BMW is moving the electric game on by announcing its fifth generation of eDrive technology, which has an all-in-one central unit for the electric motor, the system electronics and the transmission, as well as a battery pack with a greater gravimetric energy density, lower energy consumption and less reliance on the rarest earth metals that such batteries need, such as cobalt and lithium. This eDrive Mk5 will first appear in the electric version of the X3>, which will be the Chinese-built iX3 of 2020. Intriguingly, the iX3 will be rear-wheel drive, as BMW says this reduces demands on the battery's reserves and also promotes the sporty driving style the German company is known for, so its 74kWh-net battery should be able to propel the EV SUV more than 275 miles on a single charge. And that's WLTP-ratified, dontcherknow? Additionally, the iX3 will have a 210kW (286hp) motor with 400Nm of torque to call upon at all times, so it should be decently quick - if the weight can be kept down. Which is something else the eDrive Five brings to the party, as the drive system is lighter than on previous BMW EVs. Following on from the launch of the iX3 in 2020, the next models the latest eDrive technology will appear in will be the i4 saloon, based on the i Vision Dynamics Concept, and then the dramatic-looking iNext self-driving, pug-ugly-faced EV SUV. These are both due out in 2021.

Matt Robinson - 18 Dec 2019