The Record-Breaker BMW iX in Norway

Launching the BMW iX xDrive turned out to be a groundbreaking success for BMW. Earlier this week, BMW Norway started to receive orders for the controversially designed iX. The BMW iX fully electric SUV broke the record for sales in a single day. There is nothing mentioned about the exact number of sales for the iX. However, it was high enough for the BMW iX to earn the most popular model launch title in the Nordic country. 

These records are not reservations but actual pre-orders that will be, later on, converted into sales. The base price for the iX xDrive40 starts at 649,000 NOK at about $77,100. Moreover, the iX xDrive50 rises at about 935,00 NOK or $109,500 in Fully Charged Edition with all the whistles and bells. Most people had signed for the Fully Charged edition, according to early data provided by BMW Norway. 

One of the main reasons for the successful marketing of the BMW iX is the xDrive. Customer deliveries will be at the end of the year. The BMW i3 and iX3 are also available, but only the new models are in AWD. This fully electric SUV was an immediate success due to quite harsh winters in Norway.

Another reason why the iX boomed is the local EV incentives. Norway does not have a purchase tax or value-added tax to pay when purchasing an electric car. There is an exemption for customers from paying insurance taxes and tax discounts for company cars. Several regional incentives like paying half only for road or ferry tolls and parking contributed to the BMW iX sales.

More than half (54.3%) of all new cars sold last year did not have a combustion engine, according to the Norwegian Road Federation (OFV). It is a big gap when the EV take rate was 1% a decade ago.