The all-electric BMW iX3 is competing against these diesel SUVs

BMW’s new iX3 electric SUV has made a splash in the South African market as it brings rivaling levels of performance to its diesel-powered siblings while slotting in below the top-end models of the X3 range.

With a starting price of R1,290,000, the iX3 presents as an all-electric alternative to the X3 xDrive30d, offering similar straight-line speeds and heaps of equipment.

Buying this all-electric BMW gets you a 12.3-inch driver’s display, a 10.25-inch infotainment centre, Sports seats wrapped in Vernasca leather, automatic tailgate operation, a panoramic glass roof, electrically-adjustable seats, and three-zone automatic climate control with pre-heating and pre-conditioning functions.

Additional standard fitment includes steering and lane control assist, adaptive cruise control, speed limit assist, parking assistant with a reverse camera, and route monitoring.

With its 80kWh battery pack and rear-mounted electric motor, this iX3 further boasts generous power levels of 210kW and 400Nm directed to the rear wheels only.

This setup is good for a 0-100km/h sprint of 6.8 seconds as well as a top speed of 180km/h, while achieving up to a maximum driving range of 461km.

Also supported in the electric SUV is a maximum towing capacity of 750kg and a maximum cargo capacity of 545kg.

Owners can then expect the EV to charge from 0-100% in seven-and-a-half hours using a standard 11kW wall-box charger. With South Africa’s average cost of electricity coming in at R2.558/kWh, it means the iX3 should cost roughly R205 to fill up at home.

At one of GridCars’ public plugs that charge on average R5.88/kWh, it will cost around R470 to fill up.

Diesel competitors

The BMW iX3 currently has few competitors in the EV segment, and it’s likely that most of its buyers will be coming out of an internal combustion engine vehicle.

We therefore detail the diesel-powered SUVs that are available in the country for around the same price as the iX3 to see what choices you will have when shopping for a R1.2-million high-riding four-door.

Diesel 50ppm prices were taken at July’s inland values of R25.53 per litre.

Audi Q5 Sportback 40TDI Quattro S Line

• Price – R1,059,100
• Power – 140kW/400Nm
• 0-100km/h – 8.1 seconds
• Cost to fill 65l tank – R1,659
• Claimed maximum driving range – 1,048km

Mercedes-Benz GLC300d Coupe 4Matic AMG Line

• Price – R1,204,463
• Power – 180kW/500Nm
• 0-100km/h – 6.6 seconds
• Cost to fill 66l tank – R1,685
• Claimed maximum driving range – 1,100km

Range Rover Evoque D200 Autobiography

• Price – R1,229,097
• Power – 147kW/430Nm
• 0-100km/h – 8.5 seconds
• Cost to fill 65l tank – R1,659
• Claimed maximum driving range – 1,121km

BMW X3 xDrive30d M Sport

• Price – R1,254,340
• Power – 195kW/620Nm
• 0-100km/h – 5.8 seconds
• Cost to fill 68l tank – R1,736
• Claimed maximum driving range – 1,030km

Jaguar F-Pace D200 AWD S

• Price – R1,277,660
• Power – 150kW/430Nm
• 0-100km/h – 8.0 seconds
• Cost to fill 60l tank – R1,532
• Claimed maximum driving range – 1,154km

Toyota Land Cruiser 300 3.3D GX-R

• Price – R1,321,700
• Power – 225kW/700Nm
• 0-100km/h – Approx. 7 seconds
• Cost to fill 110l tank – R2,808
• Claimed maximum driving range – 1,236km

Land Rover Defender 110 D240 SE

• Price – R1,341,946
• Power – 177kW/500Nm
• 0-100km/h – 9.1 seconds
• Cost to fill 83l tank – R2,119
• Claimed maximum driving range – 1,078km

VW Touareg V6 TDI Luxury R-Line

• Price – R1,383,000
• Power – 190kW/600Nm
• 0-100km/h – Approx. 7 seconds
• Cost to fill 90l tank – R2,298
• Claimed maximum driving range – 1,268km