A new generation of electric vehicles capable of traveling more than 400 miles on a single charge is reaching US showrooms this fall, led by BMW’s redesigned iX3 and joined by new long range models from Mercedes-Benz and Volvo.
The shift marks the first time that range level has moved beyond ultra-luxury sedans and oversized trucks into a wider band of the market, though prices remain firmly in luxury territory.
BMW iX3 leads the new range tier
BMW’s redesigned iX3, the first model built on the automaker’s new “Neue Klasse” electric platform, is rated for up to 497 miles on the WLTP cycle, with BMW’s US-market EPA estimate later updated to as much as 434 miles. That puts the SUV near the top of the pack among gasoline and electric vehicles sold in the US this model year.
The fresh EVs coming from luxury European carmakers feature smaller, more energy-dense battery cells that use their power more efficiently. The iX3 uses a 112.2 kWh battery pack and features sixth-gen, cylindrical cells with 20% higher energy density than the previous generation, with charging from 10% to 80% in as quickly as 21 minutes and an estimated 185 miles of range added in 10 minutes.
That efficiency gain is the real story behind the range jump, rather than simply stuffing in a larger pack. Smaller, denser cells mean less weight to haul around, which in turn improves the miles obtained from every kilowatt-hour.
Mercedes and Volvo follow with their own entries
Mercedes-Benz is pushing the same approach across its lineup. The automaker’s newly unveiled electric C-Class, built on an 800-volt architecture and powered by a new 94 kWh lithium-ion battery, has a WLTP driving range of up to 473 miles , with a new rear-wheel-drive variant expected to follow next year with an expected WLTP range of around 497 miles . The WLTP cycle tends to produce higher figures than the EPA’s US rating system.
Mercedes’ CLA sedan, which began reaching US dealers earlier this year, has a usable battery capacity of 85 kWh and an EPA-estimated range of 374 miles , and real-world testing by Edmunds recorded 434 miles of driving, beating the EPA’s estimate by 16% .
Volvo is bringing a similar strategy to its next SUV. The P12 AWD version of the EX60 has an estimated range up to 400 miles , equipped with a 112-kWh battery , with customer deliveries of that top trim expected to start in 2027 .
That model will compete directly against the iX3 and the electric C-Class when it reaches US buyers.
Pricing stays out of reach for most buyers
The range gains have not yet trickled down to mainstream price points. As the auto industry moves into new model years, it is bringing a crop of EVs with 400-plus miles of range that was once a rare bragging point reserved for ultra-luxury sedans and gargantuan electric trucks.
Mercedes’ CLA 250+ starts at roughly $48,600, according to Edmunds, while Volvo has priced the 2027 EX60 starting at under $60,000 , with the range-topping P12 trim expected to cost more. BMW’s iX3 50 xDrive variant is priced from $61,500 . Mercedes has not disclosed final US pricing for every C-Class trim, but the models are expected to land well above the average new-vehicle transaction price and out of reach for shoppers comparing something like a Chevy Bolt or a compact crossover.
Whether the technology filters down to cheaper models remains an open question for the industry.
Why the shift matters for EV buyers
Range anxiety has consistently ranked as one of the top reasons American shoppers hesitate to buy an electric vehicle, and automakers have treated the 400-mile mark as a psychological threshold worth chasing.
If this new generation of battery technology filters downmarket, 400 miles of range could eventually become less of a luxury flex and more of a baseline.
For now, the gains are concentrated among European luxury brands competing for US buyers in a slowing EV market, one where charging infrastructure built by groups such as the network formed by rival automakers continues to expand alongside longer-range vehicles.
BMW has not said when or whether a lower-priced model will inherit the same battery architecture used in the iX3, and Mercedes and Volvo have likewise left their mass-market timelines undefined.
