BMW iX3 50 xDrive Tops NAF El Prix: 781 km on a Single Charge, Above WLTP

The Norwegian Automobile Federation NAF has once again put electric cars to the test without giving any credit to marketing brochures. In the summer El Prix challenge, 24 models drove until they ran completely flat, and the BMW iX3 50 xDrive went the furthest — 781 km on a single charge.

The weather played into the EVs’ hands: dry roads and temperatures between 12 and 18°C. Most participants stayed close to their WLTP figures. Even so, the BMW stood out: it not only won outright on absolute range but also beat its WLTP rating by 1.5%. Compared against the US EPA figure, the gap is even bigger — plus 11.7%.

The most honest result, though, came from the Xpeng X9. The large Chinese minivan covered 646 km instead of the claimed 580 km. That’s an 11.4% surplus, and for a family EV that matters far more than flashy ad copy: the driver gets a buffer they can actually use on the road.

The Lucid Gravity took second place with 720 km. The Mercedes-Benz CLA 350 4Matic managed 675 km, while the GLC 400 4Matic covered 665 km. The Toyota bZ4X hit its WLTP figure of 506 km exactly — with a twist: it had been showing 0% for the final 18 km before actually stopping. That’s arguably good news for the driver, since a reserve hidden below the gauge can save the day when the next charger is still over the horizon.

At the other end of the table sat the MG IM6. It stopped at 446 km against a claimed 505 km, falling 11.7% short. NAF was puzzled by the gap, especially given that the other MG in the test — the S6 — beat its WLTP figure by 3.4%.

Tests like these matter beyond the question of which EV has the biggest battery. They show how honest a car is with its driver — and the confidence that the last 50 km on the dashboard won’t vanish faster than you can reach a plug is sometimes worth more than a record figure in the spec sheet.

Earlier, 32CARS.RU reported that the new BMW iX3 now travels more than 700 km on a single charge.