A Southern California demonstration tested the new electric X5 at up to 460 kW, using charging hardware that is not yet commercially available in the US.
BMW, the charging network IONNA and charger maker Alpitronic have demonstrated up to 460 kW peak DC charging on the new BMW iX5 60 xDrive in Southern California. BMW says the car adds up to 217 miles of WLTP range in 10 minutes and charges its 141 kWh net battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 22 minutes.
BMW has shown high-power charging of up to 460 kW on the new BMW iX5 60 xDrive, in a demonstration staged in Laguna Hills, Southern California. The session was part of an international media event and was run with the charging network IONNA and the charger maker Alpitronic. BMW says it is the first time the car's full high-power charging potential has been shown to international media.
The iX5 is the first battery-electric BMW X5. The company says it arrives with its sixth-generation eDrive, which BMW calls Gen6 and which first appeared on the iX3.
Charging figures
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Peak DC charging power | up to 460 kW |
| Range added in 10 minutes (WLTP) | up to 217 miles |
| Net battery capacity | 141 kWh |
| Time to charge from 10 to 80 per cent | 22 minutes |
| Combined WLTP consumption | 23.9 to 20.1 kWh/100 km |
The figures come from the Gen6 system. It uses 800V technology and cylindrical cells, which BMW says give 20 per cent more volumetric energy density than the prismatic Gen5 cells used before. The system also adds bidirectional charging and updated electric motors.
The Gen6 system
Thomas Engelhardt, senior vice president for high-voltage battery and charging at BMW, said 460 kW charging and a set of new intelligent charging functions are central to the step BMW is taking with Gen6. He framed the aim as serving customers around the world.
Partners and the caveat
IONNA describes its network as the link between vehicle technology and dependable hardware. Its chief executive, Seth Cutler, said the partnership turns next-generation charging into an experience drivers can trust. IONNA's stated priorities are reliability, affordability and convenience. Reliability rests on interoperability testing and operations built to keep charging simple. Affordability includes charging discounts for eligible BMW drivers, and convenience comes from digital integrations and sites placed around the journeys drivers make.
Alpitronic supplied the high-power hardware for the session. Its chief executive, Philipp Senoner, said vehicle and charging technology have to advance together, pointing to a long partnership with BMW. Alpitronic also says the 460 kW setup is a technology demonstration and not charging hardware commercially available in the US today.
