BMW China’s new i3 sets a long‑distance record in endurance test

BMW China opened a new battery production line at its Shenyang plant today. The 240,000‑square‑meter facility cost 10 billion yuan, about 1.5 billion USD. It is the first mass‑production site for BMW’s sixth‑generation battery technology and expands the local footprint five times.

During a long‑distance endurance test, BMW showcased the i3 50L, a pure electric sedan made for the Chinese market. The vehicle covered 1,213 km on a single charge, arriving with only 1 % battery left. That distance is 118 % of the car’s official range rating. The car used only 8.8 kWh of electricity per 100 km.

It can charge at up to 400 kW, adding about 400 km of range in 10 minutes. The model tested was rear‑wheel‑drive, but the i3 lineup will also include a dual‑motor all‑wheel‑drive version that can produce 345 kW of power.

BMW said that by 2030 more than 95 % of its models will be produced in China, a commitment highlighted by Chairman Dr Oliver Zipse. The iX3, which also uses the new battery, began pre‑orders in August and will start delivering in November. The i3 is expected to go into production and be sold in China in the fourth quarter of 2026, likely using the same battery supply chain as the iX3, with cells from EVE Energy or CATL depending on the variant.