- The BMW iX3 is a great long-distance cruiser, thanks to its big battery, high efficiency, and fast charging.
- EV enthusiast and YouTuber Bjorn Nyland drove the iX3 on a 621-mile road trip.
- BMW’s new electric SUV finished the test in less than nine hours, including charging stops.
Long-distance driving in an electric car has been a pain point for the longest time. However, modern EVs have crushed range anxiety for many people, thanks to their larger batteries, more efficient drivetrains, and range figures that were unheard of a decade ago.
Now we’re at a point where driving a latest-generation EV doesn’t come with many compromises. One of those EVs is the new BMW iX3, a crossover that promises over 400 miles of range on a full charge, quick charging stops, heaps of performance, and plenty of comfort.
But the iX3 not only impresses on paper, as EV enthusiast and YouTuber Bjorn Nyland recently discovered. Nyland took the iX3 xDrive50—the only version currently available—on a 621-mile road trip challenge to see how it would fare against the competition.
In short, the idea of the test was to see how much time it takes to drive 621 miles (1,000 kilometers) on the highway in real traffic conditions, including charging stops. Efficiency, charging speed, and battery capacity were all put to the test in a single run. And the iX3 did not disappoint.
With a full battery, Nyland set off on the highway with the cruise control set at 75 miles per hour (120 kilometers per hour) and an ambient temperature of around 32°F (0°C). That’s not ideal when you want to squeeze the most range out of the 108-kilowatt-hour battery. The fact that the car was running on 21-inch wheels, rather than the more efficient 20-inchers, also didn’t help.
Nevertheless, after stopping just two times during the trip, the BMW iX3 finished the challenge in eight hours and 55 minutes. That’s the same time as the Tesla Model S Long Range and the Zeekr 7X Performance. However, the iX3 was more efficient than both these cars, despite driving in colder weather. This just goes to show that the iX3 can deliver even better results in nicer weather.
The iX3 has it all, according to Nyland. It’s efficient, averaging 42.9 kWh/100 miles or 2.3 miles/kWh (26.7 kWh/100 km), it charges really fast, at up to 400 kW, and it doesn’t skimp on performance or comfort.
