BMW has announced a major expansion of its battery-electric lineup here in Australia, confirming three new variants are on their way – each of which is priced under the Luxury Car Tax threshold.
The company says that the i4 eDrive35 and iX3 M Sport will be on Australian shores before the end of the year, while the iX1 eDrive20 is set to arrive in the first quarter of 2024.
Each of BMW’s EV entries will be priced below the Luxury Car Tax (LCT) threshold for battery-electric and fuel-efficient vehicles of $89,332, also placing them below the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) threshold for fleet operators.
The most affordable BMW EV comes in the form of the iX1 eDrive20, which will be priced at $78,900 before on-road costs.
The iX1 eDrive20 comes powered by a an electric motor pushing out 150kW of power and 247Nm with range figures standing between 430-475km on the WLTP test cycle from its 64.7kWh battery pack.
The iX1 eDrive20 is packaged with a set of 18-inch alloys, adaptive LED headlights, a powered tailgate, Veganza upholstery, roof rails, a head-up display, adaptive cruise control, a 10.7-inch digital instrument cluster and 10.25-inch curved infotainment display powered by BMW’s OS 9.
The introduction of the new i4 eDrive35 also marks a new entry-point into the i4 range, sitting below the eDrive40 and the M50.
It comes powered by a single electric motor powering the rear wheels to the tune of 210kW/400Nm, offering a 0-100km/h sprint in six seconds, while range figures from the 67kWh battery stand at 430km on the combined test cycle.
Standard equipment for the i4 eDrive35 includes a set of 18-inch alloys, LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, BMW’s iconic sounds system, three-zone climate control, Sensatec-upholstered sport seats and a head-up display.
Finally, BMW’s all-new iX3 M Sport sits below the current iX3 while coming powered by the same 210kW/400Nm electric motor that offers a 6.8 second 0-100km/h sprint.
Driving ranges stand at 461km from the 74kWh battery pack, which can be fast-charged up to 150kW with access to the right 150kW DC fast charger.
Standard equipment for the iX3 M Sport includes a set of 19-inch alloys with an M Sport styling package, panoramic sunroof, metallic paint, leather-upholstered sport seats, adaptive suspension and a parking assistant.
Prices and specs for the full range of BMW EVs priced below the Luxury Car Tax threshold can be found below.
| Model | Power | Torque | Accel. (sec) |
Gross battery capacity (kWh) |
Range | Price | Launch
timing |
| iX1 eDrive20 | 150kW | 247Nm | 8.6 | 67 | Up to 475# | $78,900* | Q1, ‘24 |
| iX1 xDrive30 | 230kW | 494Nm | 5.6 | 67 | Up to 400^ | $84,900* | Q2, ‘23 |
| i4 eDrive35 | 210kW | 400Nm | 6.0 | 70 | Up to 430^ | $85,900* | Q4, ‘23 |
| iX3 M Sport | 210kW | 400Nm | 6.8 | 80 | Up to 461^ | $89,100* | Q4, ‘23 |
