2025 BMW iX Review: EV Road Trip From San Francisco to Lake Tahoe

By: Oliver Fereday | July 12, 2024

Having never owned an Electric Car, and as someone who admittedly is a bit hesitant on long trips with EV’s, Cartelligent’s CEO, David, suggested I put my anxiety to the test! I’ve never been one to turn down a challenge and to be fair, any chance to drive a new luxury vehicle is one I’ll take. 

So, with that said, today we’re exploring whether an electric car can manage a long road trip. We’re taking the BMW iX from San Francisco to the scenic beauty of Lake Tahoe.

In this blog, we’ll show you how we made the trip starting with a full battery, aiming to reach Tahoe without recharging. Join us on this adventure to see how it went and for my review of the 2025 BMW iX.

Range Test: San Francisco to Lake Tahoe ~200 miles, 7000 ft Elevation Gain

Car: BMW iX with 315 miles of EPA range

The Drive Up to Lake Tahoe

At 6:50pm we started the drive with 97% charge and an estimated 350 miles of range on the dash. The drive out of San Francisco for the first 45 min was beautiful as the sun started setting and the traffic was unusually light, considering it was July 3rd, the evening before the big holiday. After 40 miles, the dash showed 310 miles of range left, so we were comfortably accurate for the start of the trip.

The first 100 miles came and went as we started testing some of the many great features the iX has to offer. The hands free driving was hard to trust at first. As someone who’s never driven with this feature before, it was a little disconcerting to say the least. After holding our breaths through a couple of turns, we began to get comfortable with the hands free mode and eventually came to rely on it as a comfortable feature that proved to reduce driver fatigue. At this stage, our measured miles were counting down accurately with the range estimate on the dash. I was surprised how close it was, considering these estimates are rarely trustworthy.

As the setting sun turned to darkness, the hill up to Tahoe loomed up ahead. This is where the range was to take a serious hit and the battery would start to dwindle. We’d expected this to happen. Even in our daily driver, a 2023 Audi Q5, we get a huge hit, with high revs and a heavy foot, we always lose our range to this climb. 

The iX was a beauty to drive. The instant torque from the electric motor made for very spirited driving, especially when switching to sport mode, and the dynamic suspension made the iX feel like a car half its size. With twists and turns, significant elevation change and a powerful AWD system keeping traction, we were quickly diminishing our range estimates on the dash. At 150 miles of driving, we had only 105 miles left of range, according to the vehicle’s estimates. Luckily there was less than half that to go.  

The final push flattened out as we tipped over Donner Summit and back down the other side. With the lake in our sights, the range countdown started to settle and we knew we’d make it. We settled at Martis Camp with 75 miles of range left in the “tank”. 

Time in Tahoe

A festive July 4th was spent with friends and family, eating and drinking too much and hoping the extra weight wouldn’t affect our range on the drive back. Driving between the pool, lake and bbq kept us busy over the long weekend as temperatures scratched 100 degrees and we decided to use the fast charger to top up the iX to keep us going and to hopefully get us all the way back to San Francisco.

Using the Electrify America App, we found our first-ever 350kW Fast Charger next to the grocery store in Truckee, where we were stocking up on fast-dwindling supplies. It was too hot and the iX charged a little slower because of it, though we got the job done in 45 min or so, rather than BMW’s expected 35min. After hitting 80% we continued the pool/lake commute for the rest of the weekend before leaving for the trip back home. 

The Drive Back to San Francisco

Saying goodbye to Tahoe is never pleasant but we knew we’d have a comfortable drive home at the very least. While we were packing the car, checking the dash showed we had 180 miles of estimated range and around 60% of battery. Wanting to risk it, I was sure we’d pick up some range on the down-hill section, though acknowledged it was a little too close for comfort, especially being our first EV road trip. We stopped off at the same charger in Truckee for a 10 min, 20% boost from 60-80%. Now that’s more like it!

The drive down was uneventful. We took it easy and lavished in the comfort of our massaging seats as we picked up range and rode the turns gracefully down the hill. The first 50 miles only depleted 8% of our range, thanks to the regenerative braking of the iX. We’d tested out the “Efficiency” mode, only to realize it turned off climate control, and in 110 degrees past Sacramento, it was worth keeping our range short so as to not melt. 

We made it easily with 110 miles of range and 30% of battery left. It was a great trip and a happy ending, except now I have to deal with the burning hole in my heart that’s left without the iX as my daily driver. 

2025 BMW iX Review

At first, the iX’s soft, aerodynamic, range maximizing design had me less than enthused, and the snout nose grill was an unappetizing distraction. Somehow, though, the design began to grow on me as my time with the car increased. Maybe it was the comfort, or the quality; perhaps the driver-focused capability of the iX that swayed my opinion. What’s true now, is after spending 5 days and over 450 miles with the iX, I truly love the car. 

I’ve owned an X5, which, being the petrol equivalent of the iX at BMW, was an easy comparison. I’ve spent many years telling people how the X5 is the best SUV on the market, but that’ll change after this experience. I’m no longer afraid of traveling with EVs and the undeniable truth is that they, in this case the iX, are nicer to drive than a gas car. 

My BMW iX Verdict: Highly Recommended

Who Should Buy a 2025 BMW iX?

Honestly, the Lease deals on these are so good, if you have the capability to charge at home or work – I’d highly recommend going with the iX. If you’re interested in a car that is easy to drive around town, commuting, or on SF->Tahoe trips, that has an extremely comfortable, high quality interior and a powerful motor, this is a great pick.

Top Features:

1. Electric powertrain: This is basically the whole car but the way BMW has set up the iX to drive like a normal car, the range, drivability and the acceleration are just impressive. 
2. Massaging Seats: Easy to use, adjust and feel! Too often massaging seats don’t really massage. The iX is different
3. Gesture Controls: I initially thought this was a gimmick, but with no knobs or buttons within view, the gesture controls are easy to learn and use while keeping your eyes on the road. BMW needs to work on the gesture recognition, but this is a good start.

Competitive Specs:

* Current lease offers as advertised by Manufacturers. Depends on spec and not including tax

Current Offers in California (July 2024):

1. Leases from $699 (Cartelligent has negotiated lower leases too)
2. Up to $17k+ off MSRP
3. 2.99% APR Financing

Interested in a 2025 BMW IX After This Review?

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