BMW IX vs Zeekr 7X

What's the difference?

BMW’s iX M60 isn’t just the brand’s flagship all-electric SUV, it’s a statement that the electric future is here and it doesn’t have to be boring.

Pricing aside, the top-spec iX serves up practical space and prodigious performance in a package that is punctuated with panache.

The sizeable battery also allays any concerns over range, while the cabin’s appointments and fit and finish are definitely befitting of a BMW.

It’s not designed to be for everyone, and that’s okay, too, because the small customer base willing to part with around $230,000 for an electric SUV in 2022 will find a lot to like about the iX.

The Zeekr 7X looks better in the metal, impresses with its European cabin ambiance and slick build quality from behind the wheel, and dazzles with its impressive specifications and wild software.

There’s unfortunately a lot riding on local calibration, all the way from ride and handling to driver assist tech. We’ve driven cars from new brands which initially look impressive, but end up being infuriating to live with, and it will only take local testing in the second half of 2025 to figure out whether Zeekr can manage to bypass some of the teething issues its rivals have faced.

It’s also a shame some combination of ADRs and the relatively small size of our market will kill off some of the coolest features this car gets overseas.

Regardless, there’s an impressive product here at least on our limited initial impressions, one which leans on its blended DNA to seemingly provide the best of both worlds - Chinese forward-facing tech, with European platform design. If this sounds like it could call out to you the Zeekr 7X is certainly a launch in 2025 worth keeping an eye on.

Close your eyes and ask your eight-year-old self what an electric BMW SUV would look like, and chances are something like the iX will come to mind.

Sleek and slender, but still very BMW is the best way we can describe the iX.

Of course, we cannot talk about styling on a BMW without mentioning its front grille.

With a more vertically stacked orientation, the iX’s grille has been described as ‘toothy’ or even an ‘eye sore’ by the public in the past. But honestly, we think this attention-grabbing front end suits the swagger of the M60.

The gold highlights throughout are especially baller, and the grille serves as double-duty to hide a lot of the front-facing cameras and sensors required for more of the high-tech driving features like semi-autonomous driving.

The grille is flanked by BMW’s usual quad-headlight design for a menacing appearance on the road, and we particularly like the contrasting colours and sharp lines of our grey-coloured test car.

Another cool feature is the front badge, which can be popped up and serves as an inlet for the windscreen washer jets.

In profile, the 22-inch wheels look almost too small against the huge swathes of bodywork, but BMW has done a good job in slimming down the M60 thanks to the gloss-black stripe that runs along the bottom of the doors.

Speaking of, the handles might not pop-out like some of its rivals, but the recessed handle is highlighted nicely with gold-copper accents that also run along the beltline and door mirrors.

The D-pillar is also broken up with a blacked-out section that divides the roof, also helping slim down the behemoth BMW, and up close the section is embossed with ‘iX’.

At the rear, the clamshell boot might look large and bulky, but the design is helped by the very slender tail-lights and bumper broken up with more gloss-black.

Step inside the cabin, and the iX’s aesthetics are similarly unconventional, but the interior design also follows function.

For starters, the odd-shaped steering wheel is the feature that stands out the most, but you quickly realise the flat bottom helps with entry and exit into the driver’s seat.

As an all-electric model, there is no transmission tunnel, with the footwell between the driver and front passenger easily accessible for a more open-feeling cabin.

There is an armrest of course, while the area for multimedia controls is adorned with a one-piece, wood-like finish to contrast the crystal control knob. It’s a mix of technology and the natural environment, you see, much like the iX itself.

Do we love the styling of the iX M60? Much in the same way Louis Vuitton’s latest fashion range might not appeal to the masses, the iX M60 is likewise a polarising proposition.

To answer the question, yes, the iX M60 is a very stylish SUV that draws the eye and turns heads like nearly nothing else on the road – and that is exactly the point.

At a distance the 7X looks, I suppose, like just another Chinese electric SUV. The sleek amorphous body shape is so synonymous with new electric vehicles, they may as well be designed by AI.

A closer inspection reveals a more subtle car, with a hint of aggression about its alloys and sturdy wheel arches. Its stance on the road is certainly more ‘European performance SUV’ than ‘generic family mid-sizer’, especially in the high-spec versions we had a chance to sample.

