The BMW X2 is barely two years old as a model and it’s already headed down the path of electrification. A prototype version of Bimmer’s relatively new compact crossover has been spotted in the snowy abode of Sweden, and while it’s easy to assume that said model is the plug-in hybrid variant of the X2, the truth is that it’s not.

This crossover is the test mule of the iX2, the all-electric version of the X2 crossover that will be launched sometime in 2021 or 2022. The spy photos captured the iX2 prototype sans any camouflage and that’s not by accident. Visually, it’s still the X2 but that little sticker that says “electric test vehicle” confirms that, other than a few design changes, this prototype is an all-electric crossover hiding in the X2’s clothing.

2022 BMW iX2

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2022 BMW iX2
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

What Will the 2022 BMW iX2 Look Like

There’s a reason why this test mule isn’t wrapped in swirly camouflage.

For the most part, though, we’re looking at a largely similar prototype as the X2 plug-in hybrid test mule that we saw back in November 2019. It’s no secret that BMW has big plans to diversify the X2 family, and these new spy photos are proof that Bimmer’s doing exactly that. That said, there are some telling differences between this particular prototype and the ones we’ve seen in the past. Upfront, you’ll notice that the front bumper is completely different. Three horizontal planks cut across from one end of the bumper to the other. The fog lamps located just under the headlamps are still there, but the somewhat triangular intakes that are prominent design features of the X2 are gone in this prototype.

If that’s the case, it’s possible that the all-electric X2 could receive a similar update. I gander that this design update will be adopted across the entire family of X2 models. After all, the crossover is approaching its third year in the market. By BMW’s standards, a facelift could be due for its spunky crossover.

The prototype’s side profile doesn’t reveal much in the way of identifying it as an electric model, but the rear section makes that abundantly clear, thanks to a strip of sticker that reads “Electric Test Vehicle” sitting between the X2 and xDrive 25e badges. Oh, and don’t be fooled by that exhaust tip sitting oh-so-innocently in the crossovers’ diffuser. That’s for show and tell. The all-electric X2 will have no such equipment for reasons that should be obvious to everyone by now.

the 2022 BMW iX2 Could Share its Drivetrain With Other Models

Since the BMW iX2 is still a ways away from arriving, powertrain details are still up in the air. There are reports, however, that the iX2 will share powertrains with the iX1.

The smaller battery pack will reportedly carry a range of 185 kilometers (115 miles) while the bigger batty pack will have as much as 306 kilometers (190 miles) on a single charge.

There are questions, though, on the veracity of the 38-kWh battery pack, which is actually smaller than the current 42.2-kWh unit that you can find in the BMW i3. If BMW is using a battery pack that’s in the vicinity of the existing 42.2-kWh pack, it doesn’t make sense for the Bavarians to use a smaller battery pack with less capacity on what is essentially one of the i3’s all-electric successors.

Besides, it’s no secret that BMW has been working for a long time on significantly increasing the capacity of the battery packs it plans to use in its EV models. Using a 38-kWh battery pack when it already has a 42.2-kWh option would run counter to the automaker’s long-held objective.

The 76-kWh battery pack sounds more plausible given that its size and capacity fit what BMW’s aiming for its next wave of all-electric models. The number of electric motors the iX2 will carry remains unclear, but a two-motor setup — one on each axle — sounds plausible.

How Much Does the BMW iX2 Cost?

The BMW iX2 isn’t scheduled to arrive for another few years so don’t expect BMW to start divulging pricing details until the model actually arrives. In lieu of that, you can estimate how much the iX2 is going to cost by comparing the prices of models that are in close proximity to the iX2’s stature.

You can also look at the BMW i3’s current pricing — it starts at $44,450 — and with these figures in mind, it’s not unreasonable to think that the BMW iX2 would cost somewhere in the vicinity of $40,000 to $45,000 when it hits the market in either 2021 or 2022.

An electric crossover we can look forward to

BMW’s goal to beef up its electric car lineup is beginning to take shape. The German automaker wanted to roll out 25 models that carried some form of electrification by 2023, including 13 models that are fully electric. The BMW iX1 is expected to be one of the first of these all-electric models to hit the scene, but don’t sleep on the iX2’s arrival, though. Like the iX1, the BMW iX2 is the ideal model for today’s auto industry. It covers two segments — crossovers/SUVs and electric vehicles — that are experiencing unprecedented surges in popularity.

We’re not talking in the language of the i3 anymore; the iX2 is part of a wave of new electric vehicles that will come to define BMW’s future as an automaker. If that sounds like a lot’s riding on the success of the iX2, it’s because a lot is riding on the success of the iX2. Fortunately, it looks like the development of the electric crossover is going about as smoothly as it can, or at least relative to the snowy conditions over there in Sweden where the iX2 test mule was recently spotted.