BMW has already received more than 50,000 orders for the new iX3 in the first six months of global sales, according to CEO Oliver Zipse. The figure suggests strong market interest in the first vehicle built on the Neue Klasse platform. The electric SUV is already available to order in both Europe and the United States, and BMW has chosen it to open the brand’s new electric cycle, laying the foundations for a range that will expand in the coming years.
BMW iX3 passes 50,000 global orders in six months and sets impressive range result in NAF test
A Norwegian range test by NAF, the country’s automobile association, has also strengthened the model’s early momentum. In the test, the iX3 50 xDrive covered around 485 miles, equal to 781 km, on a single charge, beating all the other cars involved. The result stands out above all because BMW declares a WLTP range of around 478 miles, or 770 km, for the tested version. The iX3 therefore exceeded its official European homologation figure, something still uncommon among new-generation electric cars.
NAF organizes the test every year together with Motor magazine. The format involves a group of electric cars starting from Oslo with a fully charged battery and following the same route until they run out of energy. The cars use standard driving mode, regenerative braking and adaptive cruise control when necessary. The test does not simply reward the model that covers the longest distance. It also checks which manufacturers can actually match or exceed the figures shown in their technical specifications.
In the test ranking, the iX3 finished ahead of several recently introduced models. The Lucid Gravity, the new electric SUV from the Californian manufacturer, reached around 447 miles, or 720 km, while the Mercedes-Benz CLA 350 4Matic stopped at about 419 miles, equal to 675 km. The overall test record still belongs to the Lucid Air, which reached 517 miles, or 832 km, in 2025. That result, however, concerns a saloon, while the BMW SUV’s performance carries a different significance given the aerodynamic and weight penalties typical of a raised body style.
From a technical point of view, BMW had presented the new architecture as a major step forward over previous models in terms of range, charging speed and overall package maturity. The Norwegian test appears to support that claim, suggesting that the German SUV’s real-world efficiency may match or even exceed the numbers promised on paper. This matters in an increasingly competitive market, where European, American, Korean and Chinese carmakers are all trying to close the gap between official range figures and real-world driving distance.
