BMW iNext Production SUV Spied Playing In The Snow

This thing looks quite fast for a large SUV.

Our spies were once again in the right place at the right time and had the chance to film the production version of BMW’s iNext electric SUV testing under heavy winter conditions in Sweden. This 5:47-minute video gives us a pretty good look at the vehicle’s dynamics with plenty of accelerations and even some high-speed cornering maneuvers.

If this is the first time you hear about the iNext, the name comes from a concept (see the gallery below) that BMW revealed to preview its future EV ambitions. The prototype you can see in the video at the top of this page is the production version of the study which, naturally, will feature a toned down design.

Many changes to the exterior will be made in the transition to a production model, including replacing the concept’s side cameras with traditional mirrors. On the other hand, features like the slim LED headlights and sweptback panoramic windscreen, as well as the grille (unfortunately), appear to have been transferred onto the production model.

As an older press release from BMW, giving more details about the development and testing of the electric machine, says, “the cold poses a challenge, above all, for the electric motor, the high-voltage battery, and the cooling system of the BMW iNext. The testing engineers also attach particular importance to the eDrive energy management system. They analyze the way in which the extreme sub-zero temperatures affect how the energy storage system recharges, how electricity is transferred to the electric motor, how the electrical system is supplied with energy and how the heating and air condition systems respond.”

The iNext, which might end up being called the i5, will be the electric equivalent of today’s BMW X5 in terms of its dimensions. It will be the Bavarian brand’s most technologically advanced vehicle when it debuts in 2021. Before it, the company will launch the iX3 and i4, in 2019 and 2020 respectively.

Video: CarPix

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