BMW i Series News

Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular in Australia as people transition from owning combustion- or hybrid-powered vehicles.One major consideration that many people have when considering which EV to buy is how much range it offers, but another factor that should be considered is how quickly the battery can be charged.EV and battery technology is continually evolving, but here is a rundown of the 11 EVs with the highest DC fast-charging rate that are either already on sale or confirmed for a launch in Australia.It’s worth noting that the fastest DC fast-chargers in Australia currently are 400kW and these are operated by AmpCharge. However, Denza has confirmed that it’s rolling out its 1500kW ‘Flash’ charging network at its dealers by late 2026 or early 2027.The forthcoming Denza Z9 GT electric shooting brake will launch in Australia in either late 2026 or early 2027, alongside the ‘Flash’ charging network.Final specifications have yet to be locked in, but peak DC fast-charging is up to 1500kW. This allows a 10 to 97 per cent charge in nine minutes.The Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door, which is due in Australia during 2027, offers a peak DC fast-charging rate of 600kW.This allows the 111kWh lithium-ion battery pack to charge from 10 to 80 per cent in 11 minutes. It offers up to 460km of WLTP-claimed range.The XPeng X9 electric people mover has a peak DC fast-charging rate of up to 542kW. This allows for a 10 to 80 per cent charge in 12 minutes.Two versions are available, the FWD Standard Range and AWD Performance.The former has a 94.8kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery with up to 535km of WLTP-claimed range. The latter has a larger 110kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery with up to 580km of WLTP-claimed range.The recently revealed BMW iX5 will launch in Australia around mid-2027 and will follow after the launch of the new, petrol-powered X5 variants later this year.The iX5 60 xDrive is the only variant to be detailed so far and it offers a peak DC fast-charging rate of 460kW.It has a 141kWh lithium-ion battery pack and a 10 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 23 minutes. It offers up to 845km of WLTP-claimed range.The updated version of the XPeng G6 with the larger 80.8kWh LFP battery has a peak DC fast-charging rate of 451kW. It’s currently the highest in Australia.A 10 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 12 minutes.In RWD Long Range form there’s up to 525km of range and in AWD Performance form there’s up to 510km, according to WLTP testing.While the entry-level G6 RWD Standard Range with its smaller 68.5kWh can only DC fast-charge at rates up to 382kW, it’s still claimed to take 12 minutes to charge from 10 to 80 per cent. It offers up to 480km of WLTP-claimed range.The entry-level Zeekr 7X RWD with its 75kWh LFP battery can DC fast-charge at rates up to 450kW. It offers up to 480km of WLTP-claimed range.The 7X Long Range RWD and Performance AWD, on the other hand, with its larger 100kWh NMC battery can charge at rates up to 420kW. WLTP-claimed range is 615km and 543km, respectively.Mirroring the Zeekr 7X SUV, the forthcoming, entry-level version of the 7GT electric shooting brake has a peak DC fast-charging rate of 450kW. It has a 75kWh LFP battery and can charge from 10 to 80 per cent in 13 minutes.Other versions of the 7GT have a larger 100kWh NMC battery that can charge at rates up to 420kW.The top-spec BMW iX3 50 xDrive has a peak DC fast-charging rate of 400kW.It has a 108.7kWh lithium-ion battery pack and a 10 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 21 minutes. It offers up to 805km of WLTP-claimed range.The entry-level iX3 40 with its slightly smaller 82.6kWh lithium-ion battery pack has a peak DC fast-charging rate of 300kW. Despite this, a 10 to 80 per cent charge is still claimed to take 21 minutes. It offers up to 635km of WLTP-claimed range.The MG IM5 Platinum RWD and Performance AWD have a peak DC fast-charging rate of 396kW.They both have a 100kWh NMC battery pack and WLTP-claimed range of 655km and 575km, respectively. A 30 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 15 minutes.The entry-level IM5 Premium RWD, on the other hand, has a peak DC fast-charging rate of 153kW. It has a 75kWh LFP battery, up to 490km of WLTP-claimed range and a 30 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 20 minutes.The MG IM6 Platinum RWD and Performance AWD have a peak DC fast-charging rate of 396kW.They both have a 100kWh NMC battery pack and WLTP-claimed range of 555km and 505km, respectively. A 30 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 15 minutes.The entry-level IM5 Premium RWD, on the other hand, has a peak DC fast-charging rate of 153kW. It has a 75kWh LFP battery, up to 450km of WLTP-claimed range and a 30 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 20 minutes.The forthcoming Porsche Cayenne Electric offers a peak DC fast-charging rate of 390kW.It has a 113kWh lithium-ion battery pack and up to 542km of WLTP-claimed range. A 10 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 16 minutes.While Hyundai, Kia and Genesis models on the E-GMP platform, like the Ioniq 5, EV6 and GV60, among others, display a claimed 10 to 80 per cent charge time when plugged into a 350kW DC fast-charger, a common misconception is they have a peak DC fast-charging rate of 350kW.However, this is not the case. None of the aforementioned Hyundai Group brands quote an official peak charging rate, but real-world data indicates it’s around 240kW.

