2026 BMW iX3 launches with 400 miles range, 463hp, 800V architecture, 400kW peak charging

[E90alex]

They're talking about the vehicle's internal 800 volt architecture vs 400 volt, not the charging stations. The Hyundai/Kia's with the 800V architecture will charge in 20 minutes on the 350Kw Electrify America chargers. Hyundai Kia takes a little longer on a 325kw Tesla charger (and older Tesla chargers at 250kw) but still faster than the Mach-e on both charger types.

Would still like to see Ford do what they can to improve the charging curve for the next gen Mach-e even if it stays on the 400V architecture. Maybe it's maxed out as it is.

That’s not how any of that works.

The charger voltage needs to match the battery pack voltage in order for the car to charge. In the case of an 800V vehicle charging at a 400V charger, there needs to be something to step up the voltage to match the battery pack, which will slow down the charging.

The kW nameplate rating of a charger also doesn’t tell the whole story, the actual voltage and amperage are paramount. So a Tesla 325kW charger (~500V x ~650A) isn’t going to be “just a little slower” than an EA 350kW (~1000V x ~350A) station.

The Ioniq 5 can charge at a maximum of ~245 kW at an EA 350 kW station because it can supply up to 800V (and more). However, the 2025 Ioniq 5 can only charge at a maximum of 135 kW at a 400V Tesla Supercharger. This includes the V3 250kW and the V3+/V3.5 325kW stations because they are both still only 400V. This is a lower peak rate than the Mach-E’s 150 kW. Older Ioniq models are even slower and max out at 99 kW on a 400V charger.

The Lucid Air can only do 50kW maximum at a 400V charger. Same for the Porsche Taycan, but the Taycan has an optional 400V DC charger that will let it charge at up to 150 kW.

So unless the infrastructure and reliability for 800V chargers greatly improves, you would still likely be using a lot of 400V chargers in the wild and have slower charging than a native 400V vehicle.

Sponsored

 

[dbsb3233]

Not nearly as bad as this… Behold the Lucid Gravity.

I'm not thrilled with the hearse-like profile of the Gravity (although it does look better in person), but nearly everything else about it is amazing so I ordered one.

 

[Mark813]

That’s not how any of that works.

The charger voltage needs to match the battery pack voltage in order for the car to charge. In the case of an 800V vehicle charging at a 400V charger, there needs to be something to step up the voltage to match the battery pack, which will slow down the charging.

The kW nameplate rating of a charger also doesn’t tell the whole story, the actual voltage and amperage are paramount. So a Tesla 325kW charger (~500V x ~650A) isn’t going to be “just a little slower” than an EA 350kW (~1000V x ~350A) station.

The Ioniq 5 can charge at a maximum of ~245 kW at an EA 350 kW station because it can supply up to 800V (and more). However, the 2025 Ioniq 5 can only charge at a maximum of 135 kW at a 400V Tesla Supercharger. This includes the V3 250kW and the V3+/V3.5 325kW stations because they are both still only 400V. This is a lower peak rate than the Mach-E’s 150 kW. Older Ioniq models are even slower and max out at 99 kW on a 400V charger.

The Lucid Air can only do 50kW maximum at a 400V charger. Same for the Porsche Taycan, but the Taycan has an optional 400V DC charger that will let it charge at up to 150 kW.

So unless the infrastructure and reliability for 800V chargers greatly improves, you would still likely be using a lot of 400V chargers in the wild and have slower charging than a native 400V vehicle.

Yea I misread what the poster I quoted was saying.

My comparison is a friend's Kia EV6 charging 20-80% in 20 mins at EA and I'm there 15 mins more. Of course, they get another few months free at EA. They take about the same time at Tesla that I do, which is "just a little more time" when you can have a meatball sub at Wawa where Tesla is by me.

Thanks for your insight

 

[Jimrpa]

If you think the new BMW is ugly, wait until you see what their cross-country rivals, Mercedes, are about to foist on the unsuspecting motoring public - the new GLC. Apparently, MB thought BMW’s bucktooth front end was so alluring, they wanted to copy it!

 

[dbsb3233]

If you think the new BMW is ugly, wait until you see what their cross-country rivals, Mercedes, are about to foist on the unsuspecting motoring public - the new GLC. Apparently, MB thought BMW’s bucktooth front end was so alluring, they wanted to copy it!

Interesting how polarizing the front-end look is. Personally I kinda like it. I like it much better than Tesla's low sloping hood and tiny front end, anyway. I prefer a more "stout" look.

Looks are so subjective and personal.

 

[Mach1E]

If you think the new BMW is ugly, wait until you see what their cross-country rivals, Mercedes, are about to foist on the unsuspecting motoring public - the new GLC. Apparently, MB thought BMW’s bucktooth front end was so alluring, they wanted to copy it!

Interesting, I kinda like it. And most importantly……. The light up matrix grill is optional! I also think the GLC is way better looking than the EQE.

https://www.caranddriver.com/photos/g65996277/2027-mercedes-benz-glc-class-ev-exterior-gallery/

 

[Jimrpa]

Well, the good news is that the Germans have finally mastered the advanced technology we call “frunk”

 

[HuntingPudel]

Well, the good news is that the Germans have finally mastered the advanced technology we call “frunk”

The frunk is for chillin'.

 

[dbsb3233]

Well the article states a 0-60 in 4.7s , so I don't think the BMW is going to be a street racer.

Fine by me. Every EV doesn't need to be a rocket ship. 4.7 is still very fast. More than fast enough for 98% of buyers.

 

[AZBill]

That’s not how any of that works.

