Introduction: The iX3 attempts to tell us that true and ultimate electric luxury means environmental protection and sustainable development.
As the first electric vehicle with the BMW logo, the iX3 is destined to have extraordinary significance. It not only undertakes the new annotations of BMW in the new energy era, but also responds to the doubts of the new energy market about luxury electric vehicles: Are “BMW’s” still the definers of luxury when Tesla and other electric new stars have emerged? The answer is obvious.
In the era of new energy vehicles, all segmented markets are reconstructing. When we talk about luxury electric vehicles, it is not about how advanced the technology is or how perfect the service is. It is an outstanding boutique that makes most people fascinated. Luxury fuel vehicles and luxury electric vehicles do not differ in nature, and both are high-standard products. Therefore, whoever can reach the high standard can master the definition of luxury cars.
For these traditional luxury brands such as BMW, they are originally outstanding luxury car manufacturers, and they will not lower the high specifications of car manufacturing just because of the change in power. For these new brands like Tesla, although they have entered the new energy market earlier and have accumulated some technologies and services, the construction of a high-standard car manufacturing system often requires a long-term accumulation and a respectful attitude toward car manufacturing. This is what these new brands urgently need to improve.
Therefore, who can define the new luxury of intelligent electric vehicles has never been a problem. The history of a hundred years of automobile development has already told us the answer. Of course, everyone’s opposition to this is just a normal market development and replacement phenomenon, because facing the new energy market, everyone is moving forward in learning and exploration, and the final result is likely to be that familiar formula.
- Intelligent – this should not be a marketing gimmick, but should be the core purpose of improving product strength to build product reputation and brand reputation.
The place where new brands tell stories the most is intelligence, because they know that only by being packaged with high technology can they compete with traditional opponents and then gain the right to speak. The new concept, coupled with unlimited publicity, the new brands have unlocked the traffic password and seemingly gained the right to speak. However, all irrationality will eventually be defeated by rationality. Therefore, when Tesla’s automatic driving repeatedly caused accidents and the impact of this accident on NIO was profound, the excessively promoted intelligence began to backlash, and users and the media also began to awaken.The iX3, as a veteran player in the automobile industry, remains untouched despite the frequent accidents caused by the new brands in the market. It boasts strong intelligent technology and performs well in aspects such as safety and commitment to users, which is befitting of its luxury brand label and logo. Its understated yet impressive performance is something to be admired.
Most people’s first impression of the iX3 is that it is a BMW car, rather than an electric car with autonomous driving as its core selling point. This logical product definition is in line with BMW’s reputation as one of the best brands in the luxury car market. While its autonomous driving capabilities are impressive, its safety is paramount. After testing the iX3’s various driving assistance functions, especially the AEB automatic collision prevention function, I am further convinced of its reliability.
Due to excessive hype from new brands in the market, many people conclude that traditional brands have weak intelligent technology, but this conclusion is biased when looked at objectively. Luxury brands are supposed to adopt leading and reliable new technologies ahead of time, so BMW’s intelligent technology level has never been a problem. However, for them, these intelligent technologies are not worth bragging about. They only care about whether this generation of cars can surpass the previous generation in terms of classic design.
A true luxury electric car should combine a sense of realism with a certain degree of driving pleasure, and its power must be unique, rather than having false range, spliced technologies, or relying too heavily on acceleration. Tesla and other new brands are particularly prone to these problems, and even some electric cars under some century-old luxury brands struggle with them. It is therefore no wonder that people question whether these are truly luxury electric cars. Indeed, compared to luxury fuel cars that are meticulously crafted, current luxury electric cars have too many problems and lack a sense of nobility, making them look too cheap.
This is also why the iX3 stands out because BMW has used the same high standards and persistence in creating fuel cars to create electric cars. In the past, people were proud to see the brand’s shining logo when opening the engine compartment, but electric cars are different. Spliced power is ubiquitous among so-called luxury electric cars. However, the iX3 insists on using BMW’s self-developed eDrive electric drive, which has already been iterated to the fifth generation, condensing the efforts of BMW engineers for over a decade.eDrive not only comes with the BMW halo, but also has a lot of substance behind it. It boasts the lowest power consumption in its class, only 16.7 kWh/100 km for a 2.2-ton iX3, combined with a 74-degree (7 degrees reserved, for a total of 81 degrees) large battery to give the iX3 a “real-world range” of 500 kilometers. During a high-speed test drive, the iX3 I was driving consumed only 16.1 kWh of electricity, which is especially impressive considering the iX3 is a midsize SUV. These numbers are a testament to the remarkable engineering behind this vehicle.
Another impressive aspect of eDrive is its unique excitation motor technology that does not rely on rare-earth materials. The iX3 aims to show us that true and ultimate luxury in electric vehicles lies in being environmentally friendly and sustainable. This forward-looking product definition is in line with the original consumer demand for new energy, as many early adopters were attracted to these vehicles for their eco-friendliness. In the age of new energy vehicles, the most luxurious option is one that breathes the same air and shares the same destiny as our planet.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.