BMW iX Battles X7 M50i In Drag Race That Pits The Past Against The Future

BMW, like other automakers, is forging ahead with battery electric vehicles. The iX, the brand’s new flagship, sets the tone for the brand’s future, combining a new powertrain with the latest in-car technology. But how can that be BMW’s imminent past? New video from carwow helped answer that question by pitting the SUV EV against the gas-powered BMW X7 M50i.

Both have similar looking spec sheets. The X7 packs a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 engine that produces 530 horsepower (395 kilowatts) and 553 pound-feet (750 Newton-meters) of torque. Power reaches all four wheels via an eight-speed gearbox. The iX 50 has a dual motor setup that provides an all-wheel-drive configuration. The powertrain produces 523 hp (390 kW) and 564 lb-ft (765 Nm) of torque.

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EVs are typically heavier than their gas-powered counterparts, and that’s the case with BMW’s two SUVs. However, that’s a slight difference. The iX tips the scales at 5,555 pounds (2,520 kilograms) while the X7 weighs 5,489 lbs. (2,490 kg). It’s not a big difference that affects the race – on the contrary, it’s a different EV that will hurt the iX in later contests.

The iX has a top speed of 125 miles per hour (201 kilometers per hour), which is a pain in a one-mile rolling race. The iX had no trouble getting the X7 in its rearview mirror up to that speed and past the half-mile mark, but the X7 quickly closed the gap and overtook the iX once the EV hit its limit. The EV doesn’t have to hunt for the right gear like the X7.

The iX’s electrified powertrain gives it a sizeable advantage in standard quarter-mile drag races. The EV crossed the finish line in 13.0 seconds, just ahead of the X7’s 13.2 seconds. Emergency brake tests finally saw the iX exit the X7 once again even though the EV is slightly heavier than the X7, which is often a disadvantage.

Electric cars can have impressive power figures, but that’s a lot more than most people want or need. Range and efficiency are the more important factors that automakers should focus on as there is no problem making fast EVs of all shapes and sizes.