I get that this is a Tesla echo chamber and to expect irrational negativity towards other brands, but the banter here couldn't be more uninformed. BMW's motors are 3-phase AC synchronous motors and the brush is of a slip ring design that only delivers a small DC excitation current to the rotor. It's nothing like the "DC brushed motors" that some here are using as comparison. BMW's radical new design allows for very fine control of power and torque—far more than Tesla's induction motors. BMW's design also allows for true coasting that is impossible with magnet motors.
The part in question is also located on the side of the motor that is accessible for servicing. How serviceable are Tesla's drive units?
Model S goes through an average of one motor replacement every 25,000 miles. There is something seriously wrong with Tesla's design and engineering. My impression of Tesla engineering is a room filled with farting teenagers playing video games.
BMW's magnet-free design is more resilient to supply chain issues and less reliant on China. The less anyone depends on China the better. There are no rare earth metals used in the BMW iX. To head off the poorly informed, the lithium and cobalt used in batteries are not rare earth metals. China is the #1 producer of rare earth metals used in magnets, such as neodymium.
The Tesla faithful point to a marginally faster 0-60 time for their favorite brand, but what they neglect to mention is that no Tesla has a properly designed suspension to actually handle that acceleration. The suspensions are identical whether you get the base model or the P. The only difference is the P might be a few tenths of an inch lower, which on its own does not create a performance suspension except in Tesla's imagination.
The car least capable of handling its power output is the Plaid. Try some cornering in that jalopy and you'll know what I'm talking about. It can't even hold a straight line when accelerating due to torque steer. This is due to poorly designed suspension geometry and vehicle dynamics. To get decent braking for a Plaid you have to spend $20k on upgraded brakes that other performance brands already include.
This one-time Tesla owner and fan sold his Model S and ordered a BMW iX M60. I did it over the phone with the local BMW dealer. No markup. No BS. And no reservation fee! I can no longer support a company like Tesla, where a true performance driving experience and vehicle dynamics don't even make it onto Elon's to-do list. The non-existent sound dampening and rough suspensions in Teslas should be embarrassing to all of you. Keep patting yourselves on the back for making misinformed comments.
The car ownership experience and thrill of driving encompasses far more than just a fast 0-60 time. People who value quality materials, fit and finish, build quality, and a refined driving experience will not buy a Tesla. My client dumped his Model S in favor of an Audi e-tron GT and he's never looking back. He said his Tesla was a dumpster fire by comparison. And before you take another swig of koolaid and start quoting the e-tron's EPA range, you probably had no clue that real-world range is closer to 300 miles and significantly higher than EPA rating. Tell me, how many of you have actually hit Tesla's EPA range, ever?
It might behoove some of you to open your minds. Maybe it's been so long since you've driven a properly designed vehicle that you no longer remember how that feels and sounds.