BMW’s incoming iX3, which wears the brand’s dramatic Neue Klasse design aesthetic, is the first car to be tested to ANCAP’s new safety regime.The iX3 scored a maximum five stars, scoring relatively highly across the safety body’s four new categories.The new categories include, Safe Driving (which rates driving support systems), Crash Avoidance (which rates hazard mitigation technologies), Crash Protection (which rates the vehicles crash structure and physical safety hardware) and Post Crash (which rates how well the systems on board the car assist first responders following a crash).“Over three decades of ANCAP influence, this is the most comprehensive ratings framework we’ve applied. We have again stepped up our assessment to capture and evaluate the many ways a modern car can protect its occupants and other road users,” ANCAP Chief Executive Carla Hoorweg said.“The BMW iX3 is the first model we’ve put through this new rating process, and its specification and performance have captured the essence of the new requirements.”It is unsurprising the BMW iX3 ranked so highly to the new standards, as it is designed to comply with EuroNCAP safety procedures, which ANCAP’s procedures are largely based. The iX3 was physically tested in Europe for the EuropNCAP score, which was applied to the ANCAP scale.ANCAP’s new rating system places more emphasis on safety systems calibrated well enough that car buyers are likely to leave them on.“Systems that irritate rather than improve the drive experience will be marked down, with lane keep systems now assessed on how naturally they interact with the driver, including steering response and driver override effort,” said Hoorweg.“The ‘smart coupling’ of driver alertness with safety system intervention is also now assessed. Vehicles that enhance – or minimise – their response according to the driver’s level of alertness are rewarded,” she addedIn what may come as a relief to many new car buyers, the Safe Driving pillar also scrutinises the existence of physical controls, although for now it is limited to only core functions like indicators, hazard lights, horn, gear selector and headlights.Some of the most frustrating touchscreen-based systems, like climate and multimedia controls, will get a free pass.The safety body also now ranks the accuracy of speed limit assist systems, which are also a frequent source of irritation in new vehicles.The iX3 ranked well enough for Safe Driving (71 per cent), marked down for the lack of some occupant detection features, some distraction monitoring function, and the adaptive cruise not responding entirely to road features like roundabouts.It ranked more highly in Crash Avoidance (83 per cent), with its auto emergency braking and lane keep systems scoring highly across most categories.It also scored well for Crash Protection (86 per cent) - which now involves extra crash dummies for more thorough testing. It was marked down slightly for vehicle-to-vehicle compatibility for presenting a “moderate risk to occupants of an oncoming vehicle if struck”.The Post Crash Pillar was the iX3’s highest ranking category (95 per cent), scoring high across all categories including its eCall feature, high-voltage battery isolation function and door handle functionality.Other new elements of ANCAP’s testing regime for the next few years include a new crash barrier test, more robust avoidance assessments, the assessment of rollover injuries, new “pothole” test which assesses the ability of the driver to maintain control of the car when avoiding road hazards, more intense whiplash testing, a motorcycle t-bone test, and “serious component failures” also carry a more dire penalty.The five-star ANCAP rating applies to both the 50 xDrive and 40 variants of the new iX3.

