BMW’s iX4 SUV is a 428-mile defensive weapon against China’s EV takeover

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The iX4 is a sportier spin on the iX3, with the same powerful Gen6 battery providing class-leading range.

The iX4 is a sportier spin on the iX3, with the same powerful Gen6 battery providing class-leading range.

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While much of the automotive world sits dumbfounded as China gobbles up all its customers, BMW continues to roll out extremely well-crafted, technologically advanced electric vehicles that impress in both drive quality and price. The latest is the BMW iX4, a coupe-shaped SUV that puts a sportier spin on the automaker’s iX3.

The iX4 is the third vehicle to be released on BMW’s next-generation Neue Klasse platform, following the iX3 and i3 models. The iX4 50 xDrive will come first in March 2027, followed by an even more high-performance M60 xDrive version later in the year. The automaker is positioning this new lineup as its bulwark against the flood of Chinese imports that is currently decimating other European brands. But while the iX4 can certainly compete on range and tech, it’s unclear whether BMW can rival China in terms of sheer affordability.

In that respect, the BMW iX4 50 xDrive starts at $66,200 (excluding fees for destination and handling). And it bears all the hallmarks of BMW’s other Neue Klasse models, such as the “Gen6” high-voltage battery with 112.2kWh of usable energy, an 800-volt architecture for lightning-quick charging top-ups, and up to 428 miles of range based on EPA estimates.

That’s more range than the Tesla Model Y, the best-selling electric vehicle in the world. BMW has been blowing away expectations on range to such a degree that even the experts at InsideEVs are left wondering whether it’s overkill. After all, Tesla and others have done plenty well with EVs in the mid-300s, while Lucid continues to struggle despite exceeding 500 miles in range.

But BMW wants to go the distance, believing that range and efficiency are two of its biggest selling points. The third would be performance, and thanks to a dual-motor setup in both the 50 xDrive and M60 xDrive, the iX4 is sure to delivery plenty of giddy up. The 50 xDrive’s motors put out 463 horsepower and 475lb-ft of torque, for a 0–60mph acceleration of 4.7 seconds. Meanwhile, the M60 xDrive’s motors produce 603hp and 645lb-ft of torque, for a 0–60 time a whole second less than the 50 xDrive.