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Battery life is terrible

11748 Views 103 Replies 34 Participants Last post by  Oceans
This is a great looking and feature packed car but the battery and the estimated mileage is terrible. I am in the UK and have the IX40, fully loaded with 22 inch wheels. This battery is claimed to do 260 miles and during normal weather, when fully charged, it only states 195 - 200 miles and during the snow in London in mid December the batter would only charge to 175 miles. I pre-condition the car every morning and my daily drive to and thro from work would be 30 miles, so lets round up to 35 miles max. Theoretically this should last all 5 working days, but after 3 days I'm down to 20 predicted miles so have to plug in again. Where has my other 100 miles disappeared to ? I have just come out of BMW M850i and filling this up with petrol lasted 10 days.
I would never recommend this car for the battery life, its terrible. This car was sold on the amount of fuel you save and I feel I am paying more for electricity then I did for petrol.
Buyer beware....
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It cold. This is how batteries work. Charge the car overnight. Your not going to get a ton of sympathy on this forum.
However much petrol you'd typically use, electricity is cheaper.
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You say your BMW 850i lasts longer on a tank of gas than the iX xDrive 40. I should hope so! The 850i averages 20 MPG with an 18-gallon tank = 360 miles. You're comparing a 250-mile EV SUV with a 360-mile ICE sports coupe and seem surprised that the 850i lasts longer between fill-ups. Cold weather enacts a 20% range penalty because the car has to heat the battery and other electronic components, which knocks your rated range down to 200 miles. The rest is your driving style. I'm not sure I understand the complaint because the car is performing as it should.

You chose the wrong model and wheels if you wanted maximum range.
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Definitely chose the wrong model if you're looking for max range.
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I just want to get near 200miles, not 120 when I drive it like Miss Daisy.
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I just want to get near 200miles, not 120 when I drive it like Miss Daisy.
Haha, love it.
I couldn’t agree with you more mate.
I just want to get near 200miles, not 120 when I drive it like Miss Daisy.
I agree. A lot miles disappears if you make multiple trips (probably climate heating every time).
@vinomover I've got the same car as you, also in London. What you have described is perfectly normal for short winter trips. Go check out the forums for other EVs from manufacturers, it's the same story. I've got no issue with the car, it performs exactly as I expected.

If your car is parked outside in the winter, even if you precondition it, the battery is still going to be bloody cold, and your drive of 15 miles isn't going to warm the battery considerably.

Furthermore, doing the same journey from work to home after the car has been parked all day will also result in the car using more electricity than you would like.

I'm getting about 190 miles range at the moment but that's because I do a lot of very short trips (<3 miles) - if I have to do a longer motorway journey (> 50 miles) in these temps (10C/50F), I could get about 220 miles of range, as that's what I was getting in October when I first got my car.
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As someone who is moving from an Audi E-tron I'm going to be more than happy with a range about 180-200 in the cold. Currently my commute is about 6miles each way and at full charge this morning my car reads 140miles a drop from 180 during warmer temps. The battery is about the same size as the iX40 so there's a massive efficiency difference between them, you'll find that a lot of car makers have the same issue, the other option is to pay extra for the bigger battery that you may only need a couple of months each. Up to you which makes the most sense and is affordable
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As someone who is moving from an Audi E-tron I'm going to be more than happy with a range about 180-200 in the cold. Currently my commute is about 6miles each way and at full charge this morning my car reads 140miles a drop from 180 during warmer temps. The battery is about the same size as the iX40 so there's a massive efficiency difference between them, you'll find that a lot of car makers have the same issue, the other option is to pay extra for the bigger battery that you may only need a couple of months each. Up to you which makes the most sense and is affordable
Does your e-tron claim to do 260 miles per charge ?
It's a 50quattro with 71kwh battery claimed for 200 miles, 2019 model with about 300bhp so similar to the iX40 in spec but poor efficiency. Best range I've gotten from it is 219 on a long drive but doing it as efficiently as possible. Average about 2.7mi/kWh over 20,000 miles so far
It's a 50quattro with 71kwh battery claimed for 200 miles, 2019 model with about 300bhp so similar to the iX40 in spec but poor efficiency. Best range I've gotten from it is 219 on a long drive but doing it as efficiently as possible. Average about 2.7mi/kWh over 20,000 miles so far
So if you read Vinomovers 2nd post, he too would be happy with up to 200 miles instead of the 120 miles he’s currently getting whilst driving like granny.
So if you read Vinomovers 2nd post, he too would be happy with up to 200 miles instead of the 120 miles he’s currently getting whilst driving like granny.
I'm topping out at 60mph to be able to get 140miles which I agree isn't good or safe for motorways. If I drive at a normal speed I get less probably down to the 90-100mile range in cold weather. But I'm extrapolating up for myself on the hypothetical that I should get an extra 50miles range in the iX40.

