BMW electric vehicle range to remain capped at 600km – UPDATE

UPDATE, September 27: Since this story was originally published, BMW has issued a statement saying it will continue to develop the ranges offered in its electric vehicle portfolio. The story can be read here.

An earlier version of this article attributed the comments made to BMW i4 project leader David Ferrufino, when in fact they were said by BMW Group electromobility spokesperson, Wieland Bruch. The story has now been updated to reflect this.

The story to here

September 17: German luxury carmaker BMW says it is not pursuing a driving range greater than 600 kilometres for its electric vehicles (EVs), forcing Australian drivers to rely on charging infrastructure for long-distance travel.

When asked whether the company was developing EVs with 1000km of driving range, BMW Group electromobility spokesperson Wieland Bruch told WhichCar the company had made the decision to introduce a cap across its electrified line-up.

“One thousand kilometres of range is not a target we have with our fully-electric cars,” Bruch said at a media conference this week.

“We are aiming for 600 kilometres [of driving range] for our fully-electric cars, and 100 kilometres with our plug-in hybrids in everyday driving.”

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The caps mean only those driving between Sydney and Canberra, or Melbourne and Hobart, will be able to do so on a single charge when driving an all-electric BMW. But the company says developments in technology are making long journeys viable.

"We not only have the advancements in battery technology, we also have the public charging network – which is growing rapidly. Going cross-country in Europe from Norway to Italy is already a joyful experience when you do it in an electric car,” Bruch told WhichCar.

The 2022 BMW i4 offers a driving range of 590km on a single charge, but BMW claims the battery can be topped up from 10 to 80 per cent in 31 minutes using a 200kW DC fast charger – theoretically allowing for a touch over 1000km of range with a single half-hour break.

“The maximum range of the car is dependent on the segment of the vehicle where it is being offered,” Bruch explained.

“For example, we don’t think a range of 600 kilometres will be suitable for a BMW i3 as an urban car, but when it comes to the BMW iX or i4, we think that around 600 kilometres is a very customer-friendly solution,” he said.

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“So you have two things: you have the battery making more and more progress, but also charging speed and infrastructure making big steps forward.”

Chinese carmakers have been pursuing 1000km of driving range in order to win buyers over from petrol and diesel vehicles, as it’s the equivalent of travelling between the major cities of Shanghai and Wuhan.

In July 2021, Chinese companies Nio and GAC both claimed to have electric vehicles with 1000km of range about to enter production. If true, the cars would beat the Tesla Model S Long Range – the current title-holder – which lists a top of 652km.