BMW’s first global electric 3 Series has been revealed with a breathtaking driving range of up to 900km.Previewed by CarsGuide late last year but now officially revealed, the BMW i3 is the German giant’s next Neue Klasse (new class) model following the iX3 mid-size SUV that goes on sale in Australia mid-year.The sedan is expected to arrive in Australia in early 2027 and will be sourced from BMW's Munich plant in Germany.The next-gen internal combustion 3 Series sedan, which is based on BMW’s CLAR platform, will likely be revealed later in 2026.The headline news for the new i3 of course is that driving range. BMW says it can achieve EV range of up to 900km, although this is a provisional figure and may change by the time it makes it to production.In the prototype I sat in at the embargoed reveal in November, the mock screen readout showed the battery at 80 per cent capacity with 712km left. That means 100 per cent charge would give you 890km.This is well above the still impressive 805km range of the iX3 in 50 xDrive guise. It also outpaces the Tesla Model 3 Long Range (750km), while versions of the Lucid Air sedan (not sold in Australia) can drive up to 820km.The i3, shown in 50 xDrive guise, uses the same underpinnings as the iX3, which means the sixth generation of BMW’s eDrive, this time with 800-volt architecture. Like the iX3 it uses cylindrical cells for the high-voltage battery. This “cell-to-pack” design means high energy density and, importantly for packaging, reduced battery height.There are two motors, one on each axle, with the rear motor the primary driver for the car, but it is all-wheel drive. Outputs are 345kW of power and 645Nm of torque, matching the iX3.DC charging is technically 400kW, which BMW says can add up to 400km of range in just 10 minutes at a high-powered charging station, but these don’t exist in Australia. AC charging is up to 22kW and the i3 has bi-directional changing capability.The i3 features the same four ‘superbrains’ found in the iX3. It includes the so-called ‘Heart of Joy’, which handles driving dynamics, as well as computers for automated driving and parking, multimedia, and for other functions like vehicle access and air conditioning.Design wise it maintains a sedan silhouette although it loses some of the striking elements of the gorgeous Vision Neue Klasse concept from 2023, like the tail-lights and the low-set glasshouse.The iconic BMW kidney grille and quad headlights take on a new look too. The grille is that in name only - it’s simply blacked-out panels with illumination for the kidneys. Circular headlights are gone and replaced with quad lines and in-set headlights much like on the iX3.The famed Hoffmeister kink remains, and the boot lid kicks up at the edge for a sporty look.At 4763mm long, 1865mm wide and 1482mm tall with a 2897mm wheelbase, the new i3 is 50mm longer, 38mm wider, 42mm higher and with a 46mm longer wheelbase than the current-gen BMW 330 sedan.Inside you’ll find BMW’s Panoramic Vision which projects content and visuals across the entire width of the lower edge of the windscreen. It also has a 17.9-inch central display touchscreen and a multifunction steering wheel with ‘Shy Tech’ controls that appear only when required. There’s also an updated version of its voice control system, a new digital key and an optional 3D head-up display.While BMW previously sold an electric 3 Series in China with the i3 badge, this is the first truly global 3 Series EV. It also marks a return of the i3 badge in Australia after the small tallboy hatchback that was discontinued in 2021.You can expect a Touring wagon version at some point, as well as high-performance electric M3 and lower grade models, too.

BMW is taking its electric car technology to the next level with the reveal of its new-generation iX3 EV.

