SMC Asia Car Distributors Corp., the official importer and distributor of BMW in the Philippines, has announced the availability of the first-ever BMW iX3, the second fully electric BMW Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) in the country.
“We are proud to say that BMW in the Philippines now has a product that flawlessly combines the familiarity of BMW’s Sports Activity Vehicle DNA and the excellent capability of a fully electric motor. The iX3 is the perfect choice for customers who want to take their first step toward a truly sustainable driving experience,” said Spencer Yu, President of SMC Asia Car Distributors Corp.
The BMW iX3 has the typical look of the X3, with a sleek and premium design. The front and rear of the vehicle have been designed to reduce air resistance. The Philippine version comes with the “Inspiring” equipment line, which includes features such as the M Aerodynamic Package, M high-gloss Shadow line, M roof rails, aerodynamically designed 19” light-alloy wheels, and Adaptive LED headlights.
The interior of the first-ever BMW iX3 features subtle blue accents that reference its electric drive system. The interior design has a premium ambiance and is made with high-quality materials. The iX3 M Sport model incorporates sustainable elements, such as man-made materials in the Sensatec perforated upholstery. The M Sport also includes an M Leather steering wheel, M headliner Anthracite, electrically adjustable seats with memory function on the driver’s side, Fine-wood trim – ash trunk wood open-pored with highlight trim finisher Pearl Chrome, a panoramic glass sunroof, acoustic glazing for the front door windows, ambient lighting, three-zone automatic climate control system, the BMW Comfort Access System, and automatic tailgate operation.
The BMW Live Cockpit Professional system, with a 12.3” digital instrument cluster and 12.3” widescreen display, wireless smartphone integration, Remote Software Upgrade, and telephony with wireless charging are also standard features. Additionally, the car comes with the Hi-Fi loudspeaker system Harman Kardon as standard. The iX3 M Sport’s spaciousness is on par with that of the conventionally powered BMW X3 model variants and has a 40:20:40 split/folding rear seat backrest, which increases the load capacity from 510 to a maximum of 1,560 liters, as required, with through-loading feature also available.
BMW equipped the iX3 with its latest set of technology including High Beam Assistant, Parking Assistant, Cruise Control with braking function, Acoustic Protection for pedestrians, Active Protection, plus Park Distance Control with front and rear sensors, and a tire pressure monitoring sensor.
The first-ever BMW iX3 is at the forefront of BMW Group’s NUMBER ONE > NEXT corporate strategy for vehicles with electrified drive systems. The iX3 features the fifth generation of BMW eDrive technology. It has the latest version of the marque’s electric motor, power electronics, charging technology, and high-voltage battery, showing the automaker’s progress in the areas of performance characteristics, electric power consumption, and range.
Powering the rear axle of the BMW iX3 is an electric motor that churns out a maximum output of 286 hp and a peak torque of 400Nm. This allows the EV SAV to sprint from a standstill to 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds, with top speed electronically limited to 180 km/h.
With the 80 kWh battery – of which 74 kWh is utilized – the first-ever BMW iX3 offers emissions-free driving of up to 460 kilometers in the WLTP test cycle. Spencer Yu claims that the real-world range is close to the WLTP rating.
The first-ever BMW iX3 is equipped with charging capabilities that allow for single-phase and three-phase charging up to 11 kW when using alternating current terminals. When plugged into a direct current fast-charging station, the charging output can reach up to 150 kW. This allows the high-voltage battery to be charged from 0 to 80 percent of its full capacity in just 34 minutes. With maximum direct current fast-charging at 150 kW, the car can add 100 kilometers of driving range (in the WLTP cycle) in just 10 minutes of charging, making it highly convenient for everyday use. The BMW iX3 is also compatible with all Type 2 public charging stations in the country.
And then, there’s the pricing. The BMW iX3 is priced at P4.59 million, which is an interesting price point, considering the non-electric X3. Each purchase comes with a BMW i Wallbox that will be installed by BMW i partners in the customer’s home, a 5-year BMW factory warranty, an 8-year high-voltage battery warranty, and a 6-year BMW Service Inclusive warranty. This model is now available at authorized BMW i retailers RSA Motors Libis and RSA Motors Greenhills.
