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In a Chasing Cars road test covering 740 km from Sydney to Byron Bay, the BMW X3 M50 completed the trip and displayed 332 km of estimated range remaining. The electric BMW iX3 50 xDrive traveled 747 km on one charge but stopped 23 km short of the destination, exceeding its cited EPA range of 434 miles.
A Chasing Cars road test found that the gasoline-powered BMW X3 M50 xDrive went farther without refueling than the electric BMW iX3 50 xDrive: the X3 completed a 740-kilometer drive from Sydney to Byron Bay, while the iX3 traveled 747 kilometers on one charge but stopped 23 kilometers short of the destination. The comparison shows the difference between completing this particular route and maximizing distance on a single tank or charge.
The two BMWs were driven on ordinary routes between Sydney and Byron Bay, a trip reported as 459.8 miles (740 kilometers). Chasing Cars’ hosts used Eco settings, kept the climate controls at their most efficient settings and followed speed limits. They also made stops when needed, according to the InsideEVs account, making the test a road-trip comparison rather than a controlled laboratory measurement.
At the start, the iX3’s estimated range display showed 692 kilometers, below the trip’s reported distance. The X3 M50’s display showed an estimated 784 kilometers after roughly 30 kilometers of driving. The electric car’s early efficiency suggested it might cover the route, but its final recorded distance was 747 kilometers. It exceeded its cited EPA estimate of 434 miles, yet did not reach Byron Bay.
The X3 M50 reached the destination with a displayed 332 kilometers of range remaining, according to the report. That is the clearest outcome for the question of which vehicle completed the journey without stopping for energy: the gasoline model made it, while the iX3 would have needed a charge to cover the final 23 kilometers. The source does not provide a measured fuel-economy figure or describe a refueling stop during the X3’s drive.
Route Completion Favors the X3
For drivers considering a long trip, this comparison highlights that advertised or displayed range does not tell the whole story. The X3 M50 completed this route with a substantial estimated reserve, while the iX3 came close but could not reach the same destination on its starting charge. The difference matters most on routes with limited charging access or where a driver wants to avoid stopping.
The result should not be read as a universal ranking of gasoline and electric BMWs. It compares two specific models under one set of road and driving conditions. The iX3’s 747-kilometer result was higher than the EPA figure cited in the article, but the test’s route, conditions and range-display estimates are not the same as an official standardized range test. For buyers, the practical question is whether a vehicle’s real-world range and available refueling or charging points fit the journeys they make.
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Two X3s, Different Powertrains
The vehicles in the comparison were the electric iX3 50 xDrive and the gasoline X3 M50 xDrive. The InsideEVs report describes the X3 M50 as using a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with mild-hybrid assistance, rated at 393 horsepower and 428 pound-feet of torque. It characterizes that version as the thirstiest X3 variant then available, while noting the iX3 M50 has higher stated output: 463 horsepower and 476 pound-feet of torque.
The comparison was presented against the familiar concern of range anxiety among electric-car buyers. Rather than compare only specification-sheet figures, the road test put the two vehicles on the same long route. Its reported outcome illustrates both the iX3’s ability to travel a long distance on one charge and the gasoline X3’s advantage in finishing this particular drive with fuel remaining.
“The iX3 was able to do 747 km (464 miles) on one charge.”
— InsideEVs, summarizing the Chasing Cars test
Limits of the Road-Test Result
The supplied report does not specify the test date, weather, traffic, passenger or cargo loads, or exact driving speeds beyond saying both drivers followed posted limits. It also does not provide independently verified energy-use or fuel-consumption measurements. The remaining-range readings are estimates, and the X3’s reported 332-kilometer reserve is a displayed figure rather than a documented distance driven after reaching Byron Bay.
The account says drivers stopped when needed but does not explain whether either vehicle received energy during those stops. It reports the iX3’s final distance and that the X3 completed the trip, but does not give a detailed stop-by-stop log. Those gaps limit how precisely readers can reproduce or generalize the comparison.
Compare Routes and Charging Options
No follow-up test or additional milestone is identified in the supplied material. For prospective buyers, the next useful comparison is to check the specific route length, charging availability and expected fuel stops against the vehicle’s official range information and likely real-world conditions. A repeated test across different weather, speeds and loads could show how consistent these results are, but no such results are provided here.
Until more details are available, the confirmed takeaway remains limited to this drive: the X3 M50 reached Byron Bay with an estimated 332 kilometers left, and the iX3 traveled 747 kilometers before falling 23 kilometers short of the same destination on one charge.
Key Questions
Which BMW went farther without stopping for fuel or a charge?
The BMW X3 M50 xDrive completed the 740-kilometer route from Sydney to Byron Bay and showed an estimated 332 kilometers of range remaining. The electric iX3 stopped 23 kilometers short of the destination.
How far did the BMW iX3 travel on one charge?
The InsideEVs report says the iX3 traveled 747 kilometers (464 miles) on one charge, 23 kilometers short of the reported 740-kilometer route only if comparing figures as stated? The source gives the trip as 740 km and says it fell 23 km short, which implies a longer route distance; the report’s mileage and distance figures do not fully reconcile.
Did the iX3 beat its EPA range estimate?
Yes, according to the report: it traveled 464 miles on one charge, compared with a cited EPA-rated range of 434 miles. That is the road-test result reported by InsideEVs, not a new official EPA rating.
Was this a controlled comparison?
No laboratory protocol is described. The hosts used ordinary routes, Eco settings, efficient climate-control settings and posted speed limits, but the supplied account does not detail weather, load, traffic or measured energy and fuel consumption.
Source: insideevs.com
