BMW’s entry-level electric SUVs are the latest cars to become eligible for the government’s Electric Car Grant, aimed at promoting the uptake of electric cars in the UK market.
Both the BMW iX1 and the more rakish BMW iX2 now qualify for the scheme, the first German premium brand models to do so. It’s not just for the less generous Band 2 grant either, but the full £3,750 Band 1 discount.
Relatively few cars on the UK market are eligible for Band 1 so it’s quite an achievement for the BMW pair. The zero-emission vehicle grant requires eligible cars to meet some fairly predictable criteria, such as zero grams per kilometre of CO2 at the tailpipe and have an 8-year or 100,000-mile warranty, but Band 1 models also have to demonstrate higher sustainability credentials and production standards.
In BMW’s case the Regensburg plant at which the iX1 and iX2 are built has 25,000 square metres of solar panels. This is enough to cover electricity demands equivalent to 1,000 single family homes and contribute to the green electricity mix used by the factory.
The relatively low starting price of each car helps too, with BMW bringing the price of some models below the £42,000 grant starting point. With the grant applied, it’s now possible to buy an iX1 or iX2 more cheaply than some of their combustion equivalents. An iX1 eDrive20 Sport now comes in at £33,315, while a petrol X1 sDrive20i Sport is £37,540.
Other eligible iX1s and iX2s include the iX1 eDrive20 xLine (£35,315), eDrive20 M Sport (£38,065), and the iX2 eDrive20 M Sport (£38,065). BMW has introduced a new iX2 model that also qualifies. The eDrive20 Sport is priced at £33,315 with the grant applied and equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels, sports seats, and high-gloss Shadowline exterior trim.
iX1 eDrive 20 models use a 201bhp motor and 66.4kWh battery pack for a range of 318 miles, while the same motor and a 65.2kWh pack deliver a matching 318 miles in the iX2.
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