I took the Volvo EX60 and BMW iX3 on 400-mile road trips — and range anxiety is officially dead

This year has seen more than its fair share of “game-changer” claims in the ever-changing world of EVs.

We’ve had BYD unveil its groundbreaking megawatt Flash Charging outside of China, numerous electric superminis go on sale at bargain prices and Ford finally commit to an affordable electric pickup platform.

But for me, two vehicles really stand out, as they have both seemingly started from scratch in order to convince EV skeptics with engaging drives, class-leading range and the most seamless EV ownership experience around. (Image credit: Volvo) The first of those cars is the latest BMW iX3 , also dubbed the Neue Klasse (new class) by the German marque, which arrives riding on a completely new platform, boasts the latest, highly efficient battery packs and what it calls 'The Heart of Joy' — an integrated processor that controls all of the propulsion, steering, braking and traction systems for a formidable drive.

In certain models, the new iX3 can manage up to 500 miles on a single charge and can add a staggering 231 miles of range after just 10 minutes of plugging in.

Similarly, Volvo’s “game-changing” EX60 , the electric version of its best-selling SUV (the XC60), also rides on a brand-new platform (SPA3) and features new, more efficient battery packs that can also break the 500-mile barrier on a single charge.

The approach to interiors and technology is very different between the two cars, but they have a lot more in common than you’d think: bags of interior space, huge trunks, extremely pleasant rides and, perhaps more importantly, staggering electric range.

Road trip heroes (Image credit: BMW) Let me start with the BMW iX3, because the way it eats up the mileage is nothing short of spectacular.

The model I took on a 400-mile round trip was the iX3 50 xDrive, which costs a hefty £61,000 (around $83,000 / AU$116,00) with all the fancy options ticked.

But fully charged, the next-generation iDrive infotainment system (more on that later) informed me that the vehicle would happily tackle 480 miles before it required topping up.

Flicking the vehicle from its standard driving modes to a “Max Range” profile, which limited air conditioning and other ancillaries, saw that figure rapidly leap to 550 miles.

Without wanting to bore you with the specifics of my weekend away with the family, let’s just say the iX3 made it to Cornwall from the UK's south coast, cruised around the narrow lanes for a few days and drove back without needing to plug in.

Being slightly nervous about these things, I did plug it into a 22kW charger for a couple of hours while we picnicked just to make sure we had enough range to get home.

But I really didn’t have to.

Old habits die hard.