When it comes to the first electric version of the X5, BMW isn't playing around. The German automaker initially quoted a healthy EPA range target of 435 miles when it first spilled the details on the iX5 60 xDrive this summer. Now, it's saying the SUV's range will be even higher than that.
BMW now expects the iX5's EPA rating to hit 450 miles, representatives shared at the SUV's press launch this week. "We have the Gen 6 technology in this vehicle, up to 450 miles estimated EPA range, which is really fantastic for a vehicle like this," John Kelly, a product manager for BMW's luxury vehicles, told reporters at the launch of the new X5 line on Tuesday. The official EPA estimate will arrive in the coming weeks, he said.
(Full disclosure: BMW flew me to Newport Beach, California for the launch of the X5 and iX5. It paid for my meals and lodging on site.)
The automaker concluded that 400 miles was the threshold beyond which customers would stop worrying about having enough range, Michael Ahlers, head of the X5 project, told me in an interview. From there, it figured that providing around 450 miles would help account for energy-draining activities people engage in in real-world driving, like driving fast or using the A/C.
EVs with over 400 miles of EPA range used to be a rarity. Tesla first cracked the barrier with the Model S in 2020. Now that small club is growing faster than ever , thanks especially to BMW's latest Neue Klasse EVs.
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