While I do think it will miss out on a bit of personality in its face without the clever pixel LED light bar it gets in the Chinese market, the rear three quarter might be its better angle, with 3D-style light fittings sliced out of the bodywork, blending with the bootlid spoiler and little flick of the panelwork down below to make for a hint of the sporty capabilities which lie below.

The inside is even better, though. Frameless doors give way to a space packed with lavish trims complete with an immediate and surprising feel of quality. You could be sitting in an upmarket Volvo or Polestar easily, you’re just confronted with an unknown logo on the steering wheel.

It also takes on more personality on the inside, with clever 3D-look ambient lighting inlays, ultra-sharp screens with dazzlingly fast software, and switchgear which feels as premium as any luxury brand.

The giant and completely dominating central touchscreen might not be for everyone, but it’s part of Zeekr’s mission to bring the overbearing sense of tech from the Chinese market to the luxury space.

It strikes me, sitting in the 7X, the days of Chinese cars being cheap and cheerful are laregely behind us. There aren’t even remote reminders, as you might still find from time to time in a GWM or MG product.

There aren’t cheap plastic panels where there shouldn’t be, there aren’t areas where it feels like the design doesn’t quite match up, there aren’t odd bits of switchgear which don’t feel as quality as they should, or mismatching fonts, or software which doesn’t match the rest of the car. 

It’s this attention to detail which makes a car feel more than the sum of its parts, and it’s clear Zeekr’s Gothenburg design studio hasn’t been limited in its scope in bringing a sense of completionism to every part of the cabin.

Despite what it might look like on the outside or how it drives behind the wheel, BMW’s iX is undoubtedly a large SUV in shape.

Measuring nearly five metres long, and featuring a 1967mm width and 1696mm height, the iX M60 is certainly a sizeable machine.

However, it is the three-metre long wheelbase that is the most important measurement here, as it enables a vast and expansive interior space fit for the family.

The front passengers have ample room to get comfortable, and like we said in the design section of the review, there is nothing dividing the footwells of occupants up front.

This makes it the perfect place to park a backpack, handbag or even nappy bag when on the go, and means the front passenger doesn’t lose out on any legroom.

Even the armrest affords storage solutions for all the little things you might have you in pockets, while a wireless smartphone charger means you always have somewhere to place your device.

The front seats, finished in a quilted leather, might look plain, but are wonderfully supportive – even when the speedo climbs and you're carving up corners.

And in the rear, the story is largely the same, with seats that look and feel great and plenty of room for passengers to get comfortable.

My 163cm frame had no problems with leg-, head- or shoulder-room, but the base middle seat is raised a little.

We’ll also call out the great way BMW has hidden the ISOFIX mounting points for child seats, which is hidden by a flap that can be raised or lowered depending on what is needed.

It’s an elegant solution to something that can be an eyesore in other models, and shows the lengths BMW has gone to for the little details.

There is also a fold-down armrest for passengers back there, while the back of the front seats feature two USB-C charging ports, map pockets and spots to insert entertainment screens. 

Open the clamshell boot and there is a cavity that will swallow 500 litres of volume, plenty for a small family like ours, with the charging cables hidden neatly under the floor.

The boot floor is very long, too, meaning large objects will easily fit into the rear, while the 40/20/40 rear seats can be folded down to increase carrying capacity to 1750L.

To put that into perspective, something like the Ford Ranger is rated for more than 1200L in its tray, and while we would never condone the use of an iX to carry worksite tools, it does make carrying a surfboard or Ikea furniture that much easier.

However, it's worth pointing out that there is no front trunk in the iX, as there are electric motor and mechanical bits found in there. 

It’s just a shame that in a car of this size, BMW has not managed to position things with room left for a bit of usable space under the bonnet.

The 7X’s dedicated electric SEA platform (a derivative of the same platform which underpins the Polestar 4) allows for familiar EV innovations like a flat floor and better integration for the battery pack. As a result, this feels like a quite, spacious mid-sizer.

Up front there seems to be great adjustability and a nice width to the cabin, and a nice sense of coziness provided by the plush trims and raised centre console.

A tilt-opening centre console box provides a large storage area below (which can be converted optionally to a fridge) while there’s decent storage in the doors, and a large cutaway under the centre console area.

