Article Summary
- 1,030 km on a single charge: The new BMW iX3 50L covered 1,030.2 km without recharging, exceeding its 919-km CLTC range.
- BMW credits its cylindrical battery cells, slippery body, energy recovery, and thermal management for the impressive efficiency.
- The record was achieved under specific test conditions, so don't expect every long-wheelbase iX3 to achieve a four-digit range.
BMW is putting the long-distance capabilities of its next-generation iX3 to the test. In a new internal road test in China, the iX3 50L traveled 1,030.2 kilometers (640 miles) without stopping to recharge. In doing so, it set a new range record for a BMW electric vehicle. The “L” suffix stands for the long-wheelbase version, which most of the world sadly isn’t getting.
Engineers conducted the test, driving the Neue Klasse-based electric SUV from BMW’s production facility in Shenyang to the company’s R&D center in Beijing. When the iX3 reached its destination, it still had five percent of battery juice. That means it could have gone even farther before completely running out of energy.
That’s particularly noteworthy because BMW quotes a CLTC range of 919 km (571 miles) for the iX3 50L. In other words, the SUV traveled more than 100 km beyond its official Chinese-market rating under the conditions of this specific test. That said, BMW points out that this was an internal test conducted on a carefully planned route. Consequently, the result shouldn’t be interpreted as a real-world range guarantee. At the same time, the CLTC standard we mentioned is far more lenient than WLTP and especially EPA.
The New BMW iX3 Kills Range Anxiety
As a refresher, this isn’t the first time the new iX3 has demonstrated impressive efficiency. BMW previously drove one around Qinghai Lake in China, covering 805 km (500 miles) in what the company describes as a real-world driving scenario. The latest test was designed to push the vehicle’s efficiency and energy-management systems further over a long-distance route. BMW’s latest test has a broader point. The company says it wants official range figures to better reflect what customers can actually expect from its EVs, rather than creating a large gap between laboratory numbers and real-world driving.
That’s an increasingly important issue as EV manufacturers continue to advertise ever-longer ranges. A 919-km CLTC rating is impressive on paper, but the ability to demonstrate more than 1,000 km in a controlled long-distance test certainly makes the figure more interesting. Of course, conditions matter. BMW itself notes that the 1,030.2-km result was achieved on a specific route and under specific weather, traffic, driving, load, and air-conditioning conditions. Your mileage will almost certainly vary.
The new iX3 50L will officially open for preorders in China on August 21 at the Chengdu Motor Show. BMW’s stretched electric SUV won’t remain exclusive to China for long. It’s also coming to other markets, but unfortunately not Europe or North America.
