It’s safe to say the iX5’s battery pack is an absolute unit. It has a net energy content of 141 kWh, the largest of any electric BMW to date. Although you’ve likely seen a slightly different figure for the US-market model, 144 kWh, it’s actually the same battery. The small difference stems from how the energy is measured around the world.
If you’re hoping BMW will shoehorn the giant battery into the smaller iX3, prepare to be disappointed. During a roundtable with journalists following the iX5’s debut, the company explained why that won’t happen. Although the two electric SUVs share sixth-generation battery technology, their cylindrical cells are not the same. At 120 millimeters, the iX5’s cells are considerably taller than the iX3’s 95-millimeter cells.
BMW claims the different setup was a deliberate choice related to the iX5’s higher road load compared with the iX3. Of course, there are also significant differences in height between the two vehicles. At 1748 mm, the iX5 is 113 mm taller than the iX3. We should also note that the two EVs ride on different platforms: CLAR for iX5 and Neue Klasse for iX3.
The Bigger Battery Might Have Been Overkill Anyway For The iX3
But even without the jumbo-sized battery, the iX3 has the cure for range anxiety. Its 108.7-kWh battery provides up to 500 miles (805 kilometers) of WLTP range. In the United States, the electric SUV’s battery (rated at 112.2 kWh) delivers up to 434 miles (699 kilometers) of range. Those figures are not far off the iX5’s 525 miles (845 kilometers) on the WLTP cycle and an estimated 435 miles (700 kilometers) based on BMW testing using EPA procedures.
The small gap in range is easy to explain despite the iX5’s much larger battery. In European specification, the iX3 weighs 2,285 kilograms, whereas the larger electric SUV tips the scales at 540 kg more. That’s hardly surprising given these are electric SUVs from different segments. The iX5 60 xDrive is actually the heaviest BMW production model ever, excluding armored vehicles.
While the iX5 will be available with a single battery configuration, the iX3 has already gained a smaller pack in Europe that trades range for a lower price. The 82.6-kWh battery, a step down from the previously mentioned 108.7-kWh pack, reduces range to 396 miles (637 kilometers), a drop of 104 miles (168 kilometers). BMW has already announced that additional X5 flavors will follow, but it remains to be seen whether the iX5 will also be offered with a smaller battery.
First published by https://bit.ly/3sM6JoH
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