BMW iX3 Leads EV Range Test with 781 km, Exceeding WLTP Claims

A real-world range test conducted by the Norwegian Automobile Federation (NAF) and Motor magazine revealed that the new BMW iX3 50 xDrive achieved an impressive 781 kilometers on a single charge. This result surpassed its declared WLTP range of 770 kilometers, marking a significant success for the electric SUV.

The BMW iX3, built on the new "Neue Klasse" architecture, not only won this year's test but also validated the performance of BMW's latest eDrive system, 800 V architecture, and Gen6 batteries. The test, which involved driving the vehicles until their batteries were completely depleted across various road types including highways, country roads, and mountain sections, was conducted under ideal conditions with temperatures between 12 and 18 degrees Celsius and dry roads.

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The new BMW iX3 50 xDrive achieved 781 km on a single charge, improving on the declared WLTP range of 770 km.

While the BMW iX3 set a high benchmark, it did not break the overall test record, which remains with the Lucid Air at 832 km from 2025. This year, the Lucid Gravity SUV achieved 720 km. Several other models performed well, with the Mercedes CLA Electric covering 675 km against a declared 708 km, a deviation of only 4.7%. The Mercedes GLC 400 4MATIC Electric reached 665 km, exceeding its WLTP claim by 22 km.

The Xpeng X9, a large seven-seater van, was a notable positive surprise, traveling 646 km compared to its WLTP estimate of 580 km, an improvement of 11.4%. Conversely, the MG IM6 recorded 446 km against a declared 505 km, showing a deficit of nearly 60 km, or a negative deviation of 11.7%. The test highlights that while WLTP figures provide a baseline, real-world performance can vary significantly based on vehicle design and testing conditions.

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The Xpeng X9 was perhaps the biggest positive surprise of the entire test.