BMW PH boss: 4 more electric vehicles on the way
Aside from the iX3, BMW to bring more EVs to the Philippines next year
Earlier this year, BMW distributor SMC Asia Car Distributor Corp. officially launched its first-ever electric vehicle (EV) in the country, the iX. We already got to test it a few months ago and we were impressed by its zero emissions performance, as well as its level of tech.
In the future, however, we can expect BMW to launch more EVs. In fact, the company recently announced that we can expect more electric cars to arrive in the country sometime next year.
According to SMC Asia Car Distributor Corp president Spencer Yu, a total of 4 EVs will be arriving in the Philippines in 2023. While he did not say exactly which BMW EVs are on the way, we already know one of the four vehicles that will be coming to the country soon.
The first of which is the iX3 which BMW actually let us drive in Singapore a few months ago. From its namesake, the iX3 is the electric variant of the X3 and features a zero-emissions powertrain. Official specs are not yet available but international versions come with an 80 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that powers an electric motor that doles out 286 PS with 400 Nm of torque. On a full charge, BMW estimates that the iX3 can travel for 460 km.
Another BMW EV that could make its way to the country is the smaller iX1. First launched earlier this year, the iX1 is the electric variant of BMW's smallest crossover, the X1. Despite its small size, this EV produces 317 PS with 494 Nm of torque and is powered by a 64.7 kWh lithium-ion battery pack.
If you prefer sedans over crossovers, BMW might also bring the i7 flagship luxury EV. It's based on the all-new 2023 7 Series but comes with electric motors instead of an internal combustion engine. Like the iX1, it too comes with a pair of electric motors but the i7 cranks out an impressive 536 PS with a staggering 744 Nm of pull. With a 101.7 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, BMW says the electric saloon has an estimated cruising range of 483 km on a full charge.
Last but not least, the BMW i4 could also make its way here. While BMW originally said they will not be offering the i4 to the Philippines, the company might have changed their minds and could in fact launch it sometime next year. In the M50 guise, the i4 has an electric motor on both axles, allowing it to generate 544 PS along with 795 Nm of torque. BMW claims the all-electric sedan can go from 0 – 100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds and has an estimated range of 510 km.
In the lesser eDrive40 version, the i4 is only available with a rear-mounted electric motor that puts out 340 PS with 430 Nm of torque. Despite having only one motor driving the wheels, BMW says the eDrive40 variant can go from 0 – 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds and has a longer range of 590 km.
With BMW still keeping a tight lip on what EVs they have in store next year, we'll be keeping a close eye on what the German automaker will bring to the market very soon.