BMW has globally unveiled some tweaks to its Tesla Model 3-rivalling i4 electric liftback that are set to go into production from July.Gone is the high-performance BMW i4 M50, and in its place is the new i4 M60.This dual-motor all-wheel drive flagship now produces a total system output of 442kW of power, which is up 42kW on the outgoing i4 M50.BMW claims the i4 M60 is capable of doing the 0-100km/h sprint in 3.7 seconds, which is 0.2 seconds faster than the i4 M50. Total speed is unchanged at 225km/h.While there is extra power, it has come at the expense of claimed range. The i4 M60 is claimed to be able to travel up to 433km, according to WLTP testing, whereas the i4 M50 was claimed to be able to travel up to 480km, according to WLTP testing.This is despite all i4s from July production onwards getting silicon carbide semiconductor components, which in the entry-level i4 eDrive35 is claimed to reduce energy consumption by 4.5 per cent and add up to 22km of range.These latest additions and changes to the BMW i4 line-up follows a minor facelift that was unveiled in April 2024.At this stage this updated model still hasn’t arrived in Australia."Any updates regarding the BMW i4 line-up for Australia will be announced in due course," said a BMW Australia spokesperson.This update brought subtle exterior revisions including new grille designs, different LED headlight signatures, new alloy wheels, as well as more paint colours.The car also received the option of Laserlight rear lights in the style of the M4 CSL.Inside there was a new steering wheel, reduced physical buttons and controls on the instrument panel, new interior trim elements, CraftedClarity glass applications, as well as ambient lighting as standard.The BMW i4 launched locally back in 2022 as an all-electric counterpart to the 4 Series Gran Coupe, which has been subsequently axed in Australia.In the first four months of 2024, BMW sold a total of 382 i4 examples, which is down 42.4 per cent year-on-year.For context, Tesla sold a total of 2266 Model 3 examples over the same period of time. Hyundai also sold 58 Ioniq 6 examples and Polestar sold 179 Polestar 2 examples.

BMW has revealed pricing and details for its updated iX electric SUV ahead of its arrival in Australian showrooms by the middle of this year.Just one variant – xDrive 45 M Sport – has been announced for now, which replaces the outgoing xDrive40 Sport as the base variant.It starts at $142,900, before on-road costs, a rise of $6000 on its predecessor. The price hike widens the gap even more over key rivals in the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV and Polestar 3, which start at $134,900 and $116,754, respectively, both at before on-road costs.In return for the price rise, however, it adds a suite of technical and luxury upgrades. Headlining those changes is a 30 per cent larger lithium-ion battery pack, which ups its size from 77kWh to 94.8kWh.For the first time in a BMW, the bigger battery also features silicon carbide semiconductor components, or SiC inverters, for more efficiency and heat resistance compared to conventional silicon semiconductors.The result is an extra 177km unlocked in driving range under the WLTP cycle, which sees total range rated at 602km, up from 425km on its predecessor.That means it now comfortably exceeds the claimed driving ranges of the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV (539km) and a Cadillac Lyriq (530km), but falls short of the Long Range Dual-Motor Polestar 3 (706km).Fast-charging capacity has also been upped to a maximum of 175kW, up 25kW from its predecessor, while home charging can be carried out at 22kW.BMW said fine-tuning and further development of the iX’s twin electric motors also boosts power and torque by 60kW and 30Nm, respectively. A full second has been shaved off the iX’s 0-100km/h sprint time, which is now just 5.1 seconds.In terms of design, the iX sports a new kidney grille with standard contour lighting and diagonally striped accents. The LED headlights and indicators have also been redesigned from horizontal to vertical, while adaptive and cornering light functions are now standard.Standard M Sport packaging adds sporty front air intakes and vertical reflectors at the rear.New metallic paint colours are also available at an additional cost, including Arctic Race Blue, Tanzanite Blue, Dune Grey and Frozen Deep Grey. Two additional colours – Frozen Pure Grey and Space Silver – will be added in Q4. There remains six non-metallic paint colours as no-cost options.In the cabin, a panoramic glass roof is now standard, while there are new M multi-function leather seats, a new M leather steering wheel with heating function, M pedals, anthracite headlining, Dark Silver trim finishes and a high-gloss finish on the centre console. A tyre pressure monitor is also now standard.As before, standard kit includes an 18-speaker Harman/Kardon surround sound system, heated and massage front seats, wireless phone charging, a 12.3-inch twin-screen panoramic display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 21-inch aerodynamic alloy wheels and a tyre repair kit.Customers can upgrade to Executive interior luxury packing for $6500, Integral Active Steering for $3000, Adaptive 2-axle air suspension for $4000 or a 30-speaker Bowers and Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound system for $9500.22-inch M alloy wheels are $2500 extra, while 23-inch ‘Individual’ aerodynamic wheels will set you back an additional $5000.More variants will follow the xDrive 45 M Sport to complete the iX line-up later in 2025.

