BMW iX3 beats Lucid and Mercedes in real-world EV range test

The German crossover BMW iX3 took first place in a fresh real-world range test by the Norwegian Automobile Federation (NAF), beating models from Lucid and Mercedes. In real summer conditions, the electric car traveled almost 780 kilometers on a single charge, which turned out to be even more than the manufacturer's stated specifications. This was reported by Autoblog, according to UNN.

Details

It is noted that range is one of the most important factors when choosing an electric vehicle. This is especially true for buyers who plan to use the electric car for specific purposes—for example, exclusively for city driving, where a cheaper model with a shorter range, such as the Nissan Leaf, may be quite sufficient. That is why real-world range tests are very useful, and one of the latest such tests was conducted by the Norwegian Automobile Federation (NAF).

According to the results of the tests conducted during the Norwegian summer, the BMW iX3 topped the rating with a real-world range of 485 miles (about 780 km). This turned out to be about seven miles more than its range under the WLTP standard—the testing system used in Europe, which is usually more lenient than the EPA standard in the US. Thus, the positive deviation was 1.5%.

BMW: Successes and Failures

When it comes to deviation from stated figures, this is perhaps one of the most telling results of the test, as it demonstrates whether buyers are getting the range they were promised. In particular, the model with the worst deviation—the MG IM6—is not sold in the US. In real-world tests, it demonstrated a range of 277 miles, which is 11.7% less than its WLTP figure. On the other hand, the Xpeng X9, another Chinese model on the list, showed the best positive deviation: its figure rose from 360 miles to 401 miles, representing an 11.4% increase.

The Toyota bZ4X, which is sold simply as the bZ in the US, demonstrated virtually zero deviation: both its WLTP range and the NAF real-world test result were 314 miles.

Following the list leader BMW iX3 was the Lucid Gravity, which showed a real-world range of 447 miles, 3.7% less than its stated WLTP figure of 465 miles. The top five also included the Mercedes-Benz CLA, Mercedes-Benz GLC 400, and Xpeng X9.

The Race for Efficiency

Although the BMW iX3 topped the rankings, it is noted that real-world range can still vary depending on charging habits and driving style, especially for those who enjoy rapid acceleration or high-speed driving. Despite this, automakers continue to increase the range of electric vehicles by improving battery architecture and technology, as well as increasing efficiency through better aerodynamics and lightweight construction.

In the US, BMW claims an expected range of up to 434 miles for the iX3 model. This is also the first BMW model built on the fully electric Neue Klasse platform with an 800-volt architecture, which under ideal conditions allows the battery to be charged with DC current from 10% to 80% in 21 minutes.

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