Atop, there’s dual wireless chargers and dual cupholders with a sliding cover piece to keep things tidy when they’re not in use. Overseas versions at least also have nifty lift-open armrests with small storage areas good for sunglasses and the like.

While the screen is massive and is required to control many of the car’s functions, it’s not clear year exactly how deep the functionality of this software in Australian cars will be, suffice to say it will be more streamlined than the complex suite available in China at launch.

However, there are a set of four shortcut buttons plus a volume dial below the screen to add some physical functionality, which is always welcome.

There are also various customisable elements to the digital instrument cluster, setting it apart from the more basic versions out there on some rival vehicles.

Suffice it to say it will be easier to use for non-screen people than the Model Y, the incoming version of which will no doubt dump nearly all physical controls.

The second row immediately stands out thanks to its ease-of-access. The doors intentionally open a full 90 degrees, and you’re greeted with the open flat floor, making it easy to shuffle the whole way across if you’re only able to board or exit on the kerbside.

Space seemed more than sufficient for me (at 182cm) in the rear row, with airspace for my knees and plenty of headroom. The rear seats also offer power adjust and heating in overseas models.

We’ll miss out on the built-in mechanised tray and high quality entertainment screen option which was in the Chinese versions we tested.

In a clever touch, there are even a set of drawers under the rear seats for additional storage, to add to the standard bottle holders in the doors and drop-down armrest.

There’s tri-zone climate with touch panel controls on the back of the centre console, as well as some USB-C outlets for rear passengers. Adjustable air vents are located in the B-pillars.

The boot measures in at 539-litres which is decent, but perhaps not segment leading. It’s offered with quick release seats and a partitionable boot floor as well as a ski port.

Up front there’s a frunk, great for your charging cables, which measures either 66 litres in RWD versions or 42 litres in AWD versions.

Towing capacity according to European-spec vehicles measures in at 2000kg braked, although keep in mind it’s likely to be different for locally delivered vehicles as it will be measured when the car is complied with local suspension settings and to specific ADRs.

Put simply, we don’t yet know how much the Zeekr 7X will cost. In fact, Zeekr in Australia probably hasn’t even decided how much it will cost yet. For a clue, though, pricing was just revealed in Europe, the 7X’s first export market.

There, it starts from roughly $75,000 for a base rear-wheel drive version, although it’s worth noting Geely group vehicles attract a 18.8 per cent tariff in Europe, and therefore we’d expect it to be quite a bit cheaper in Australia.

However, it will also need to steer clear of its much smaller Zeekr X sibling, which comes in two variants priced at $56,900 and $64,900, respectively. Based on these two factors I think it’s fair to speculate a range of $65,000 to $80,000 depending on variant.

On the topic of variants, expect three as the brand will look to mirror its range in China (as it has already done in Europe).

Kicking off proceedings is a standard range RWD with a 75kWh battery pack good for a 480km driving range on the WLTP cycle.

Then there’s a Long Range RWD variant with a 100kWh battery pack good for a 615km driving range, and finally there’s a Performance AWD.

For anyone shopping around for an EV, especially in this mid-size segment this will be a very familiar line-up.

It also boasts a solid amount of equipment, although some particularly impressive items available in its Chinese home market won’t be available in Australia thanks to some buzzkill Australian Design Rules (ADRs).

Still, you can expect extensive Nappa leather interior trimmings, not just the seats and wheel, but in the console and across the dash, too, with a full array of electric adjustments for the front seats with heating (EU cars have the option for ventilation and message functions, too).

It immediately leaps out at you on the tech front with a 16-inch 3.5K centre multimedia touchscreen. This unit is ultra-fast (using a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip, for those who care) and has clever graphics on the home screen which show the surrounding weather conditions thanks to its always-online suite.

For those sick of cars without instrument clusters, the 7X gets a 13-inch unit for the driver and there’s also an option to add a 36.2-inch head-up display (at least on EU-market cars).

On the outside there are a set of LED headlights and tail-lights, frameless doors and 19-inch alloys.

Stepping up a grade on Euro-spec cars nets some minor items alongside the larger battery, including an auto-dimming rear vision mirror, and a power-adjustable steering wheel, while the top-spec all-wheel drive adds a significant boost to performance, active air suspension, upgraded brakes and perforated leather trim on the inside.

