It is well known that EVs are silent compared to ICE-engined cars. But, for other road users, these cars could pose a hazard, especially for pedestrians as they can’t hear the vehicles coming. Now, it has been reported that BMW has recalled some electric vehicles as they have stopped making this noise.
The noise made by an EV is very important. It is one of the safety features in the car. Now, BMW has recalled 1,443 units of the iX and 1,988 units of the i4 for not emitting noise from the external sound generator. The said cars were manufactured between 13 January to 21 December 2022. According to the information shared with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the sound emitted is faulty.
It is possible that the affected car could experience an intermittent operation of the sound emitter in certain conditions. Hence, it will not emit the appropriate sounds. In normal operation, the sound emitter should beep or make a humming noise when the car is reversing.
BMW plans to update the software which will take care of this issue. Owners of the said cars will be alerted by both BMW and their dealerships by March 2023. The software update will be done free of charge.
It is not yet known if the recall affects car sold in India.
The BMW iX electric SUV sports a sculptural and monolithic design language with an imposing BMW signature grille. It also holds the distinction of being the only BMW to sport the slimmest headlights and a 3D bonnet.
The BMW iX uses the brand’s fifth-generation eDrive technology, including a highly integrated drive unit with a single-speed transmission. With two electric motors on the front and rear axles, the SUV produces 326 PS of power. Thanks to all-wheel-drive, the EV can accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in just 6.1 seconds. BMW has implemented two high-voltage batteries on the floor of the SUV with a combined capacity of 76.6 kWh. This allows the iX to provide a driving range of up to 425 Km after every charge.
The all-electric BMW i4 uses the 4-Series Gran Coupe as its base. As for the platform, it uses a specially-adapted version of the CLAR architecture. Hence, unlike the BMW iX, it is not a ground-up EV. As for the styling, it is similar to the 4-Series Gran Coupe.
In India, the new BMW i4 will come only in a single variant – the eDrive40. Powering the eDrive40 is a rear axle-mounted electric motor. The motor produces a total of 340 HP and 430 Nm of torque. BMW claims a 0 to 100kmph time of 5.7 seconds for this variant. The top speed of the i4 is electronically-limited to 190kmph.
The eDrive40 comes with a floor-mounted lithium-ion battery pack. The total capacity of the battery pack is 83.9 kWh. However, the usable capacity is 80.7 kWh.
Also Read – BMW iX sold-out in India, new bookings in Q1 2022.