BMW Unveils New Electric SUVs in Korea

BMW unveiled two new electric cars in Korea on Monday. The iX and iX3 are its first new electric cars sold here in seven years and are based on two popular SUVs.

The iX is the same size as BMW's X5 mid-sized SUV and made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic for light weight and durability. It can travel up to 447 km on a full charge and takes 40 minutes to charge to 80 percent of the battery.

The panoramic sun roof of the iX can change from transparent to opaque at the push of a button. One industry insider said, "It looks like the iX will compete with the Tesla Model X, which was the only mid-sized electric SUV available in the country until now."

The iX3 compact SUV can travel up to 344 km on a full charge.

The iX xDrive40 model costs W122.6 million and the iX xDrive50 W146.3 million (US$1=W1,187). The iX3 costs W75.9 million.