KUALA LUMPUR: The first day of BMW's NextGen Malaysia saw the official arrival of the all-electric sports activity vehicle (SAV) iX.
The BMW iX xDrive40 and its Sport variant has an electrical output of up to 326hp with a Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) range of up to 630 km.
They were unveiled alongside the iX3 M Sport and the all-electric Gran Coupé i4 eDrive40. Their introduction marks the automaker's first phase of i brand electrification for 2022.
"The first-ever BMW iX will mark a celebrated milestone of Malaysian electromobility for the generations to come. With it, BMW Malaysia is proud to present the best possibilities of electric driving to our loyal customers and Electric Vehicle (EV) enthusiasts alike.
"Ahead of new opportunities in government policies towards electromobility, as seen in the recently announced Budget 2022, we are confident that the capabilities of the iX, along with the rest of the BMW i fleet, will give drivers in Malaysia the confidence to choose electric for their next – or even first, drive," said BMW Group Malaysia managing director Hans de Visser.
BMW's three-day event (from Jan 13 to 15) held at the NextGen Pavillion @ Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur touches upon sustainability and electrified mobility in Malaysia.
Officiated by Senior Minister and International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, the public multi-stakeholder sustainability event also saw a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing held between BMW Group Malaysia and its partners - Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corperation (MGTC), Tenaga National Berhad (TNB), and Siemens Malaysia - to further develop the ecosystem and infrastructure for EVs in the country.
"When the BMW i was introduced in Malaysia seven years ago, we had envisioned the future of electromobility to look a lot like where we are at today. Beyond working with industry players and offering consistent support to the national electrification agenda, we want to empower the next generation of Malaysians to impact change in sustainability as well – which is a main motivation for NextGen Malaysia," said de Visser.
"Much like our partners, we believe the future is electric and there is a need for shared responsibility amongst stakeholders at every level to come together and develop sustainable solutions for the betterment of tomorrow,' he added.
The event will feature a line-up of public keynote speeches and panel discussions featuring leaders and experts in the field of sustainability across various industries, as well as exhibitions by Sunway XFarms, Circular Future and Kualesa.
Doors will open to the public at 2:00pm on Friday with a public panel discussion featuring Subang Jaya State assemblywoman Michelle Ng amongst others, and at 10:00AM on Saturday with a special public unveiling by BMW i.
