Ultimate driving pleasure seemingly won’t go extinct.
German luxury carmaker BMW has revealed the next link in its electrification strategy, today pulling the wraps off its Vision iNext electric SUV concept that previews what the brands’ crossovers will look like as electrification becomes an increasingly-important part of an auto-brands’ makeup. The iNext also (allegedly) answers a question that BMW boss Harald Kruger asked during the concept’s unveiling:
“What does a vehicle look like [when it] no longer needs to be driven by a person, but can be if desired?” — Harald Kruger, CEO, BMW AG
Beneath the matte-copper finished skin of the Vision iNext sits a fully-electric powertrain, and a platform that presumably utilises an ‘electric skateboard’ architecture that’s prevalent among electric vehicles. Precious little was revealed about the powertrain: There was no mention of battery capacity, battery type, estimated driving range, recharge times, nothing. BMW did reveal that the Vision iNext runs on 22-inch aerodynamically-efficient alloy wheels though, which is… interesting.
And despite the BMW Vision iNext making full use of its electric architecture to offer a “generously-sized cockpit,” there’s actually very little space for people, as it only sits 4. But rest assured those 4 passengers will sit in great comfort, in either one of the two captains chairs up front or in the bench seat at the rear.
Stepping into that cockpit is a relatively easy affair, thanks to the design that removes the necessity for a B-pillar, as well as the rear-hinged rear doors. The interior’s been designed to resemble a contemporary, “high-end living space” rather than a car cockpit, and as a result there are materials employed that you’d be more familiar with seeing in a home than in a car. There are things like a pattered wood floor, untreated wood in the centre console, and plush fabric used throughout. There’s also an enormous glass roof that allows light to flood into the cabin, which is always a nice touch.
You may have noticed the steering wheel, which we’ll touch on now. The BMW Vision iNext offers two driving modes: There’s ‘Boost’ for when drivers want to take control and have a bit of fun (which will need a steering wheel), and then there’s ‘Ease’ where the driving controls are retracted, and the front seat headrests also retract for easier interaction with rear-seat passengers. Further underlining the versatility of the space, BMW’s preloaded their new AI infotainment system in here, which can complete commands that you can give to it by first uttering the phrase, ‘Hey BMW.’
The BMW Vision iNext, with its touch-sensitive doorhandles, mirror-less design, and fully-autonomous capabilities might look like a flight of fancy, but it really isn’t. Come 2021 this car will be rolling off the production line at BMW’s plant in Dingolfing, as part of the greater offensive on the electric-car segment by BMW Group. The first attack will come in the form of the electric Mini, which goes into production in 2019, followed by the iX3 electric SUV and iVision Dynamics saloon that are due 2020. The Mini, iX3, iVision Dynamics and Vision iNext are all part of BMW Group’s goals of introducing 12 fully-electric cars to their lineup by 2025.
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