It’s been nearly a month since BMW revealed the iX3, yet we’re still uncovering interesting details about the electric SUV. Its front trunk marks the return of a feature last seen on the oddball i3 hatchback, but there’s more to it than just that. Product Manager Nicholas Gerstner told us the extra cargo compartment is waterproof. Additionally, it comes with a handy feature not previously mentioned.
Speaking with BMWBLOG at the iX3’s North American premiere, Nicholas pointed out that the front trunk has drain plugs. That means you can fill it with ice to keep drinks cold at a tailgate party, and the compartment under the hood will handle it with ease. Keep in mind, however, that while the volume is 58 liters (a little over two cubic feet), the weight limit is just 22 pounds (10 kilograms). So even if something fits, you shouldn’t exceed the payload capacity.
With the lid closed, the discreetly updated badge adorns a storage compartment made from 30% recycled marine plastic. BMW repurposes discarded fishing nets and ropes to produce nearly a third of the frunk. Accessing the area is done by pulling the interior lever twice, just like you would with a conventional hood. For bigger items, the rear cargo area offers 520 liters of space, or 1,750 liters with the rear bench folded.
It’s reasonable to expect other Neue Klasse electric vehicles to come with a front trunk as well. Next year’s i3 is likely to have one, though probably not as large. The electric sedan will have a lower frontal section, which will limit the depth of the frunk. Still, it should be more useful than the i3’s old setup, especially since the iX3’s frunk is waterproof. The rumored i3 Touring and iX4 are likely to have a secondary storage area as well.
By contrast, we wouldn’t count on the iX5 or iX7 offering one, since those SUVs will share their architecture with combustion-powered models. If BMW goes ahead with an iX6, as rumored, that too may skip the frunk to make room for conventional engine components in the ICE flavors. Even if by any chance CLAR-based cars are getting one, the frunks will be smaller due to packaging constraints.
