BMW iX xDrive40 EV SUV launched in Malaysia – CBU, 322 hp and 630 Nm, 425 km range, priced from RM420k

Well, that didn’t take long. BMW Malaysia has officially launched the iX, which is available in two versions, namely the xDrive40 and xDrive40 Sport. Pre-bookings have already begun, with prices start at RM419,630 (on-the-road without insurance) for the former, while the Sport is a RM53,000 add-on package that brings the total to RM472,630.

These prices are with a two-year warranty, but if you want the extended warranty (five years, unlimited mileage) and service package (six years, 120,000 km), the price of the xDrive40 rises to RM435,800, while the xDrive40 Sport becomes RM488,800. The electric vehicle also comes with an eight-year, 160,000 km warranty for its battery.

It’s important to note that these figures do not factor in the ongoing sales tax exemption – 50% as this is a fully-imported (CBU) model – suggesting that customer units will only arrive in Malaysia next year.

We’re still not done with pricing yet because there’s also an optional Power Package that you can specify for an additional RM4,600, which nets you a public charging cable and BMW i Wallbox (installation included), the latter capable of putting out 22 kW provided your home has the necessary three-phase electricity supply.

The pricing is certainly worth talking more about, as when compared apples-to-apples – i.e. with sales tax considered – the CBU iX EV is actually cheaper than the similarly-sized, locally-assembled (CKD) X5 xDrive45e M Sport, which goes for RM428,170. Even if you bring back sales tax exemption into the picture – it’s 100% off for the X5 – the PHEV SUV’s RM418,813 price tag is only slightly less than the iX.

In xDrive40 guise, the iX features two electric motors, with one on each axle to provide all-wheel drive. Together, you have 326 PS (322 hp or 240 kW) and 630 Nm of torque on tap, which is good for a zero to 100 km/h time of 6.1 seconds and top speed of 200 km/h.

The e-motors draw power from a lithium-ion battery with a gross energy capacity of 76.6 kWh (71 kWh net) that provides up to 425 km of range following WLTP standards. For charging, the xDrive40 supports AC charging up to 11 kW via a Type 2 connection, with a full charge taking seven hours and 15 minutes with a charger that can output that amount of power.

The xDrive40 also supports DC fast charging up to 150 kW via a CCS2 connection, which can get the SUV from a 10-80% state of charge in about 31 minutes. As part of a pre-booking promotion that is available until September 22, 2021, BMW Malaysia is providing the first 50 iX customers with a complimentary charging installation (you’ll have to buy your own charger) and one-year public charging access, the latter providing you access to ChargEV’s network of chargers set up by GreenTech Malaysia.

In terms of equipment, the xDrive40 comes standard with LED headlamps with high-beam assistant, 21-inch aerodynamic wheels (1010 bicolour 3D polished finish), Comfort Access as well as side frame decorative moulding and window cavity covers in black high-gloss.

Meanwhile, the interior features a Live Cockpit Professional system with a curved 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster display and a 14.9-inch central touchscreen display – both are powered by the new BMW Operating System 8.

The cabin sports the Atelier interior package with selected components and control in Gold Bronze, while the seats, dashboard, centre console and centre armrest are trimmed in Sensatec synthetic leather (available in Mocha or Black). Also on are powered front seats with a memory function for the driver, a wireless charger and a HiFi sound system.

If you opt for the Sport, the wheels are swapped out for larger 22-inch units (1020 bicolour 3D polished finish), while the headlamps become BMW Laserlight units. The package also includes Sport Line items like sport brakes with blue brake calipers, a darker design for the lights as well as new-design front and rear fascias with black highlights, plus a chrome radiator grille graphic.

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Other things that come with the RM53,000 option include a Sky Lounge panorama glass roof, an 18-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, anthracite headliner and pillar trims, while the interior gets Clear & Bold applications, including switches made of real crystal glass and decorative elements made of open-pored wood in the center console.

On the safety and driver assist front, the xDrive40 gets the Driving Assistant package with lane departure warning, lane change warning, front collision warning with brake intervention (AEB), rear cross-traffic warning and rear collision prevention. There’s also BMW’s Parking Assistant with reversing assist, active park distance control and a rear-view camera and passive cruise control.

For more goodies, you’ll have to step up to the Sport, which adds on a tyre pressure monitoring system, Parking Assistant Plus and the included surround view camera, along with the Driving Assistant Professional package that brings in adaptive cruise control with stop and go function, steering and lane control assist, automatic speed limit assist and evasion assistant.

BMW Malaysia plans to add the xDrive50 Sport to the iX line-up in the future, which is already on sale in Thailand, but there is no pricing for that variant just yet. If you want, you can register your interest for it, or consider the iX3 and i4, which are two other EVs the company will launch in the future.