What's the difference?
There are a lot of big numbers surrounding the BMW iX3, the German brand’s new-from-the-ground-up EV that acts as the flagbearer for its future-facing Neue Klasse (or New Class) architecture, designed to distil all the ingredients that make a BMW a BMW, and then electrify for them for the post-ICE (internal combustion engine) era.
But the one that really stood out? 805. That’s how many kilometres of driving range the iX3 will deliver, though admittedly in its most efficient and least exciting driving modes. That is bonkers, right?
It’s worth pointing out the first BMW i3, which only launched a decade-or-so ago, delivered more like 150km on what would have been the WLTP cycle, if it had existed then. Talk about leaps and bounds.
A good start for the newest BMW EV, then. But what else does the iX3 have to offer?
Long before Tesla EVs, there were electric golf buggies.
From the first half of last century, they began quietly ferrying birdie and eagle enthusiasts around their favourite courses.
For many, these have been their first (and only) experience of electric vehicles (EVs) at work.
Now, the blue-collared Blue Oval mob has this – the all-new E-Transit Custom.
Designed to take on other electric mid-sized vans such as the LDV eDeliver7, Peugeot E-Expert and the Mercedes-Benz Vito Electric, it is the brand’s second – and more affordable – foray into van electrification.
Does the E-Transit Custom score above par? Let’s dive straight in!
The thing that really grabs you from behind the wheel of a car like this is just how far EVs have come. The fact you can get a ridiculous range and have a really, really good time on the right twisting road is a pretty good deal and solidifies the fact EVs like this one are the future.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.
Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number of automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
Wow. This is state-of-the-art EV van engineering – complete with sporty handling and an excellent ride – yet it maintains all the usual Transit attributes.
The Tesla of electric vans? Maybe.
The only thing remains is pricing and how the E-Transit Custom behaves and drives on Australian roads… and we’ll have the answer to those by the end of this year.
But as it stands, Ford's European mid-sized van is keeping the innovative spirit of the original alive.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.