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A BMW X3 M50 completed a 740-kilometer road test from Sydney to Byron Bay with an estimated 332 km of range remaining. The electric BMW iX3 50 xDrive traveled 747 km on one charge, but stopped 23 km short of the destination. The result comes from a single real-world test, not a controlled comparison of every X3 or driving condition.
A BMW X3 M50 completed a 740-kilometer (459.8-mile) drive from Sydney to Byron Bay with an estimated 332 km (206 miles) of range remaining, while the electric BMW iX3 50 xDrive covered 747 km (464 miles) on one charge before stopping 23 km short. The road test, conducted by Chasing Cars and reported by InsideEVs, shows the gas-powered model went farther before needing energy, even as the iX3 substantially exceeded its EPA-rated range during the drive.
The two vehicles traveled on normal routes, with the drivers using Eco settings, efficient climate-control settings and posted speed limits, according to InsideEVs’ account. The drivers could stop when needed, making the outing an attempt to reflect an ordinary road trip rather than a tightly controlled laboratory test. The report does not specify the test date or provide a full set of route, weather and traffic data.
At the start, the iX3’s dashboard estimated 692 km (430 miles) of range, shorter than the planned trip. After about 30 km, the X3 M50’s estimate was 784 km (487 miles). The electric BMW ultimately traveled 747 km on a charge, compared with its EPA-rated 434 miles, while the X3 M50 reached Byron Bay with a displayed 332 km remaining. These are the test’s reported results and vehicle estimates, not a guarantee of what either model will achieve on another journey.
The comparison involved an iX3 50 xDrive and a gasoline X3 M50 xDrive, not every version of the X3 range. The report identifies the M50 as a mild hybrid with a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six rated at 393 horsepower and 428 pound-feet of torque. It says the iX3 M50 is rated at 463 horsepower and 476 pound-feet, but that model was not the electric vehicle used in this range test.
How the Two BMWs Used Their Range
For drivers comparing electric and gasoline SUVs, the result puts two different concerns into concrete terms: distance between energy stops and how much of a trip can be completed on one charge. In this test, the X3 M50 finished the route and had a substantial estimated reserve; the iX3 drove farther than its initial range estimate suggested but did not reach the destination before requiring a charge.
The outcome is relevant to long-distance travel, where drivers may weigh charging access and stop planning against the ability to refuel. It does not establish that gasoline BMWs always travel farther than electric ones, or that the iX3’s observed result is typical. The models, route and conditions matter, and the test compared a particular gasoline trim with a particular electric trim.
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What the Test Compared
Range estimates are commonly used to compare EVs with gasoline vehicles, but the figures do not represent identical measures. The iX3’s starting figure was a vehicle estimate, its 747 km result was the distance reported in this drive, and the 434-mile EPA figure is a rating from a separate testing framework. The X3 M50’s remaining range was also a dashboard estimate. These figures should not be treated as a controlled, like-for-like measurement of fuel economy or energy use.
InsideEVs framed the drive as a real-world comparison of how the two vehicles handled a long route. The reported test took the cars from Sydney toward Byron Bay, a total distance of 740 km. It found that the iX3’s range estimate did not predict the exact distance it ultimately covered: the EV went 55 km farther than its initial estimate, yet still fell short of the destination.
“The iX3 was able to do 747 km (464 miles) on one charge.”
— InsideEVs, summarizing the Chasing Cars test
Limits of One Road Test
The supplied report does not state the test date, weather, traffic conditions, precise route variations, starting fuel and battery levels, or whether the drivers used the same stops. It also does not provide measured fuel consumption or electricity use, nor explain how the remaining-range estimates were calculated. Those gaps limit how closely readers can reproduce or generalize the result.
The comparison covers only two specific vehicles. It cannot establish how other X3 trims would perform, whether another iX3 would match the recorded distance, or how the cars would fare under different speeds, temperatures, loads or road conditions. The report also does not say where or how the iX3 was charged after the test.
What Buyers Should Compare Next
Readers considering either model should compare the exact trims they plan to buy and check official range and efficiency figures for their market. For an EV road trip, route-specific charging availability and expected conditions can help determine whether a vehicle’s rated range suits the journey. For a gasoline model, fuel economy and tank capacity help put the dashboard range estimate in perspective.
No follow-up test or additional Chasing Cars results are specified in the supplied report. Until more comparable data is available, this drive is best read as a single example: the X3 M50 reached the destination with estimated range remaining, while the iX3 delivered a long one-charge run but needed energy before completing the route.
Key Questions
Which BMW went farther before needing fuel or a charge?
The gasoline X3 M50 reached Byron Bay and showed an estimated 332 km (206 miles) of range remaining. The electric iX3 traveled 747 km but stopped 23 km short of the destination.
How far did the BMW iX3 travel on one charge?
Chasing Cars’ test, as reported by InsideEVs, recorded 747 km (464 miles) on one charge. That was more than the iX3’s 692 km starting estimate and the 434-mile EPA-rated range cited in the report.
Did the BMW iX3 complete the Sydney-to-Byron Bay drive?
No. The planned route was 740 km, but the iX3 stopped 23 km short after traveling 747 km according to the report’s account of the test route and distance figures.
Does this test prove that gasoline BMWs always have more range?
No. It compares one gasoline trim and one electric trim on a single drive. Conditions, vehicle versions and route details can affect real-world range, and the report does not provide enough information to generalize beyond this test.
Source: insideevs.com
