WATCH: Charging a fully electric BMW iX1 in Johannesburg

I got the opportunity to test the all-new BMW iX1, one of the German carmaker’s latest EVs in their range and although this wasn’t my first rodeo in an EV, it was a test that I looked forward to because of my growing passion for vehicles propelled by electric power.

The X1 is BMW’s entry-level “small” SUV, and it has now decided to use its platform for electric technology. The model that we tested was the BMW iX1 xDrive30 M Sport, which is an all-wheel drive crossover with a claimed range of 440km on a full charge, based on how you drive it.

The one thing that I love most about electric vehicles is the torque and acceleration that you feel when you put your foot flat on the throttle, this little cross-over produces 494Nm and accelerates from 0-100km/h in 5.6 seconds.

And the sporty front seats harness your body perfectly as you take corners, although this version didn’t have electric or heated seats, these are all optional extras.

Being an entry-level vehicle, BMW has cut back on a lot of the fancier technology that it uses in premium cars in an effort to keep the selling price of this EV down, although the price tag of
R1 245 000 isn’t the most affordable, I still see tons of value in this car if you want to go the electric route.

In my opinion, this would be the perfect vehicle for a female who is interested in owning an EV, and even those who have no interest in EVs will still enjoy driving this car.

Most women enjoy driving small cross-overs because they seem as though they are driving an SUV, but they are much easier to park and drive in the city.

You will also save a lot of money on buying fuel, because when you purchase an iX1, BMW gives you the option to install a fast charger at your home to give you a faster charging time.

In my experience, I don’t have a fast charger at home, which meant I had to use the BMW charge card at one of the Chargify fast chargers that are located around Johannesburg.

This is a service that you pay an additional fee for when you insert your charge card, and it’s much faster than using the conventional wall plug at home.

This charger went up to a rate of 5.3kW, and I managed to top the iX1 up from a 23% charge level to 100% in 54 minutes.

When it comes to the cost, the machine does not tell you how much you would pay, but BMW has an app where you monitor the cost and additional info.

When using a Chargify charge station, there are only two DC (Fast charging) ports, the other port is an AC port which charges at normal speed, so if there are already cars at the charge station you may have to wait your turn to charge, which may hinder your trip time.

Although it is inevitable that the future is going to be electric, there are still many questions on whether our electricity grid can handle an electric vehicle infrastructure, and it may still take some time before people have full faith in EVs.

*At the time of recording, on a Chargify fast charger it cost R7.35 per kWh x 29 kWh = R213.15, and it took 54 minutes. BMW gives you a charge card that is linked to your account.