Summary of the article
- The official rating of 919 kilometers (571 miles) exceeds BMW’s own estimate by 19 kilometers (almost 12 miles).
- The long-wheelbase BMW iX3 for China increases its range by 400 kilometers (almost 249 miles) with ten minutes of charging.
- The battery charges from 10% to 80% in 21 minutes.
We recently talked about why the BMW iX3 for Brazil is designed to have a range of just 354 miles (570 kilometers). It all comes down to different testing methodologies: Brazil has one of the most stringent procedures for determining EV range. As a result, the electric crossover for South America’s largest country receives an even lower rating than the EPA’s estimated range of 434 miles (698 kilometers) for the US model.
BMW says that in Europe and other regions where the WLTP test cycle is used, the second-generation iX3 can travel up to 500 miles (805 kilometers) on a single charge. Now the long-wheelbase model has received an official rating in China, and the range is even higher. In fact, this figure surpasses the company’s estimate a few months ago. As a reminder, the luxury car maker said the Chinese version will travel 559 miles (900 kilometers) before needing a recharge.
However, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the battery charge of the stretched iX3 will last 571 miles (919 kilometers). Of course, this figure is based on the more lenient CLTC test cycle in China, so owners may not achieve this in real-world driving conditions.
The real BMW iX3 range has already been tested
BMW has already demonstrated the impressive performance of the electric SUV during endurance competitions. It traveled more than 497 miles (800 kilometers) on a single charge. It completed a circuit of Qinghai Lake, departing from Xining and returning to its starting point with 2% battery charge remaining. The company estimates that if the long-wheelbase iX3 were driven until the battery ran out, it could travel up to 522 miles (840 kilometers).
During testing, the iX3 50L xDrive recorded an average energy consumption of 12.6 kWh over 62 miles (100 kilometers). By comparison, MIIT rated the Neue Klasse SUV as having a slightly higher average consumption of 13.6 kWh/100 km. In China, the stretched electric X3 features a sixth-generation battery with round cells and 108.7 kWh of usable energy. It’s worth noting that the long-wheelbase iX3 is not exclusive to China. At least four other markets are getting it: India, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.
BMW estimates that the new long-wheelbase iX5, unveiled today, should perform even better. The company predicts the CLTC will have a range of up to 621 miles (1,000 kilometers). The battery capacity has not yet been disclosed. However, the standard iX5 has the largest battery pack BMW has ever put in an electric vehicle. Its net energy is 141 kWh, so we expect a lot from the Chinese iX5.
When the iX7 launches next year, it will likely have the same giant battery and range.
Source: Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) via CarNewsChina