I'm also pointing out that this isn't just a BMW problem, Audi are supposed to be a premium car brand and you would imagine they would provide reliable data on their car but that's not the case with any electric cars as there's always the caveat of real world range will change based on driving conditions.

If someone wants to have 200miles range in the cold then unfortunately they have to accept either they alter their driving style or they get a car with more battery power. Until the battery tech gets improved this is going to be an issue and unfortunately people moving from ICE to EV are not going to like it, I didn't like it when I first moved but you adapt.
I'm topping out at 60mph to be able to get 140miles which I agree isn't good or safe for motorways. If I drive at a normal speed I get less probably down to the 90-100mile range in cold weather. But I'm extrapolating up for myself on the hypothetical that I should get an extra 50miles range in the iX40.

I'm also pointing out that this isn't just a BMW problem, Audi are supposed to be a premium car brand and you would imagine they would provide reliable data on their car but that's not the case with any electric cars as there's always the caveat of real world range will change based on driving conditions.

If someone wants to have 200miles range in the cold then unfortunately they have to accept either they alter their driving style or they get a car with more battery power. Until the battery tech gets improved this is going to be an issue and unfortunately people moving from ICE to EV are not going to like it, I didn't like it when I first moved but you adapt.
Well I’m glad you’re happy to accept more than 50% reduction in promised range.
I didn’t spend £90 Grand on a luxury car thinking I would be driving well under the speed limits in eco modes, hoping the wind is behind me and wearing arctic weather gear to avoid using the heater.
Strange how manufacturers do not know the true capabilities of their batteries but their customers do !
Well I’m glad you’re happy to accept more than 50% reduction in promised range.
I didn’t spend £90 Grand on a luxury car thinking I would be driving well under the speed limits in eco modes, hoping the wind is behind me and wearing arctic weather gear to avoid using the heater.
Strange how manufacturers do not know the true capabilities of their batteries but their customers do !
You'll find that manufacturers are not promising you anything typically they state range as "up to" so they never promised 250miles.

If you're unhappy with the range then perhaps an EV isn't for you but you paid £90 grand for a luxury car that's loaded with tech and a well built interior, assuming the battery makes up 30% costs you paid £30 grand for that and the rest is for the actual car interior, tech and the brand of course etc.

I'm also going to go out on a limb and say most EV drivers will drive at the speed limit and use their heaters because the vast majority aren't driving over 100miles in a single trip and even if they are there is probably a stop along the way which is the perfect time to charge.

As with ICE car at the start EVs are in development, the more there are on the road the more data manufacturers get and can develop a more accurate range estimation.
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Should have gotten an iX 50 then if you wanted more range, mine is getting me 250-280 miles in the winter right now 🤷🏻
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I think now weather is cold, so there is an issue. For that reason, you can A jump starter aids your car in spinning the starter motor and starting the engine when the battery is weak or dead, but it does not recharge the battery. The car's alternator, a little generator of electricity connected to the engine, will then recharge the battery. If you want to check the status of battery with details just write the VIN number on click here VIN decoder search box and do search. But my opinion on the jump starter kit.
Should have gotten an iX 50 then if you wanted more range, mine is getting me 250-280 miles in the winter right now 🤷🏻
Would have loved to gotten an IX50 but in the UK a decent spec'd car is £115k = $140k. Much cheaper in the US..
Should have gotten an iX 50 then if you wanted more range, mine is getting me 250-280 miles in the winter right now 🤷🏻
I would have done if bmw had informed me that I would be getting up to 150 miles instead of the “Up To” 267 miles.
I would have done if bmw had informed me that I would be getting up to 150 miles instead of the “Up To” 267 miles.
EVs are not a new thing, virtually every EV for the last 10 years loses approx 20% of advertised range in the winter. My iX is much better than my Tesla was in the winter. Unless you lived under a rock for the last decade, can’t imagine what else you expected in the winter on short commutes?
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