From Norway to Spain with the BMW i3: the brand undertakes a nearly 6,000 km journey in its new electric vehicle

The BMW i3 is currently the third electric car with the longest range available in Europe: with an approved WLTP range of 912 km in its 50 xDrive version, this Bavarian sedan ranks only behind the Lucid Air (960 km WLTP) and Mercedes-Benz EQS (926 km WLTP). Combined with relatively fast charging times, this enables it to handle long-distance trips effectively.

To prove this, BMW decided to cross Europe from end to end, covering the 5,886.7 km distance between Cape North (Norway) and Tarifa (Spain). In total, the i3 traveled through eight countries, using highways, secondary roads, and cities. The average consumption recorded was just 12.5 kWh/100 km, while the average speed was 79.7 km/h.

The driving time was 3 days, 2 hours, and 41 minutes. The most interesting part is that throughout the entire journey, the vehicle was charged for only 2 hours, 45 minutes, and 54 seconds, with an average power of 275 kW (keep in mind that with a peak of 400 kW in DC, the BMW i3 50 xDrive takes 21 minutes to go from 10% to 80% charge). The vehicle was charged exclusively at public charging stations within their respective national networks.

The BMW i3 50 xDrive is equipped with a battery with a capacity of 108.7 kWh, using NCM (nickel, cobalt, manganese) cylindrical cells in a 4695 format (46 mm in diameter and 95 mm in height). The battery lacks cell-to-pack modules to improve space utilization.

The BMW i3 is experiencing very high initial demand

The propulsion system consists of two electric motors (one per axle), providing traction to all four wheels and a combined power output of 469 HP (345 kW), enough to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 200 km/h. It is unclear whether a rear-wheel-drive version with the same battery will be available later.

Orders for the new i3 were opened in mid-June, and the high demand suggests that, like the iX3, this new model is set to become a major commercial success. While the SUV is manufactured in Debrecen, Hungary, the sedan is produced at BMW’s flagship plant in Munich, Germany, which has been upgraded over the past four years to accommodate the production of a new generation of models.

"The nearly 6,000-kilometer pan-European journey across Europe is a remarkable demonstration of the full everyday usability of our new BMW i3 based on the Neue Klasse," says Mike Reichelt, head of compact and midsize vehicles for the Neue Klasse. "With a total charging time of just 2 hours and 46 minutes, we surpassed the previous record set in 2017 by more than seven hours. For me, this clearly shows the capabilities of our new technologies and is an extraordinary team achievement of which we can all be proud."

Source | BMW