INext Up: Concept previews coming all-electric BMW crossover

摘要

Tesla's cash flow issues are blood in the water to the German sharks of the luxury market, and with the Audi E-tron and Mercedes EQC crossovers already here, BMW's iNext is what's, well, next. We first saw the iNext concept last fall, and as photographs of the first production prototypes show, the originally funky styling has been toned down to reveal a slightly more conventional-looking all-wheel-drive crossover. Expected to arrive in 2021, the iNext (which is rumored to be called i5 when it reaches production) will be powered by BMW's next-gen electric powertrain, will boast a range of nearly 400 miles, and will essentially serve as the brand's technology flagship. As such, the iNext will also be a pioneer for BMW on the autonomous stage, with Level 3 capability being the current goal for customer versions. BMW says it will also put a test fleet of 500 iNext EVs on global roads in 2021 with autonomous, fully self-driving Level 4 and 5 tech aboard and expects international regulations will be compliant by that time. BMW views the iNext as an essential part of its product plan, with CEO Harald Kruger saying, "The iNext project will provide our building blocks for the future, from which the entire company and all of its brands are set to benefit."