BMW is flexing the new i3 50 xDrive’s long distance capability, completing a 5,886.7 km journey from Norway’s North Cape to Tarifa in southern Spain with a total charging time of just 2 hours and 46 minutes. That’s shocking.
The journey crossed eight European countries, using publicly accessible charging infrastructure along the route. BMW reports that the vehicle averaged energy consumption of 12.5 kWh/100 km, with an average charging power of 275 kW during its charging stops. Both very impressive figures.
The i3 50 xDrive is part of BMW’s Neue Klasse generation and features the manufacturer’s 6th gen eDrive technology. Its electric powertrain combines two motors, delivering a combined output of 345 kW and 645 Nm. An 800V electrical architecture supports DC fast charging at rates of up to 400 kW, while the 108.7 kWh usable battery provides a claimed WLTP driving range of up to 912 km.
The battery uses cylindrical cells developed for BMW’s Gen6 technology, bringing improvements in energy density and charging performance compared with the previous generation. BMW says the journey demonstrates how the combination of increased battery capacity, improved efficiency and higher charging speeds can make long distance electric travel more practical.
The 5,886.7 km route was completed using an off-the-shelf vehicle with no changes, and existing public charging infrastructure. It does also, however, come with reported consumption and charging figures that reflect the team’s hypermiling skills. Driving conditions, temperatures, speeds and charging availability will all influence how likely we are to be able to replicate this test, although I’d love to try.
