BMW Thinks Its Electric Cars Don’t Need More Than 373 Miles Of Range

Needless to say, vehicle range is something that EV buyers look at before making a purchase, and rightfully so. With battery charging networks still not as vast as fuel stations, it’s important that you can reach as far as you can before needing to find a place to recharge. That’s why automakers that enter the EV era aim to increase the range of their contenders as much as they can. Heck, some are even trying to cross the 620-mile (1,000-kilometer) range mark. But not BMW, apparently. That’s according to 2022 BMW i4 project leader David Ferrufino in an interview with the Australian publication WhichCar. Gallery: 2022 BMW i4 Extensive Gallery BMW i4 59 Photos “One thousand kilometers of range is not a target we have with our fully-electric cars,” said Ferrufino, talking at a media conference in Australia. Ferrufino added that the maximum range depends on the segment that the vehicle is being offered. In the case of the German automaker, the BMW i3 city EV doesn’t need 373 mi (600 km) of range while that amount is “a very customer-friendly solution” for the i4. Of note, the BMW has enough battery juice to go as far as 367 mi (590 km) per WLTP and up to 300 mi (483 km) per EPA.

Ferrufino’s standpoint lies in the fact that BMW is also investing in improving its charging network to make long journeys viable even with cars not having the biggest range around.

“We not only have the advancements in battery technology, we also have the public charging network – which is growing rapidly. Going cross-country in Europe from Norway to Italy is already a joyful experience when you do it in an electric car,” Ferrufino told the Australian publication.

Ferrufino added that charging speed should also make progress. In the case of the i4, it’s claimed that it can charge from 10 to 80 percent in 31 minutes using a 200kW DC fast charger.