The charger voltage needs to match the battery pack voltage in order for the car to charge. In the case of an 800V vehicle charging at a 400V charger, there needs to be something to step up the voltage to match the battery pack, which will slow down the charging.

The kW nameplate rating of a charger also doesn’t tell the whole story, the actual voltage and amperage are paramount. So a Tesla 325kW charger (~500V x ~650A) isn’t going to be “just a little slower” than an EA 350kW (~1000V x ~350A) station.

The Ioniq 5 can charge at a maximum of ~245 kW at an EA 350 kW station because it can supply up to 800V (and more). However, the 2025 Ioniq 5 can only charge at a maximum of 135 kW at a 400V Tesla Supercharger. This includes the V3 250kW and the V3+/V3.5 325kW stations because they are both still only 400V. This is a lower peak rate than the Mach-E’s 150 kW. Older Ioniq models are even slower and max out at 99 kW on a 400V charger.

The Lucid Air can only do 50kW maximum at a 400V charger. Same for the Porsche Taycan, but the Taycan has an optional 400V DC charger that will let it charge at up to 150 kW.

So unless the infrastructure and reliability for 800V chargers greatly improves, you would still likely be using a lot of 400V chargers in the wild and have slower charging than a native 400V vehicle.

The only vehicle that can get over 300kw at a V4 charger is the Cybertruck. They do that by pumping out 900A for a short time at low SoC.

I have charged my Hummer at V3 and V4, they both top out at 185kw in 400V mode. On a 400kw charger I can get 370kw. GM uses a split pack, so no need to boost the voltage, but they limit to 500A at either charging voltage.

 

[E90alex]

The only vehicle that can get over 300kw at a V4 charger is the Cybertruck. They do that by pumping out 900A for a short time at low SoC.

I have charged my Hummer at V3 and V4, they both top out at 185kw in 400V mode. On a 400kw charger I can get 370kw. GM uses a split pack, so no need to boost the voltage, but they limit to 500A at either charging voltage.

Yeah that’s why peak charging kW is somewhat misleading and only tells part of the story. The charging curve aka average charging kW is more important.

Tesla likes to pull crazy amperage to get those headline charging kW numbers but it only hits those speeds for a short time at very low SOC then ramps down pretty aggressively after that.

 

[AZBill]

Yeah that’s why peak charging kW is somewhat misleading and only tells part of the story. The charging curve aka average charging kW is more important.

Tesla likes to pull crazy amperage to get those headline charging kW numbers but it only hits those speeds for a short time at very low SOC then ramps down pretty aggressively after that.

The GM trucks will pull 500A up to 45%, then start to ramp down. But they are still over 200kw out to about 70%.

 

[Ravensfan1996]

The specs and outside of car are ok, but that interior, ugh. Don’t like that screen set back all the way to the windshield and that other screens odd shape.

 

[Exordium01]

That’s not how any of that works.

The charger voltage needs to match the battery pack voltage in order for the car to charge. In the case of an 800V vehicle charging at a 400V charger, there needs to be something to step up the voltage to match the battery pack, which will slow down the charging.

The kW nameplate rating of a charger also doesn’t tell the whole story, the actual voltage and amperage are paramount. So a Tesla 325kW charger (~500V x ~650A) isn’t going to be “just a little slower” than an EA 350kW (~1000V x ~350A) station.

The Ioniq 5 can charge at a maximum of ~245 kW at an EA 350 kW station because it can supply up to 800V (and more). However, the 2025 Ioniq 5 can only charge at a maximum of 135 kW at a 400V Tesla Supercharger. This includes the V3 250kW and the V3+/V3.5 325kW stations because they are both still only 400V. This is a lower peak rate than the Mach-E’s 150 kW. Older Ioniq models are even slower and max out at 99 kW on a 400V charger.

The Lucid Air can only do 50kW maximum at a 400V charger. Same for the Porsche Taycan, but the Taycan has an optional 400V DC charger that will let it charge at up to 150 kW.

So unless the infrastructure and reliability for 800V chargers greatly improves, you would still likely be using a lot of 400V chargers in the wild and have slower charging than a native 400V vehicle.

That’s not the whole story either. The Mach E charge curve is appallingly conservative. Even at the lower max charge rate, the Ioniq 5 charges faster off a 400V charger.

VW/Audi are able to almost match Hyundai/Kia charge times at 150kW max charge rate through good optimization. The whole charge curve behavior matters way more than max charge rate. The Mach E just sucks at both.

 

[buzznwood]

Fine by me. Every EV doesn't need to be a rocket ship. 4.7 is still very fast. More than fast enough for 98% of buyers.

In mach-e terms the initial ix3 50 is really the equivalent of the mach-e premium awd so has similar performance, just with a lot more range, there is supposed to be a 60m later which will be more in line with a GT with supposedly a x3m variant to follow.

While performance is useful for headlines, the ix3 50 will have more than enough power for most people, and with bmw having a habit of being very conservative with acceleration figures I would not be surprised that when it is tested it goes faster.

If it comes in at around 60k, yes its bmw so that will no doubt be just the basics but if can live up to the 400 miles range it makes it hard to ignore as it that is the sort of number that will tempt a lot of ice owners to move to an ev.

Looks are always going to be subjective, but it looks more like a tall wagon than an suv and the front end is a lot better then bmws recent efforts and when compared to the bling tastic that is the glc the ix3 looks very tame.

While ford is busy pushing any mach-e replacment way of into the future, hopefully these recent reveals from the germans if they match the press specs in the real world now sets the mid-size suv bar much higher, so if we very do get a gen 2 mach-e they can't half arse it anymore as it will be DOA.

Sponsored