BMW has demonstrated the charging capabilities of its new iX5 60 xDrive electric SUV, achieving peak DC charging power of 460kW during a test in Southern California.
The high-power charging demonstration, conducted with charging network operator IONNA and equipment manufacturer Alpitronic, showed the battery-electric X5 adding up to 363km of WLTP range in just 10 minutes.
BMW said the iX5’s 141kWh battery, measured in usable capacity, can be charged from 10% to 80% in 23 minutes.
The figures highlight the capabilities of BMW’s sixth-generation (Gen6) eDrive technology, which made its debut in the new iX3 and is now being introduced in the iX5.
The 800V electrical architecture uses cylindrical battery cells offering 20% higher volumetric energy density than the previous generation’s prismatic cells.
Gen6 also supports bidirectional charging, allowing compatible vehicles to supply stored electricity to external devices or other electrical systems.
For the demonstration, Alpitronic supplied the charging technology capable of delivering up to 460kW, while IONNA contributed its charging network expertise.
The three companies worked together to test the interaction between the vehicle’s high-voltage system and the charging equipment.
BMW stressed that the 460kW equipment used in the demonstration is not commercially available in the United States.
The new iX5 is BMW’s first fully electric X5, extending the company’s latest EV technology into one of its established SUV model lines.
