BMW hasn't launched a new electric vehicle in the US in quite some time.
It brought the i3 hatchback to market seven years ago when the mainstream EV market was still in its earliest stages. Since then, loads of economy and luxury brands have stepped into the space and EV startups have come and gone, but the Bavarian brand has stayed relatively quiet.
All that is about to change, however. BMW on Wednesday unveiled the iX, the carmaker's new flagship electric SUV that's set to hit US streets in 2022. The X5-sized SUV sports plenty of range, two motors with enough power to hit 62 mph in under five seconds, and some controversial styling features — like BMW's new and enlarged version of its classic kidney grille.
Although the iX is BMW's first purpose-built electric SUV, the brand's parent company, the BMW Group, has made headway on its goal to offer 25 electric and hybrid vehicles by 2023. It launched the $30,000 Mini Cooper SE last fall, and the non-US-market iX3 this summer.
Take a closer look at the iX — BMW's answer to the Audi E-Tron and Tesla Model X — below.