German automaker BMW has announced the #NEXTGen 2020 online event to be held on November 11, 2020. Within its framework, the company will present a serial version of the BMW iNext electric crossover and new items from the Motorrad motorcycle division and the Mini brand.
The concept of the flagship electric crossover BMW Vision iNEXT was presented two years ago, while no one has yet seen a pre-production version without camouflage. This model's visual and technological solutions will appear in future serial models of the brand starting from the next decade.
The BMW Vision iNEXT concept will also go into series, and this will happen already in 2021. BMW will be producing the model at the company's German plant in Dingolfing. The developers did not share the specific technical characteristics of the new product. Still, they noted that it will be "a vehicle with a high degree of autonomy, no harmful emissions and always connected to the network." Based on the figures of the BMW Concept iX3, it will be 200 kW / 270 hp, a 70 kWh battery, and a range of 400 km / 250 miles on the WLTP cycle.
In turn, the designers tried to answer the question of how a car should look like, which no longer needs to be driven, but which at the same time should make the potential owner want to own it. The rear doors of the four-seater electric crossover open against the direction of travel, and there is no center pillar in the cabin for greater passenger comfort.
The driver of the BMW Vision iNEXT will choose two driving modes: "Boost," in which he will drive the car independently, or "Ease," in which he can rely on the self-driving system. In Boost mode, the electric propulsion system will provide the highest possible dynamics, and the Intelligent Personal Assistant control unit will provide support for auxiliary systems.
In turn, in the "Ease" mode, the electric car will allow the driver to turn the seat back, relax and chat with passengers while he is engaged in a trip to a given point. In this mode, the steering wheel moves closer to the windshield. The accelerator/brake pedals are hidden in a special panel, and the information on the monitors changes towards overview data about the trip. What's more, the touch of a finger on the wood of the touch-sensitive center console leaves a trail of light, while the jacquard fabric rear upholstery with integrated LED lighting lets you gesture control of the music.
According to the NUMBER ONE> NEXT strategy, there will be at least 25 electric BMW models by 2025, 12 of which will be all-electric.