BMW unveiled the iX M60, the German automaker’s latest electric vehicle, and the second EV released under its racing-inspired M branding. In the summer of 2022, the iX M60 will have two electric motors, 610 braking horsepower, and 280 miles of range on a single charge.
Furthermore, the vehicle has 811 lb-ft of torque available when in Launch Control and accelerates from 0 to 60mph within 3.6 seconds. With BMW’s M-specific electric drivetrain, power delivery continues into high load ranges, “so acceleration remains almost constant up to the electronically-limited top speed of 155 mph.”
“ACCELERATION REMAINS ALMOST CONSTANT UP TO THE ELECTRONICALLY-LIMITED MAXIMUM SPEED OF 155 MPH”
BMW M stood for “Motorsport” in May 1972, and was designed to support the company’s racing efforts. As we approach BMW’s 50th anniversary, the brand is getting integrated into the company’s (arguably belated) effort to switch from dirty internal combustion engines to electric vehicles.
BMW’s iX M60 comes with a massive 111.5kWh battery, which can be used for 106.3kWh. As a comparison, Tesla’s most powerful car, the long-range Model S, has a 100kWh battery, while Mercedes-Benz’s flagship EQS sedan, with 350 miles of range, has a 107.8kWh battery.
According to BMW, it will take 97 minutes to charge the vehicle from 10 percent to 80 percent when connected to a 25-amp system delivering 50kW of power. The charging time drops to 49 minutes when connected to a charger delivering 250 amps and 100 kW. With a DC fast charger producing 250kW of power, the iX M60 can charge from 10 to 80 percent in 35 minutes.
With the iX M60, the company expects to introduce a whole new package of software and advanced driver-assist features. Partially autonomous driving and self-parking capabilities are among the features powered by the vehicle’s new computing platform.
BMW says it will not use rare earth materials to power the iX M60’s two motors. BMW describes their motors as “current-energized synchronous machines,” which means the rotor is energized by a precisely metered supply of electrical energy.
Permanent magnets power most electric motors, sometimes no larger than a pack of playing cards made of rare earth metals. The magnets enable the engines to transform electricity into motion, thus powering the vehicle. Almost all of these rare earth magnets are made of neodymium (NdFeB), which is mined and processed in China.
Using current-energized synchronous machine principles, BMW says it can achieve a higher energy density, especially in the rear motor, which will allow the automaker to achieve the level of performance it expects from its M-series vehicles.
BMW intends to sell 50% of EVs by 2030 with a raft of new electric vehicles coming out in the coming years. Later this year, the company will release the i4 electric sedan, which has a range of up to 300 miles and starts at $55,400 for a low-spec model. BMW is also developing an electric version of its 5 Series, 7 Series, and its X1 entry-level SUV.
The German luxury automaker will soon offer all-electric versions of almost all of its most popular models. The fully electric version of BMW’s most popular car in the US has already been spotted in testing camouflage.
The story has taken some unexpected turns, however. Only Europe and China will get the iX3, Nissan’s all-electric version of its top-selling X3 SUV. Last year, the tiny i3 electric hatchback was discontinued due to low sales.