Munich’s smallest electric model finds itself a place on the Autocar fleet

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Dimensions are similar to an iX3’s, but it sits lower to the ground

FIRST REPORT

WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT

To see if BMW’s entry EV is as impressive as its range-topper

Some car makers have been criticised for their slow transitions to allelectric power, but that’s certainly not something that could be said about BMW. The German giant is well and truly engaged in ramping up its electric offensive, and now – or at least at the time of writing – it is offering no fewer than 10 pure-electric models.

The latest addition to the Autocar fleet, then, is the brand’s smallest SUV, which in turn has become its smallest electric model. It’s the iX1, which, as you might have guessed, mirrors the internal combustion engine-powered X1, save for its method of propulsion.

The iX1 measures 4500mm long, 1845mm wide and 1616mm high, a set of dimensions that aren’t too far off those of the larger iX3, which our road testers thought was good value at a smidge under £60,000. The iX1 sits 9mm closer to the ground than the iX3, however, which is clear from our test car’s squat stance. This iX1 is the second electric car from the German marque to join our fleet in the past year, following editor Mark Tisshaw’s six-month stint in the model at the other, somewhat pricier end of BMW’s catalogue: the iX. While Mark was impressed with the range-topper, the iX1 acts as the entry point to the brand’s EV endeavours and is something of a different ball game.