BMW iX1 LWB

The BMW iX1 LWB is an identical twin of the iX1. Well almost anyway. The Germans have not tinkered with the styling elements on the outside which means that the all-electric SUV continues to get a mammoth kidney grille on the face, adaptive LED headlights, stretched roofline and sculpted LED lights at the back.

The iX1 LWB stands on 18-inch M Light alloy wheels and the only other minor difference to the standard iX1 are the border lining colour under the windows and the ‘L’ lettering at the back.

Look closer though, and from the side, and it is absolutely evident that the iX1 LWB is indeed a LWB. While the overall length of the model has increased by 116 mm, the wheelbase has gone up by 108 mm to 2,800 mm. For reference, the wheelbase of iX1 standard is 2,692 mm, that of EQA is 2,729 mm, is 3,000 mm on the Ioniq 5 and 2,900 mm on the EV6. The height and width of iX1 LWB remains the same as that of iX1.

Inside the iX1 LWB is where the real magic is happening. BMW has managed to keep the feature list near intact - if not slightly better, while opening up acres of backseat space. That extra wheelbase? Yes, that extra 108 mm translates into more space for your legs and knees while room for your feet is adequate as well.

What further helps matters enormously is a lowered transmission hump which opens up feet space for the passenger in the middle of the backseats. Oh, and the rear doors open wider for easier entry and exit. It just doesn't end there - the passengers at the back now also get additional softer foam and extended seat cushion as well as manual side window shades. Is this then the first Beamer that is prioritising passengers before the driver?

The front half of the iX1 LWB is fairly good too and comes with a massive curved display with the latest BMW OS9. Entry into the vehicle can also be had using a key card while the feature list includes a nine square-feet panorma roof, 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, automatic climate control and the works.

Let's just put up one of the biggest difference between iX1 LWB and the iX1 OG up front. The iX1 gets BMW's xDrive technology which means it is an all-wheel drive vehicle. The iX1 LWB, however, gets the company's e-drive tech which basically means it is not AWD. Not on paper anyway.

But for most potential customers paying half a crore for an EV, off-roading is unlikely to be high on priority list that is highlighted by battery specs and range requirements.

On that note, the iX1 LWB gets a single-motor set on the front axle and a 66.4 kWh battery at its very core. Offering around 201 bhp and 250 Nm of torque, the iX1 LWB isn't going to be the thrill machine in the truest sense. And while BMW claims that flooring the throttle pedal creates a seat push-back excitement for the driver, it really doesn't. Not even in the Sports mode.

But that said, the BMW iX1 LWB isn't sluggish at all. Just think of it is a more muted machine when compared to some of its all-electric or M siblings. There is a very mature drive feel to the SUV and it ambles along well within city limits. The suspension set up too is mostly fine to tackle typical Indian road conditions and the relatively high ground clearance means you won't have to enforce extra caution over ungodly speedbreakers.

The standout highlight though is the refinement level that is right up there with any BMW machine money can buy. The control over NVH levels is superb and if you are someone who will deploy a chauffeur to move you around in an iX1 LWB, look forward to forgetting the chaos of the world outside. A chauffeur-driven BMW SUV is blasphemous, right? Well, the iX1 LWB is clearly looking at creating its own identity within the BMW family and especially in the BMW EV lineage.

As for range, ah that crucial range factor - the iX1 LWB has a claimed range of 530 kms per charge but in our test cycles, we calculated the figure to be around 450 kms per charge in the real world. This is based on driving in Normal drive mode and keeping air-conditioning off in the January winter. A bit more aggressive drive and AC on, and this is likely to drop to around 400 kms. Not too impressive but not too bad either - par for the course.

BMW iX1 LWB: Verdict

The BMW iX1 LWB is a winner on most counts. Local assembly helps the Germans keep a very firm grip on the pricing while offering an all-electric SUV that looks good, drives fairly well and is very impressive in the cabin.

The iX1 LWB isn't very excitable to drive but considering that BMW is also offering a complimentary 11 kWh charging pack, a buy-back plan of up to 74 per cent of the original value of the vehicle as well as Road-side Assistance which includes complimentary emergency mobile charging and here is a complete package that may well be ready to take the EV crown in the luxury kingdom.