It will be wrong to say that it is the age of electric cars and more and more manufacturers are introducing more variants of EVs in India. If you are planning for an entry level premium car, you do have some choice in the Indian market. Two European brands i.e. BMW and Volvo are offering two excellent choices if you have a budget of under Rs 70 lakh for your electric car. While BMW is offering BMW iX1 under Rs 70 lakh, Volvo is offering the Volvo XC40 Recharge under Rs 70 lakh.
We will discuss how the two electric cars compete against the likes of each other and which one should you consider.
The BMW iX1 as well as the Volvo XC40 Recharge do not look much different when compared with the likes of their ICE counterpart. Well, Volvo is no longer selling the XC40in India. Both the SUV offer subtle differences from their ICE counterpart and that include no exhaust pipes on either of the SUV. The BMW offers touches of blue on the badges while the XC Recharge offers closed grille.
Interior
The BMW iX1 gets an interior that cannot be termed as that of the entry level BMW quality and is rather well built. The material quality is quite good and it is better than the rivals. The design is fresh and so is the ambience of the cabin. The seats are quite good and large. There is also a provision for massaging function. There is a stand-up charging pad and an electronic assistant for going reverse. There is a presence of large panoramic sunroof, Apple CarPlay, automatic headlight range control, connected tech, real-time navigation, front collision warning, evasion assist, cornering brake control, tyre pressure monitoring and much more.
When it comes to the Volvo XC40 Recharge, the key features of the SUV include a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, 12-inch digital instrument cluster, dual-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera, powered front seats (with heating and cooling function), and LED headlights. When it comes to safety features the SUV offers 7 airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child seat anchorages, tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), and ADAS functionalities.
Engine and Range
The BMW iX1 offers 313hp of maximum power and 494Nm of peak torque but it is lower than its Volvo counterpart. The Volvo XC40 Recharge offers 408hp of maximum power and 660Nm of peak torque. If we consider the battery, the Volvo offers a 78kWh battery while BMW offers a 66.4kWh. The BMW offers an acceleration of 0-100kph in just 5.6 seconds. On the other hand, the XC40 Recharge offers an acceleration of 0-100kph in 4.9 seconds. The Volvo is faster than the BMW but the ride quality of the later is better. While driving, the driver can hear the tyre noise while that does not happen with the Volvo.
When it comes to the range of the cars, the XC40 Recharge offers a longer range as compared to the BMW iX1. The WLTP figure of the XC40 Recharge is 505km while that of the BMW iX1 is 440km. When it comes to charging, both the models offer DC fast charging. While the Volvo offers 150kW, BMW offers up to 130kW.
Speaking about storage, the BMW iX1 gets 490-litre boot. However, there is a spare tyre present in the boot and this makes things difficult as there is no separate cut-out for the tyre. Well there is no storage space on the front of the car. On the other hand, the Volvo XC40 Recharge gets a 31 litre frunk along with a boot.
Price
When it comes to the pricing of the SUVs, it is the BMW iX1 which is costlier at Rs 66.9 (ex-showroom). On the other hand, the Volvo XC40 Recharge is priced at Rs 57.9 lakh (ex-showroom).