Again, these standard items might not mirror what ends up being available in Australia, but it should give you at least a good indication of what kinds of things to expect.

Some particularly cool things on the Chinese market versions we drove which can’t come to Australia thanks to design rule limitations include the pixel pattern panel on the front of the car (which adds quite a lot of personality to it), as well as a big electrically-folding touchscreen panel and tray table on the back of the driver’s seat perfect for entertaining kids.

Like Europe, it’s also possible we won’t get all the interior options available in China either, like the Ming Dynasty vase-inspired blue and cream interior trim option.

The other thing to note is despite its premium positioning, expect Zeekr to continue to undercut electric mid-size SUV rivals like the Audi Q6 e-tron, BMW iX3 and the Genesis GV70 electrified.

While the brand agreed comparisons to Tesla’s Model Y are “inevitable”, the car doesn’t really feel like a competitor, because its larger and also because it clearly intends to shoot above the mainstream space with its specs and interior feel.

Perhaps the biggest threat to the 7X though will be the surprisingly plush Xpeng G6 (from a crazy low $54,800) which should be arriving in customer hands imminently.

A large part of why the iX M60 is so much more expensive than its siblings, is because of its powertrain.

With two electric motors spinning all four wheels, the iX M60 makes a staggering 455kW of power and (are you sitting down?) 1100Nm of torque.

This means the iX M60 can accelerate from 0-100km/h in just 3.8 seconds. Not bad for a 2.5-tonne SUV, and it puts many petrol-powered rivals to shame.

This also makes it much more potent than the xDrive40 (240kW/630Nm) and xDrive50 (285kW/765Nm), while also blowing away the Audi e-tron S (370kW/973Nm).

The only electric car that comes close right now in Australia is the Porsche Taycan Turbo S (560kW/1050Nm), but the Tesla Model X Plaid supposedly makes 760kW/1020Nm from three electric motors.

And while the Tesla is not yet available, the Taycan Turbo S is more than $100,000 pricier than the iX M60, and doesn’t offer the same levels of practicality.

There are two drivetrains on offer with the 7X. The rear-wheel drive cars are equipped with a 310kW/440Nm motor, while the AWD version adds a second motor on the front axle for total outputs of 470kW/710Nm.

It’s a punchy set of outputs compared to most options in this segment, but as we’ve learned with electric cars, it’s all down to how well the car’s traction software and transmission settings communicate this power to the wheels.

Acceleration times look promising. Zero to 100km/h is delivered in six seconds for rear-wheel drive versions, or just 3.8 seconds in the all-wheel drive (0.1 of a second slower than a current Model Y Performance). Max speed on all variants is an electronically-limited 210km/h.

The top-spec Performance AWD also adds the aforementioned larger brakes and air suspension with active dampers to help keep things all tidy.

Equipped with a 112kWh battery pack, the iX M60 features 566km of driving range according to the WLTP cycle.

In reality, we saw closer to 540km of driving range on the dash readout with a full charge, but of course this is all subject to things like the level of regenerative braking you apply, ambient temperature, the driving mode chosen, air conditioning and weight.

Officially, the BMW iX M60 consumes 26.5kWh per 100km, but our week with the car saw an average of 25.6kWh/100km with driving mainly focussed on short, inner-city trips that are advantageous to an electric car.

This betters the energy consumption of models like the Taycan Turbo S, which features a combined-cycle test of 28.5kWh//100km, but is much more energy-hungry than something like a Nissan Leaf (18kWh/100km).

This figure is also very dependent on driving style and environment, but for a 2.5-tonne SUV that will ferry the family and more, consumption isn’t too bad.

Charging options include 11kW for AC and 200kW DC fast-charging – the latter of which can juice the iX M60 from 10-80- per cent capacity in just 35 minutes, if you can find a compatible outlet, of course.

Efficiency seems about on par for a car this big and heavy, though it would be nice to see a step-change improvement. RWD versions have a WLTP-rated consumption of 17.8kWh/100km for the base Premium, or slightly less for the Long Range (17.7kWh/100km). The Performance AWD has a relative lust for energy, rated at a less impressive 19.9kWh/100km.

