BMW I3 Travels Nearly 6,000 Km Across Europe With Minimal Charging

Covering nearly 6,000 kilometres across eight European countries in just over three days with less than three hours of total charging time, BMW has tested the long-distance endurance of its i3 electric sedan.

Electric vehicles frequently face skepticism over their viability on extended journeys due to historical concerns regarding battery range and the availability of fast chargers. BMW Group reported that the i3 successfully completed a 5,886.7-kilometre route from the northernmost tip of Norway to southern Spain.

The test route, known as the Paneuropeana, began at the North Cape on the Norwegian island of Magerøya, passed through precise checkpoints across eight European nations, and concluded in Tarifa, Spain. This specific corridor evaluates electric models on both their driving range and charging speed under real-world conditions.

Driving the route took 3 days, 2 hours, and 41 minutes, achieving an average speed of 79.7 km/h. The vehicle used in the test was the 50 xDrive version, which features an official WLTP-homologated range of 912 km powered by a 108.7 kWh battery.

The sedan recorded an average energy consumption of 12.5 kWh/100 km, falling below official figures that range between 13.4 and 16.2 kWh/100 km. Aerodynamic design elements and low rolling resistance tires contributed to this efficiency alongside careful driving and route planning.

While the Paneuropeana itinerary requires strict adherence to checkpoints, drivers have total freedom in planning their stops. The test vehicle accumulated a total charging time of just 2 hours, 45 minutes, and 54 seconds across the nearly 6,000-kilometre journey. The average charging power reached 275 kW, tapping into a system capable of accepting up to 400 kW at maximum capacity. Under optimal conditions, the model can recover up to 423 km of range in 10 minutes.

In France, the BMW i3 is available starting at 59,900 euros.