Four years after its debut, BMW has given its iX electric SUV its first facelift.For 2025, the updated model sees a suite of upgrades to the powertrain, exterior and interior, along with a new entry grade.Production will commence at the brand’s Dingolfing factory in Germany in March, with deliveries expected to start in Q2.CarsGuide has contacted BMW’s local operations for further information on an Australian launch date. An update to the story will follow with a response.Three variants remain in the line-up, starting with the new xDrive45 that replaces the xDrive40. Battery capacity swells from 71kWh to 94.8kWh, boosting the combined driving range by nearly 180km to 602km (WLTP).It also gets a 60kW power bump for its single rear-mounted electric motor to 300kW thanks to a drive system "fine-tune" and further developments to the car's power electronics.The xDrive60 replaces the xDrive50, which grows its battery capacity from 105.kWh to 109.1kWh. BMW notes a range of up to 701km on the combined WLTP cycle when fitted with standard aerodynamic wheel covers.For comparison, that comfortably exceeds the driving range of an Audi Q8 e-tron (484km), a Mercedes-Benz EQE (539km) and a Cadillac Lyriq (530km), all of which have been tested according to the WLTP cycle.Power on the dual-motor xDrive60 also increases by 15kW for a total output of 400kW.Last but not least, the dual-motor M70 replaces the M60 as the model's flagship sport variant. Its battery capacity grows from 105.2kWh to 108.9kWh for a maximum WLTP-certified range of 600km.It gains a 30kW power boost, pushing its total output to 485kW. BMW says a 0-100km/h sprint time of just 3.5 seconds can be achieved using the "one-foot rollout method", while top speed is limited to 250km/h.Looking at the exterior, the iX welcomes a refreshed front end, inclusive of a new front bumper, restyled grille and revamped headlights that feature new vertical daytime running lights and indicators.Customers can also opt for an illuminated grille on the entry-level xDrive45 or the mid-spec xDrive60, while it will come standard on the top-spec M70 xDrive.At the rear, BMW has integrated a new diffuser as standard on the M70, while customers can also opt for this upgrade through additional M Sport packaging.It adds further styling accents, distinctive air intakes and new M alloy wheels, while the M Sport Professional package adds "Shadowline" headlights, black exterior mirror caps, a unique M kidney grille and exclusive 22-inch M alloy wheels.Once again, M packaging adds exclusive interior features to the M70, which are optional for the xDrive 45 and xDrive60.Those include M multi-functional seats with optional ventilation, a leather steering wheel, M pedals, high-gloss black centre console trim and a two-tone instrument panel.BMW sold 566 examples of the iX in Australia last year, a decrease of 32.4 per cent on the previous year.

BMW has shown the first images of a close-to-production concept of its new 2026 iX3 and 3 Series interior design.

BMW’s next-generation iX3, the first vehicle expected to adopt the brand’s ‘Neue Klasse’ platform, has been revealed in leaked patent drawings.

Is Tesla’s electric car sales dominance starting to falter?