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MOTORING NEWS - Being the first fully electric vehicle that the Group Editors ‘ride-along’ team have taken for a test drive, we arrived at BMW with a sincere sense of curiosity, and a TON of questions. And yes, one of them included the very naïve – “but what about load-shedding?” (haha).
It was not hard to tell which was our car for the day when we arrived, since the iX40 certainly screams “step into the future”, but when you climb in, well, the future certainly feels here.
Luckily for us, we had the most wonderful host, who shared all of his electric car wisdom with us while also not making us feel completely foolish. Needless to say, by the end of our journey we were all convinced that BMW’s i-Range is the future we have been waiting for.
Let us introduce Jaco Hugo:
Expertise like Jaco’s is hard to beat. With more than 23 years under his belt as a BMW ambassador, Jaco’s knowledge is unmatched. He is probably one of the most chilled guys you will ever meet, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t like a little fun and adventure. Test driving this car with such a great host was honestly one of the best filming experiences we have had. If you are looking for someone who is going to really take care of you while making your vehicle purchase decisions, we recommend you ask for Jaco; he really is the best!
THE EXPERIENCE:
This is the perfect car for anyone who ‘lives on the road’. The impeccable fit and finishing of this vehicle sells the intention of luxury and is packed with super smart tech to make your ride so much more enjoyable. Everywhere you look inside of the cabin, you will see quality luxury materials, from the diamond stitching in the leather seating to the crystal dials used in various applications. What was really impressive to us though, was that all of these materials are sustainably sourced and manufactured.
While the engine lacks that BMW purr that we all so much enjoy, it still packs quite a punch! With 240KW of power and 630NM of torque, it can go from 0 – 100km in only six seconds. Overall, the engineering on this vehicle is pure brilliance, delivering a smooth, comfortable ride that needs very little from you. And if you are really missing the sound experience, it comes with a wonderful selection of ride-sounds that are a whole vibe on their own.
VIDEO: Watch the ride-along video with Jaco Hugo in the new BMW iX40
BATTERY RECHARGING:
With all BMW electric vehicles, you will receive a recharging pack so that you can recharge your vehicle at home. To recharge fully, can take around 3 hours, however this is only if you want to charge from flat to full. To charge the battery from 10/20% - 80% can take less than half an hour. It is the last 20% that in fact takes the longest to charge.
For all BMW owners, BMW offers a free recharging station at their dealership, however with the rise in electric car sales, more and more charging stations are being made available country wide. In George, we have a charging station at the Garden Route mall.
With the iX40, a full battery will take you around 350 – 400km. According to Jaco, the cost to fully charge the battery at the current Eskom rate is R350 - R400. Compared to the X5 petrol tank which costs around R1,800 to fill, this is a massive savings on fuel.
THE FAST FACTS:
Price: R1 735 000
Engine: 240kW engine performance
Charging: 31-minute charging time
Torque: 630Nm
Electric consumption: N/A kWh/10 km
SAFTEY:
From a safety perspective, the car is equipped with
- 8 airbags (driver, front passenger, driver side, front passenger side)
- a collision warning system
- automatic emergency braking system
- speed warnings
- door locking during high speed
- anti-theft engine immobilisation system
- lane departure warning features
IN CONCLUSION:
The new BMW ix40 boasts performance, luxury and futurism all at the same time. The sophisticated design of the vehicle and ground-breaking driving features place it at the forefront of innovative motoring. If you’re looking for comfort, convenience and class, all on four wheels, then this is the car to seek.
To book a test drive, contact BMW George on 044 801 7900
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