BMW iX3 conceptHandout / BMW BMWs upcoming ix3 electric crossover will offer 286 horsepower and an estimated 354 km of battery range per charge when it goes on sale in Canada in 2020, the automaker said mid-December.The SUV will be the first in a long line of new EVs launched by the brand next decade, and will essentially be an electric version of its X3 crossover.Powering the iX3 will be BMWs fifth-generation electric powertrain technology, fed by a 74-kWh lithium-ion battery pack; the electric motors should deliver about 286 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque.The battery, transmission and motor are all built into one housing to keep the unit compact. The motor powers the rear wheels only, but an all-wheel-drive variant will likely drop later on. Range will likely be rated by the EPA at about 220 miles per charge (354 km). BMW says it will purchase the lithium and cobalt for the batteries directly from mining companies instead of third parties, and that the components that power the iX3 will be produced in-house as well. The motors will also be produced without the use of rare-earth metals.While BMW has been experimenting with grille designs, the iX3 will feature a classic double-kidney-bean grille befitting of a traditional BMW, even if thats what it aint. The brand even developed sensors that can see through chrome just so it could throw the trademark-style grille on the fascia. The iX3 will begin production in 2020 in China, where it will be assembled under contract by state-owned automaker Brilliance; thisll make it the first North-American-market BMW to wear a made in China label.That launch date also puts it ahead of the Mercedes-Benz EQC in making it to market in North
Origin: BMW’s 2021 electric ix3 will boast 286 hp and 354-km range