High consumption, of course, requires large batteries. The base Premium RWD gets a 75kWh lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) unit, providing a WLTP-measured 480km of range (about on par for the segment) while the Long Range RWD and Performance AWD versions get a 100kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) pack, providing an impressive 615km or 543km of range, respectively.

Regardless of battery choice, all versions have an 800-volt electrical architecture allowing a claimed 480kW max DC charging speed.

According to the brand this means a 10-80 per cent charge time as low as 13 minutes for the LFP battery or 16 minutes for the NMC battery.

It would make the 7X one of the fastest-charging vehicles in Australia, but keep in mind there aren’t many chargers (if any) currently capable of outputting such speeds.

Impressively, European versions at least can extract the maximum 22kW off an AC charger, allowing a slow-charging time of just 4.5 hours (LFP) or 5.5 hours (NMC).

We’ll have to wait and see whether this specification carries over to the Australian market, but it would be the only car in the class to get 22kW as standard if so. Again, good luck finding public slow chargers capable of outputting such speeds (most are 11kW or less), but it’s nice to have from a future-proofing point of view.

Additionally, the 7X is capable of outputting up to 3.3kW from its charging port in vehicle-to-load mode, which not all rivals offer. Check back next year to make sure this feature is equipped to Australian-delivered cars.

Maybe it’s just us, but as soon as we step into the driver’s seat of the iX M60, the “Gotta Go Fast” theme song for the Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon just comes to mind.

And that’s probably because this BMW all-electric SUV seems to want to do one thing... go fast.

Sure, there are various driving modes on offer, including 'Sport' and 'Efficient' (as well as 'Expressive' and 'Relax', weird names, but okay BMW), but no matter what mode you are in, there is just an eagerness and urgency in the iX.

And this feeling of immediacy isn’t just because the iX is an electric car. We’ve experienced that before in other EVs. This is because it’s an M-badged BMW.

The iX M60 is wonderfully responsive to throttle inputs, and the 1100Nm (!) available makes it almost comical getting up to speed from a freeway on-ramp.

And in day-to-day traffic situations, it feels like you’ve got cheat codes on while driving.

Waiting to turn into traffic and see a gap that you wouldn’t normally be able to squeeze into? The BMW iX M60 can do it.

How about cruising along and need to change lanes, so you nudge forward a bit for the opening in traffic? Put the foot down and in the span of half a second, the BMW iX M60 has surged forward enough to flick the indicator on.

And take the iX M60 out to some twisties and that brute force will get you to the end of the road in a time you didn’t think was possible in a 2.5-tonne large SUV.

It’s almost unfair how the instant torque makes it everything so much easier on the blacktop.

But that eagerness is a double-edged sword, as when you want things to calm down and operate the iX in the smoothest manner possible, it’s harder than you might think.

Because the throttle is so sensitive and the powertrain so potent, even the slightest twitch of the right foot can lead to a quick burst of speed that knocks you back into your seat.

Even with things dialled down to the Efficient drive mode, it didn’t do much to curb the unruly iX M60 from wanting to break free at the first moment of carelessness.

Don’t get me wrong, it never gets dangerous or unpredictable, but it’s a bit like toilet training a toddler – you’ve always got to be on top of it.

And for some, that’s fine, but for others when you’ve just had a full-on day at work and have to commute home to the family, it can get tiring. 

I had a very short test drive of the top-spec AWD Performance 7X on a test course at the brand’s home test circuit at Ningbo, which included a pre-prepared ‘off-road’ feature and about two laps around the car park. So our drive impressions are limited.

Still, the 7X immediately feels the part from behind the wheel. Heavy, purposeful steering communicates the heft of an electric premium SUV well, and the top-spec air suspension handled its weight nicely on a curve course. The big brakes certainly work well and the ride dispatched a set of speed bumps with ease.

The ‘off-road’ section, a steep incline designed to be mounted sideways to showcase the car’s clever torque-vectoring traction system, was also easy to navigate, and the additional clearance provided by setting the active suspension to its off-road setting was notable.

Additionally, the set of surround cameras were some of the better ones I’ve used lately to get a sense of where the important bits of the car actually are when you can’t see yourself.

From what I could tell, though, you can certainly feel the weight of the massive 100kWh battery pack, so don’t expect the 7X to be an ultra agile machine. You can also feel the increase in dimensions compared to a Model Y - this is certainly a larger SUV.

