BMW iX3 2023 electric car owner review

Peter drives a BMW iX3 M Sport 2023.

This is Peter’s first electric car, he’s owned the BMW iX3 less than a year and drives 10,000-15,000 miles annually. The current mileage of the car is between 10,000-20,000 miles and he achieves 210 miles from a full charge.

Why did you choose the BMW iX3?

The price for this 1-year old model was £34,759 and a similar spec to the X3 diesel hybrid which was £45,000. Also, the iX3 has much lower tax and running costs.

Positives

Quiet, quick and very low cost per mile. At the last calculation, the cost per mile was 1.7p per mile based on E.ON Next Drive (overnight) at 6.4p per kWh. My X3 hybrid diesel was costing 15p per mile!

Negatives

The new car tax coming in next year. Mine will be taxed at £0 until March 2026 but then it’s £600! This will have an effect on its trade in value. Not sure I like the wheel discs during the recent floods as they picked up debris from the water. Otherwise, I love it!

Compared to when you first bought the car, does your battery still charge at the same rate & do you still get the same range?

Yes, still consistent at well over 200 miles and I use the regenerative braking all the time.

Have you experienced any faults with the car? If so, what have they been?

Yes, the headlight level and pre-warming of the battery both fixed FOC with a (free) loan BMW from the local BMW garage.

What are the standout technological features of the car?

Adaptive cruise control, lane departure and regenerative braking system are all great.

Tell us something people wouldn’t readily know about your BMW iX3

The car control system is outstanding on the BMW app, I warm or cool the car on every trip; my other half loves it! Also, it’s great to get in the car on a cold morning with a warm steering wheel and a clear screen!

What’s the biggest or funniest myth you’ve heard about EVs?

I drive for a community transport scheme one day a week and where I collect the disabled bus from the garage owner told me to park well away from his building in case my car sets on fire! Apparently he’s a voluntary fireman and had attended one electric car fire and they couldn’t extinguish the fire.

What electric car(s) are you interested in next and why?

Possibly another BMW or the Audi equivalent. Also, because of this Labour tax raid I may consider an older 6 year old, low-mileage Porsche or Mercedes.

Home charging unit

GivEnergy home charge unit 7kW.

Electricity supplier & tariff

E.ON Next Drive – perfect for me, 4.6p midnight until 7.00am, controlled via the app. It is a 24p day rate but I’ve never had to use this to charge the car.