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The BMW iX burst onto the scene four years ago and immediately redrew the electric-SUV playbook; now a lightly revised version faces the fresh-faced Lotus Eletre for segment supremacy. From the first press of the pedal, the iX feels honed: its twin-motor xDrive45 set-up musters 402 bhp, launching two and a half tonnes to 62 mph in little over six seconds, yet it glides across poor tarmac with the composure of a long-wheelbase saloon. Credit goes to a structure laced with carbon-fibre reinforced plastic and air suspension that soaks up ridges while keeping the body settled. The steering is light around town but cleanly accurate as speeds rise, and strong regen blends smoothly with the friction brakes to stretch range well past 330 miles on real-world roads.
The Lotus counters with brute force: even the ‘entry’ version summons 603 bhp, while the flagship unleashes a supercar-baiting 905 bhp for a 0-62 mph dash in 2.95 seconds. Straight-line shove is accompanied by the nimblest steering in the class, the thin-rimmed wheel feeding back every nuance of grip as the Eletre hunkers down on its adaptive dampers. Ride quality is firmer than the BMW’s, but body control over sweeping moorland is uncannily flat. It is also the quicker sprinter from the plug, recharging at up to 350 kW; find a high-output charger and the battery can leap from 10 to 80 per cent in twenty minutes, a feat the iX cannot yet match.
Inside, both deliver lounge-like calm. The BMW’s vast glassy cabin feels airy thanks to a flat floor and towering headroom, while its curved 14.9-inch infotainment display is pin-sharp and intuitive once familiar. The Lotus replies with even greater knee room and an optional four-seat layout complete with massaging chairs. A 15-speaker KEF sound system, aided by active noise-cancellation, fills the space with concert-hall clarity, though BMW’s Bowers & Wilkins alternative is no less immersive.
Safety favours Munich for now: the iX already wears a five-star Euro NCAP badge, and every model carries adaptive cruise with lane-centring assist. Lotus equips the Eletre with lidar-based driver aids and digital mirrors, but official crash data is still pending. Warranty coverage tips the scales back to Hethel with a five-year term versus the BMW’s three.
Which to choose? The Lotus is the sharper blade and the quicker charger, yet the BMW couples keen handling with superior ride comfort, hushed refinement and benchmark efficiency. For drivers seeking an electric SUV that feels effortlessly complete, the iX remains the benchmark to beat—proof that evolution can still outgun revolution.
