The new BMW iX3 has added another notable long-distance result to its growing résumé, traveling 739 kilometers (459 miles) across Portugal without stopping to recharge and arriving with 20% of its battery capacity remaining.
BMW took its first Neue Klasse model along Portugal’s National Road 2, traveling from Chaves in the north to Faro in the south. Actress and BMW Portugal ambassador Ana Varela drove the iX3 50 xDrive throughout the three-day journey, which covered the entire route on a single charge.
BMW iX3 Crosses Portugal on Public Roads
Unlike a tightly controlled laboratory test, the drive took place on public roads and included a broad range of driving conditions. The route featured mountain sections, winding roads, valleys, plains and smaller towns.
After 14 hours behind the wheel, the second-generation iX3 arrived in Faro with a comfortable 20% of battery capacity remaining.
BMW said the vehicle averaged 11.8 kWh/100 km throughout the 739-km journey. That represents a notable level of efficiency for a heavy electric SUV, particularly because the route was not designed specifically to maximize range.
The New BMW iX3 Has Already Passed 1,000 Kilometers
The Portugal journey follows other long-distance demonstrations involving the new iX3. In December 2025, a European-spec iX3 50 xDrive completed a 1,007.7-km (626-mile) drive on a single charge, starting at the Debrecen plant in Hungary and ending at BMW Welt in Munich with 2% battery remaining.
BMW also recently conducted another endurance run in China, where a long-wheelbase version traveled more than 1,030 kilometers (640 miles) from the company’s production facility in Shenyang to its R&D center in Beijing.
The latest drive in Portugal was less about establishing a new outright distance record and more about demonstrating what the iX3 can achieve in everyday driving conditions. The 739-km route combined the varied terrain and conditions EV owners could encounter during a long road trip.
A More Relevant Test of Long-Distance Driving
A 1,000-km run can be viewed as a carefully optimized demonstration, but covering 739 kilometers across an entire country on public roads and through constantly changing terrain offers a different measure of the vehicle’s capabilities.
The 20% battery capacity remaining at the end of the journey was also significant. BMW did not turn the trip into a hypermiling exercise, instead demonstrating that the iX3 could travel a distance comparable to driving from one end of Portugal to the other without making charging the centerpiece of the journey.
Neue Klasse Technology Focuses on Efficiency
BMW’s Neue Klasse technology is focused not simply on larger batteries but on combining improved aerodynamics, more efficient electric motors and better energy management to extract more miles from every kilowatt-hour.
The Portugal drive was still a BMW-endorsed road trip, making skepticism about the result understandable. Real-world results will ultimately vary depending on speed, weather, terrain and other factors, but the latest BMW iX3 is continuing to build a strong case for itself as a long-distance electric vehicle.
