BMW’s new EV crossover is small, slippery, and not coming to America

BMW unveiled the all-new iX2 xDrive30 today, an EV that shares its platform with the second-generation X2. It’s promising 259-279 miles of WLTP range on a 64.8kWh battery, a 5.6-second 0-100km/h (62 mph) time, and 313 hp / 364 lb-ft of total system output from the AWD motors. Both the car and the battery will be manufactured in Regensburg, Germany. A global launch is set to begin in March 2024, though the compact EV crossover will not be coming to the US. BMW announced that the iX2 was coming earlier this year.

The coupe-like silhouette offers a sleek roofline and impressively low wind resistance, at 0.25 Cd — identical to most trim levels of its i4 electric sedan. Rear headroom probably won’t be a strong point for the iX2 with its low 1,560 mm (61.4 inches) roofline, but it rarely is on these compact CUVs. It’s probably better to think of the iX2 as a lifted hatchback, not a small SUV.

Charging isn’t terribly quick — BMW claims a maximum of 130kW DC, though the small-ish battery means that a DC fast charger can get the iX2 from 10-80% capacity in just under 30 minutes. Given the iX2 will be marketed near the bottom of the Bavarian automaker’s portfolio (BMW hasn’t announced any pricing yet), this could be a cost management decision. The onboard AC charger peaks at 11kW, and BMW says that should get you from 0-100% in around six-and-a-half hours.

Despite its relatively modest battery, the iX2 weighs in a bit above 4,600 pounds (2,095 kg according to BMW’s press release), notably more than, say, the much larger Tesla Model Y Long Range (4,363 pounds), but still pretty competitive when compared to the similarly sized Mercedes EQA (also not available in the US). Like most of BMW’s EVs to date, the total system output is impressively high given the iX2’s compact positioning, and this little CUV will hopefully offer some of the enthusiast driving DNA that the brand’s i4 sedan has been lauded for.

BMW is already signaling that another powertrain trim level for the iX2 is planned, launching in the summer of 2024. There’s no indication if this will be a more or less powerful variant, though it’s easy to see that things could go either way here, with a faster M edition or perhaps a cheaper single-motor drive system.

City Dwellers’s Take

Why isn’t the iX2 coming to the US? Likely because this size class doesn’t command a lot of the sales volume in the US. Even many ICE brands have struggled to move subcompact SUVs and CUVs in a country where the Cadillac Escalade sells nearly as many units as the BMW 3-series. And without pricing, it’s difficult to say how competitive the iX2 would really be in such a landscape.

In Europe (and many other global markets), there’s far more demand in the subcompact segment. Parking and street space are at a premium, and customers tend to be more comfortable with a smaller vehicle.

Still, the idea of a quick, nimble crossover is enticing. After all, it really is just a lifted hatchback in any meaningful sense, and it’s likely a lot more fun way to get around in than the oversized land barges many Americans tend not to need anyway.