Try the BMW's new car "IX"! What is the innovation of the next -generation luxury EV?

Try the BMW's new EV "IX"! The grade is "XDRIVE50", and the body color is "Aventurin Red"

The new car "IX" is positioned by BMW as "innovative next -generation electric vehicle (EV)". It was released in Japan in November 2021. There are two types of grades, and the advanced "XDRIVE50" reaches 650 km (WLTC mode) with full charge. I often hear my anxiety about the EV mileage, but in most cases, IX seems to have no problem. [Photo] The front of "IX". In the EV era, Kidney Grill is alive! IX sells internal and exterior, latest driving support systems, connected functions, etc., but what kind of EV is it actually finished? I have tested. The "IX" BMW car that does not feel anxiety about the mileage at all is characterized by a unique face with "Kidney Grill", but the EV does not require as much cooling performance as an engine vehicle, so the significance of the grill is weakened. However, IX Kidney Grill was a glittering design and was quite noticeable. It seems to be trying to convey the significance of Kidney Grill in the EV era. The room of the test ride is summarized in genuine leather tea named "Castanea". It's a calm shade. In addition, white room colors are also options. Speaking of German cars, there were many black tones that emphasized high -performance running, but IX has created a different image. When you sit in the driver's seat, you will see a long LCD screen next to it. The shape of the handle is a unique shape of hexagonal. When you look at the rear seat, the end of the seat is curved, and you have a high -quality living room. It has been conveyed that it is a space that is different from BMW, which has been a traditional BMW that has been a traditional joy, and is a car that intends to take on a new challenge for the EV era. Nearly 10 years have passed since BMW shows guidelines for challenging electrification in the "i3" of EVs and plug -in hybrid vehicles (PHEV), but from the IX interior and exterior, the next stage. You can feel the company's intention to proceed. In retrospect, i3 has been developed as a "Mega City Victor" in the first place. It is the concept of "EV as a daily foot in a big city." Before the development, BMW tested around the world with a prototype EV with a modified mini (mini), and continued to check what it should be. Following the results of the exam, the capacity of the lithium -ion battery installed by BMW on the i3 was 22 kWh. It is almost the same as the first "Leaf" (previous type), the EV of Nissan Motor. With a view to long -distance travel, the I3 was set up as a "range extender car" equipped with a gasoline engine generator. In the late i3 model, the capacity of the in -vehicle battery was increased, but there was a limit to the amount that could be loaded because it was a small car. IX is an EV that can be used for a wider range of applications. There are two types of IX grades: "XDRIVE40" (battery capacity 76.6kWh) and "XDRIVE50" (111.5kWh), but XDRIVE40 has a 450km (WLTC mode). In this test drive, I left Shiodome in Tokyo for full charging and turned it back in Kisarazu, but because it was a long XDRIVE50 with a long mileage, I could not even try to charge quickly. Really relaxed! If you look at a luxury car, it is impressive that the riding is relaxed because it is a SUV (BMW is positioned as SAV = Sports Activity Vehicle) or a crossover car. was. The driving mode (My Mode) is the standard "Personal" (a so -called comfort mode riding taste), and "Sport" and "EffICIENT" were selected. Even if you switched to SPORT, it was hard to feel the difference that it was obviously stiff, although the riding comfort was somewhat solid in general driving on public roads. Perhaps because XDRIVE50 has an air suspension using air spring. The relaxed ride is the taste of a luxury car. The vehicle weight exceeds 2.5t. Nevertheless, it was a four -wheel drive with a motor before and after, and the motor could instantly put out a large torque, so there was no problem, including acceleration from the start, and ran strongly. I tried the accelerator fully open, but even in the Personal mode, I showed the extra power. The EV seems to have the potential for any model to make a sports car. The IX has a function to play artificial driving sounds into the room. The tone and volume are different between "Personal" and "Sport". It's a matter of taste, but I felt it was extra sound. Even if you don't convey the power of acceleration to your ears, the power of the motor is enough to feel with your eyes and body. The fierce power in silence is also the charm of EV. With extra sound, I felt that the luxury atmosphere in the room faded. Given the history of the world -renowned Rolls Royce, even in the history of trying to create a quiet room with engine cars, it is clear that the quietness is a high -end value. It is said that the onomatopoeia of IX can be erased in the settings. The total length of the vehicle is about 4,955 mm, close to 5m, the width of the vehicle is 1,965mm, and the wheelbase reaches 3m, which is a large car, but it is equipped with a rear wheel steering function, so the minimum rotation radius is. It fits in 6m. Even if the rear wheel changes, there is no discomfort in driving. In the case of a parking lot, he helped his skillful driving. Nevertheless, because the body is large in the first place, it often uses a lot of nerves and slow down on suburban roads and underground parking lots in buildings. Nevertheless, the long wheelbase comparable to the BMW's highest 4 -door sedan "7 Series" and the relaxed ride gained by the 2.5t vehicle weight has led to the feeling of getting used to driving. Even if you ride a long distance, this will be quite easy. The IX, which strongly impresses comfort, conveys a new border of BMW. Although it is a tall SAV, it has high running stability and calm. The air suspension seems to be effective. I also wanted to try the feel of XDRIVE40 that attaches a normal suspension. The advanced function is one more step? Advanced functions are easy to remember the operation by intuition touch, but the switch to select items is installed in a whitened console in the woodgrain console, so it can be seen depending on the sunlight. Hateful. When operating while driving, the eyes had to be long from the front for a long time. If you use a large screen, it would be better to complete the operation by itself, like Tesla "Model 3". The HMI (Human Machine Interface) tailoring is a story not only for BMW but also for the entire German car, but today I have to say that Tesla is still one step. Model 3, which can complete most of the operations with one screen, is so good. I think that car navigation routes that utilize the expansion reality (AR) may adapt the technology of the same parts as Mercedes -Benz "S -Class", but it is easy to use, including how to express it. is not. As you approach the corner, the map screen of the navigation becomes smaller, half becomes a camera image, and the arrow of AR emerges, but the view of the image is difficult to understand. The arrow indicating the course is too noticeable, making it difficult to check the surroundings. The guide that gives the driver's relief is to first teach which lane to run, and then indicate the turn angle accurately. It also requires not only accurate on the map, but also the accuracy of the human sensation of driving cars. In the first place, in Europe and the United States, where the roads were easy to understand since there were no navigation, the need for route guidance was not as high as in Japan, so Japan tends to be delayed to Japan. In addition, Germany tends to be delayed from the idea of ​​the United States, a developed country of IT. I felt the difference from the handling of this AR. It is not important that the technology and functions are global or at the forefront, but it is a method that gives drivers safe and trust. If IX is an innovative EV of the next generation, I think it is still necessary to become a smartphone and deepen research on the user's psychology. Naomori Mihori Born in Tokyo in 1955. After graduating from Tamagawa University Faculty of Engineering, he joined the race such as the "FL500" and "FJ1600" and became a motor journalist. He writes a wide range of cars, from car technical aspects to society. He is a member of the Japan Car of the Year Selection Committee. He is the deputy representative of the Japan EV Club, a citizen organization that considers the spread of electric vehicles. His books include "Subaru Design" and "Development of Mazda Sky Active Engine".

Naori Mihori