Still, the quality of the cabin and the ambiance inside jumped out at me, as did the sleek software and overall premium feel.

Make sure to check in prior to the local launch of the 7X for more detailed impressions of cars with local calibration settings. It’s likely Australian delivered cars will receive regional damper settings, and as always, the calibration of the driver assist systems will be key.

Even in my brief steer I felt the faint tug of lane keep assist on the wheel, so here’s hoping these features score their own local calibration which isn’t deal-breaking on day one.

I was also able to sample this car’s lower riding sibling, the 007 sedan, on the track. It proved as violently quick as you’d expect with its impressive specifications, although wrangling such power and weight requires a pretty strict electronic stability control (ESC) system. That occasionally sucks the fun out of corners and makes the car feel like it sometimes knows what’s best (and actually, maybe it does).

The brakes also proved to fatigue quickly at track velocities, although the same can be said for most EVs I’ve sampled, aside from the Audi e-tron GT which had impressive sustain.

If you’ve got your eye on this class of vehicle then, it might be worth the wait to compare it to the likes of the techy Audi Q6 e-tron, sedate but predictable BMW iX3, and decidedly more intriguing Polestar 3.

This car gets a set of active (crash avoidance) safety features so comprehensive whether they’re good or not will really come down to calibration.

Like Teslas, the 7X gets so many sensors and cameras it can provide a 3D visualisation in the dash cluster of all the people and objects around the car. It’s one of those new-age features which is undeniably cool and gives you an insight into how the car’s brain works.

The usual array of features otherwise is present including freeway-speed auto emergency braking, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear and front cross-traffic alert, as well as door open warning, driver monitoring (with facial recognition, scary), as well as adaptive high beams.

It can even automatically park itself. Actually, in China, at least, it can completely drive itself. We were treated to a tech demo of this car’s fully autonomous “level three plus” driving mode on public streets in Hangzhou.

When on, it shows a complete visualisation of its surroundings and the road conditions on the nav screen. It performed reasonably well in immensely complicated surroundings.

It pre-emptively changes lane itself, somehow avoids the plethora of two-wheeled vehicles and rickshaws driving through every busy intersection in a Chinese city, and is completely capable of stopping then driving through sets of lights all on its own.

The only problem is the system taps into and relies on China’s vehicle-to-infrastructure connectivity. This is how it’s so accurate at knowing when to go and when to slow down at intersections. We’re way behind where we’d need to be for such technology to be deployed in Australia.

Plus it’s far from completely being able to drive itself. Occasionally it would merge into a bus stop lane and then have to merge back out, and at one point it managed to miss a freeway on-ramp and needed to circumnavigate the block to get back on.

Still, it’s a more sophisticated take on the tech than the exclusively freeway test I sat in for Tesla’s self-driving software a few years ago.

The Zeekr 7X is yet to be rated by ANCAP or Euro NCAP.

Like all new BMWs, the iX now comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty with roadside assist over that period.

BMW held out at three years/unlimited km long after competitors had moved to five years. But this finally matches the assurance periods offered by premium rivals Audi, Genesis, Jaguar, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz, and is up two years from the BMW warranty offered just earlier this year.

The iX uses BMW’s 'Condition Based Servicing' system, which means the vehicle will notify owners of when it needs maintenance, therefore there aren’t any scheduled servicing intervals.

However, services are bundled into four- and six-year plans, priced at $1520 and $2195 respectively. An annual average of $380 for the former, and $367 for the latter, is competitive in this part of the market.

Zeekr currently offers a fairly run-of-the-mill five-year and unlimited kilometre new car warranty and an eight-year/160,000km battery warranty on its X small SUV which has already launched in Australia, terms which we expect will remain the same on its follow-up vehicles.

Additionally, there’s five years of roadside assistance and the X at least offers long service intervals of two years and 40,000km.

On top of this, Zeekr claims its OEM-backed dealer model will allow for better aftermarket support and parts supply compared to importer outfits, and it is adding a raft of features for a premium ownership scheme similar to those offered by Lexus and Audi currently. From launch the X is also offered with a 7.0kW home charger, as an example.

The brand also tells us it is planning to launch with a more basic version of the software suite in this car, but is also planning at least two major software updates a year which will progressively add more of the features available to Chinese consumers as time goes on.