Overview

The new iX2 means that BMW now has at least one pure electric vehicle in all major model segments, that’s pretty impressive – and it’s not stopping there, aiming to have more than two million EVs on the road by the end of 2025. By 2030, it is anticipated that every second vehicle sold by the whole group worldwide will have an all-electric drive system. We attend the UK market launch in the Cotswolds to find out more.

Driving

With one battery size (64.8kWh usable capacity) and trim level (M Sport), the only thing you need to decide is how powerful you want your iX2 to be: eDrive20 or the xDrive30, which is the model we drove.

The eDrive20 is powered by a 204hp electric motor at the front axle, and completes the zero to 62mph dash in 8.6 seconds before reaching a top speed of 106mph. The xDrive30 is the all-wheel drive version with two electric motors which together generate a punchy 313hp and 364lb-ft of torque, reaching 62mph in just 5.6 seconds and topping out at 112mph. Sure the Tesla Model Y Performance will be a few seconds faster away from the traffic lights, but BMW does give you a boost paddle - which when engaged ups power putput for ten seconds. It'll ruin your range but it'll also put a smile on your face. 

Even with all of that instantaneous power and on wet roads, the car impressed with fantastic traction and directional stability. The electric version benefits from a front strut bar to enhance torsional rigidity and cornering response, while the adaptive M suspension set up has been specially developed to help give the car agile turn-in and steering feel that’s largely unaffected by torque steer, something quite common on EVs. As is typical of M Sport models, the ride is on the firm side, which means it doesn’t iron out the bumps and potholes in the same way other rivals do.

Model specific mounting and compact housing for the electric motor, power electronics and transmission means it’s whisper quiet and wind and road noise is kept to a miminum, too, making for a refined motorway cruiser... Unless of course you select BMW’s IconicSounds Sport – which is supposed to ‘acoustically enhance your driving experience’, or aurally torture you and charge you £99 for the privilege. On start-up it reminds me of a distant nuclear alarm siren – and the quicker you go the more it intensifies. Nothing iconic about that sound, it felt like I was being tortured. Fortunately I found a way to turn it off. 

When driving, adaptive recuperation helps to conserve power reserves or recover energy during overrun and braking, by effetively using navigation and driver assistance system data to read the road ahead and adjust the regen to suit. As an alternative to this mode, the driver can select three levels of regnerative braking, up to a one-pedal mode. Although there is no way to manually control the level of regen, the system does work effectively. 

Range and running costs

Thanks to intelligent lightweight design, the iX2’s drag coefficient is 0.25, making it marginally more slippery than the iX1 SUV on which it's based. The claimed combined electric power consumption for the eDrive20 is up to 3.8 mi/kWh with a maximum range of 283 miles, while the xDrive30 is slightly worse as you'd expect at 3.65 mi/kWh and 267 miles respectively. During our time with the car we were only getting around 2.7 and with 97 per cent battery it had 209 miles of range. While this would improve in warmer weather and perhaps not having a motoring journalist behind the wheel, it is very disappointing as there are plenty more rivals which offer more miles between charges. The Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron 45, Tesla Model Y and Kia EV6 all offer over 300 miles.          

It enables AC charging up to 11kW as standard, which means the battery can be recharged from 0 to 100 per cent in 6.5 hours. Customers can also choose three-phase AC charging up to 22kW as an option. This reduces the charging time to 3 hours 45 minutes. DC charging up to 130kW makes it possible to boost energy reserves from 10 to 80 per cent capacity in 29 minutes and that’s that’s because the iX2’s new software optimises charging so that it holds a higher charge rate for a longer period rather than quickly trailing off as the battery fills like most other EVs. Saying that the Tesla Y can can accept up to 250kW, and the Genesis GV60 260kW, so are much faster to charge anyway.

Charging is hassle-free thanks to the cloud-based BMW Maps navigation system which will calculate a charging-optimised route as soon as the destination has been entered if the vehicle’s current range is insufficient. The charging stops are planned so that the destination is reached as quickly as possible. You can choose your preferred minimum charge level for when the vehicle reaches each stop, too and the system can give preference to charging stations operated by selected providers.

Details such as current station availability, supported connector types and payment options are listed, along with nearby sanitary or catering facilities, are also provided en route together with the expected duration of the stop and the resulting cost. The closer you get to a scheduled stop, the more frequently the availability of the charging point is checked so that an alternative route can be calculated in good time if necessary. The new MAX RANGE function can be used in the event a planned charger is unavailable, which basically restricts drive power and top speed while scaling back comfort functions, and increases range by up to 25 per cent.

The key benefit of the BMW Charging offering is the prices offered for AC and DC charging in Europe under the Active tariff, which are set for each country and remain the same regardless of the operator or the price shown. The high-power charging network run by the BMW Group’s joint venture IONITY also forms part of the BMW Charging network. The basic monthly fee for the BMW Charging Active tariff, the IONITY Plus package and the BP Pulse package is waived for BMW iX2 drivers for the first year!

