On paper, the BMW iX3 looks like one of the most impressive EV launches we’ve seen to date. The iX3 will pack 463 horsepower, and BMW is targeting 400 miles of EPA range and a starting price of around $60,000. The BMW iX3 will also feature state-of-the-art 400 kW charging tech with an 800V architecture, with the ability to add 175 miles of range in 10 minutes or complete a “full” 10-80% charge in just 21 minutes.
Of course, the targeted 400-mile EPA range for the iX3 is an estimate of real-world driving. In optimal conditions, it should be able to do much more than that. BMW engineers put that theory to the test in a real-world test in Europe and ended up traveling more than 621 miles on a single charge.
BMW engineers attempted to drive the iX3 from its Debrecen plant in northeastern Hungary to its headquarters in Munich, Germany, on a single charge. The engineers took some steps to achieve maximum efficiency that drivers would not typically make.
They avoided the highway; unlike combustion cars, EVs are less efficient there because they are unable to use regenerative braking. They used neither the heat nor the air conditioning on the drive. To conserve electricity, they even went without the radio for the duration of the journey. They also fitted the iX3 with smaller 20-inch wheels; the production model offers 21 or 22-inch wheels. With those parameters, the iX3 reached 1,000 km (621 miles) with just 2% range remaining.
For perspective, that's about the same distance as Mercedes was covering on efficiency runs with the Vision EQXX concept. Mercedes did not take quite the same precautions as BMW did. However, BMW was using a (mostly) stock crossover and not a purpose-built hypermiling concept.
Impressive, But Still Not A Range Record
Automakers have pushed their EVs to 1,000 km of range and beyond on a single charge before. Lucid achieved 749 miles last summer on a route from St. Moritz, Switzerland, to Munich. Though the 4,300-foot drop in altitude likely allowed for some steep descents and regenerative braking along the way.
Chevrolet engineers also drove 1,059.2 miles in a Silverado EV WT during testing in Metro Detroit last summer. They achieved the feat with a stock Silverado EV WT, only adding an optional tonneau cover. However, they also performed the test with a team of 40 engineers over seven days, traveling at a near constant speed between 20 and 25 mph.
