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It was the 2022 BMW iX xDrive50’s turn for the InsideEVs 70 mph range test and the iX was definitely up for the challenge. By the end of the range test, we soared past the iX’s EPA range rating as well as the final results of every other EV we’ve ever tested except for the Lucid Air and the Mercedes EQS 450+.
The iX Drive50 we had for the range test was fitted with the 20″ wheels which are the best option for maximizing range. With the 20″ wheels, the iX has a combined EPA range rating of 324 miles per charge. If you elect for the 21″ wheels, the EPA range rating drops to 305 miles. With the 22″ wheels, the iX has an EPA range rating of 315 miles.
Typically, when EVs have multiple wheel options, we observe that the larger the wheel diameter, the lower the range rating, but it’s not completely correct with the iX. The lowest EPA range rating comes with the 21″ wheels, which are the middle size wheel offering. We suspect those wheels are just less aerodynamic and perhaps weigh a little more than the 22″ wheels which are why they offer 10 miles less driving range.
The iX ended up blowing past its 324-mile EPA range rating by 6.5% and finishing up with 345 miles on the trip gauge when the battery was fully depleted. Very few EVs are able to exceed their EPA range rating while being driven at 70 mph, and even fewer do it by as much as 6.5%.
The iX is a great all-around EV in our eyes. It drives wonderfully, has a good amount of cargo space (even without front storage which we do wish it had), and has an exceptionally comfortable cabin that’s also amazingly quiet. It may be the quietest EV at highway speeds that we’ve even tested.
It also DC fast charges well and can accept up to 200 kW. Our DC fast charging tests have recorded 0-80% times of about 45 minutes and 10% to 80% in 41 minutes. Based on this range test that’s a charging speed of about 6 miles of range added per minute of charging all the way from 0 to 80%, which isn’t at top-of-class, but still very good.
| Segment Of The Test | Average Efficiency | Miles Driven | Total Miles |
| 100% to 75% | 3.2 mi/kWh | 88 | 88 |
| 75% to 50% | 3.1 mi/kWh | 81 | 169 |
| 50% to 25% | 3.2 mi/kWh | 86 | 255 |
| 25% to 0% | 3.2 mi/kWh | 90 | 345 |
About our range tests
We want to make it clear our range tests aren’t perfect. There are variables simply out of our control like wind, traffic, and weather. However, we do our best to control what we can.
We always set the tires to the manufacturer’s recommended pressure, crosscheck the speedometer with a GPS for accuracy and place the vehicle in eco-driving mode (in the case of the iX that’s called “Efficient”. We DC fast charge the vehicle up to 100 percent, reset the trip meter, and enter the highway either immediately or within a couple of miles. We then drive at a constant 70 mph and in long loops so we end up either where we started, or very close by.
Driving conditions, temperature, and topography will affect an EVs driving range and our 70-mph range tests serve only as a guideline of approximately what you should expect if you drive the same EV under similar conditions.
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