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      11-12-2020, 10:21 AM   #263
ted99
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Drives: former i3>330e, 528i>X5>530e
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Houston, TX

iTrader: (0)

I bought the first model-year i3. Traded that for a leased 330e and leased an X5 40e for interstate travel. When both leases came due in early 2020, replaced both with a pair of 530e's. Given that experience, I've pretty well settled on the ideal mix of vehicles for my use. 1) a urban-size EV in an SUV shape for better visibility and having the groceries in a climate-conditioned space. The i3 was too small. The X5 was too big. 2) An interstate travel medium or larger sedan. I like the lower seating position and more compliant suspension in a sedan than an SUV when pounding up an interstate.

Now to the iX. It's too big for my urban use and the range is too short for Interstate use. I would want 400 mile range to minimize the number of charging stops I would need to make in a day's travel. It's ugly, though I do like the interior. It's likely to be WAY overpriced and it's use of a modified ICE CLAR platform means it's got compromises as an EV.

I'm on the pre-order list for the RWD VW iD.4 next Sept. It's the perfect size for an urban vehicle and it's base version is perfectly outfitted for an urban grocery-getter, errand-runner, and trip to the restaurant (oops--take out). It's BMW competition is the iX3, whenever it makes an appearance in the USA; but the BMW will likely be priced higher than the MSRP $40K of the VW and it, also, is a compromised ICE CLAR platform where the VW (and it's companion Audi Q4 eTron) are dedicated EV's. I'll keep one of my PHEV BMW 530e sedans for interstate use. By the time the iX turns up, there will be a number of dedicated large-size EV's with 400 mile range available and the compromised and expensive iX will not make much competition. In 2014, BMW was a technology leader in electrification. Next year, it's a technology follower.
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