybrid, and all-electric versions of the vehicle will be built on one assembly line. BMW is calling the refreshed X1 vehicles compact SAVs, or “Sports Activity Vehicles,” in an effort to better differentiate the entry-level compacts from the rest of the X line. Noticeable changes in the refreshed X1 design include a larger and more angular grille, sleeker LED headlights, flush door handles, and narrower rear windows with a more angular and squared rear design.
The all-electric iX1 xDrive30 is equipped with a standard dual-motor drivetrain that can output 230kW combined (up to 313 horsepower) and go 0–100km/h (0–62mph) in 5.7 seconds. It’s equipped with a 64.7kWh (usable) battery pack that can travel an estimated 257–272 miles (European WLTP) on one charge. It can fast charge up to 130kW, which BMW specifies as adding up to 75 miles in 10 minutes.
All of the new X1 models will have BMW’s new Operating System 8 with new voice assistant features. There’s a new curved and continuous 10.25-inch instrument screen that merges into a 10.7-inch infotainment screen. You get built-in 5G connectivity along with BMW’s mapping system and, of course, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The new system can adjust car settings and themes to fit different modes like “Expressive” or “Relaxed.” As for driver assist systems, the X1 can handle stop-and-go traffic automatically and has built-in adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assistance.
The new BMW X1 line is set to release in October of this year for the combustion models, with the all-electric iX1 and the plug-in hybrid X1 XDrive25e to follow in November. If you like the X1 style and size and you’re in the US, you’re stuck with just one trim: the X1 xDrive28i combustion model.
Since BMW dropped the kooky i3 EV from its lineup last year, the automaker’s all-electric options have remained anemic, but the iX1 shows that the automaker is getting back on track with electrification with this new entry-level EV. But, if electric sedans are more your style, BMW’s got you covered with the i4 or the more luxurious i7. And, if you want something that’s more like Tesla’s Model X, then there’s the iX and also the sportier iX M60.