I'm posting this in the BMWiX Forum because I know a lot of you care about the future of and want the right EV vehicle. For context, I have a 2024 iX50 that I have loved and it's coming off of lease in January. I've invested $4K in putting a charger in my garage and like the handling, torque, and styling of a lot of EVs so don't think I'm going back to ICE or hybrid. There are no great easy "no brainer" paths forward with BMW I've concluded but will probably lease another one anyway as a "transition vehicle:"
* Why did BMW kill the iX platform? It was a true EV platform and perhaps the natural successor is the iX5 but it's not Neue Klasse like the iX3 (which is a smaller car than the iX).
* No matter what BMW I get next, it will simply be a "transitional car" until we can get a true iX5 type variant on the Neue Klasse platform. The CLAR platform of the upcoming iX5 means a higher floor tunnel, less flat floor space, and a cabin that doesn't maximize the EV packaging advantage the way a purpose-built EV platform would like the iX or the iX3 but it will be fast and have fast charging.
* So my options really are the 2026 iX45 (100HP less but $20K less - might be the answer for now), iX60 which is discontinued and last year, iX3 (Neue Klasse smaller but new platform), or iX5 tweener depending upon when they become available.
* As long as I am venting, why is the US running away from EVs? This is insane.
* Chinese EV maker BYD (which sells more cars than Tesla) just announced a 1,000 HP 4 seater convertible that will go 0-60 in under 2 seconds for $41K. It will be sold everywhere but the US including Europe, Canada, and Mexico - but you cannot bring one to the US.
* The US is dominating with AI investments but we can't be the tech leaders in EVs????????
Talk to me Redditters!