The entry-level iX2 eDrive20 at £51,615 costs around the same for the equivalent Q4 Sportback e-tron 45 (in Sport trim) but the Volvo C40 undercuts them both. The xDrive30 is priced from just over £56k and cost more in salary sacrifice per month but both versions are in the lowest benefit-in-kind tax band, and being electric pay no road tax or congestion charge – for now!

Design

If there is one thing that seems to be a constant across all new models from car manufacturers its growth. And sure enough the new BMW X2 has grown by 194mm in length over its predecessor, to 4554mm; it’s also 21mm wider at 1845mm and 64mm taller standing at 1845mm. It’s very much in keeping with BMW’s design language but it’s a funny looking thing with its bold Gurney like spoiler, X6-style sloping rear end, flared wheel arches, heavily raked windscreen, long bonnet, hard to ignore kidney grille (with option to illuminate) and twin headlights. I really like it – for a Sports Activity Coupé it is distinctive and got a real muscularity about it, but is probably not to everyone's liking. 

Inside BMW’s frameless curved glass display consisting of a 10.25 inch information display and a 10.7 inch control display dominates the dash, while newly developed sporty looking seats are separated by a ‘floating armrest' featuring an integral control panel for various vehicle functions. The new BMW Operating System 9 home screen continuously displays the navigation system’s map view or other individually configurable graphics and it’s intuitive and quick to respond. It’s a shame BMW got rid of its rotary iDrive controller which was easier to use on the move compared to touch and voice control, but there is at least a handy QuickSelect feature so you don’t have to navigate a sub menu to get to the most used functions. There’s also a range of apps for music or video streaming, news or gaming (having partnered with AirConsole), on a subscription basis, which are very much appreciated when you're sat stationary and charging. Materials, fit and finish are in line with what you expect from a car that starts over £50k and so it’s a cabin you’ll want to spend time in.

Comfort and practicality

Inside there are what BMW call five ‘full-size’ seats, but while there’s plenty of room up front and it’s extremely comfortable, the sloping roofline will be the curse of taller passengers sitting in the back but probably a better bet than the narrow, hard seat in the middle which also has a hump in the floor to contend with. There’s 525 litres of boot space – a bit more than the C40 (and the iX1) but a little less than the Q4 Sportback e-tron, sadly there’s no frunk. The Model Y trumps both with more than 800 litres of space and it can tow a heavier load (1588 vs 1200kg) but it falls down in terms of cabin quality and design. 

Every model gets plenty of kit being M Sport specification including all the usual styling flourishes inside and out, while standard features include a navigation system, two-zone automatic climate control and rain sensor with automatic headlight activation (which also takes into account the impact of direct sunlight and, depending on the car’s specification, can incorporate the seat and steering wheel heating), a raft of modern driver assistance systems and digital services, Park Assist including Reversing Assist Camera and automatic tailgate operation. The all-electric model comes with an auxiliary climate control system to heat or cool the interior before a journey, too. 

The standard BMW Live Cockpit Plus includes the cloud-based navigation system BMW Maps and an audio system with six speakers and amplifier output of 100 watts. Smartphone integration via both Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ is also included.

Verdict

If you’re already reading this we don’t need to tell you the environmental benefits of an electric car, but it’s also worth knowing that the footprint of the iX2 xDrive30 is around 30 per cent lower (provisional figure) than that of the petrol X2 when charged using the current EU electricity mix. If renewable power is used for charging, its footprint is around 60 per cent lower (provisional figure).

What’s more, the design principle of the electric motors avoids the need to use rare-earth metals, and the BMW Group purchases the cobalt and lithium required for the high-voltage batteries itself and then supplies them to the firms who make the battery cells. Now that’s something worth remembering for your next pub chat.

The first electric version of the new second-generation BMW X2 is better looking than the iX1 but pricier, and a little disappointing when you consider its rivals offer more space and better range. But while it may not be a class-leader in this field, it’s more than adequate for most people, and if you’re hell bent on wanting a coupe-SUV and you’ve got the extra cash to splash over say a less upmarket Kia EV6 or Skoda Enyaq, it’s worth considering. It’s also a more complete. polished product than the Tesla Model Y, and newer and more refined than the Audi Q4 e-Tron Sportback.

So to summarise, a well-built, practical-ish, distinctive looking crossover with plenty of luxurious materials, lots of tech, and if you can live with the firm suspension decent to drive especially with the strong performance of the four-wheel xDrive30.

Key Specs

2024 BMW iX2 xDrive30 M Sport

Price (RRP OTR): From £56,540, £66,569.99 (model as tested)
Top speed: 112mph
0-62mph: 5.6 seconds
Power: 225kW (306hp)
Torque: 364lb-ft
Driving range (combined): 259-267 miles
Charging time: 6hrs (11kW, 0-100%), 3.45hrs (22kW, 0-100%), 29 min (130kW, 10-80%)
Insurance group: 38
Vehicle warranty: 3 years / unlimited mileage
Battery warranty: 8 years / 100,000 miles