AbgTutor dot Com: BMW Concept X5 eDrive previews a plug-in hybrid X5

Wednesday, 21 August 2013

BMW Concept X5 eDrive previews a plug-in hybrid X5

The BMW Concept X5 eDrive, set to debut at next month’s Frankfurt Motor Show, previews a new plug-in hybrid version of the F15 X5 SUV, or SAV if you must. BMW says it’s the “logical next step towards landmark efficiency” in the segment, with the concept rated at just 3.8 litres per 100 km in the EU combined cycle.

It will share BMW’s Frankfurt stand with the production-ready i3 all-electric car and the i8 sports coupe. It’s the company’s second plug-in hybrid eDrive model, after 2012’s Concept Active Tourer, albeit hooked up to BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system this time round.

BMW has chosen not to reveal too much of the new powertrain, instead describing it as a four-cylinder engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology, paired to an electric motor. We think it’s safe to assume that it’s based on BMW’s existing 2.0 litre turbo four unit, though no power output is released.

The electric motor however, is known to be a 95 hp unit that sources its energy from a high-voltage lithium-ion battery positioned in a crash-safe cradle underneath the boot. The load-carrying capacity is “virtually unchanged,” says BMW, despite storing the battery and charging cable below the flat storage area.

Designed to be charged from any domestic power socket, the battery and electric motor offers an all-electric, zero-emission range of 30 km, at speeds of up to 120 km/h. Working in hybrid mode with the petrol engine, it can get from 0 – 100 km/h in 7.0 seconds, average 3.8 l/100 km and emit just 90 g/km of CO2.

There is a choice of three driving modes –intelligent hybrid drive option for an optimum balance between sportiness and efficiency, pure electric and therefore emission-free driving, or Save Battery mode to maintain the current battery charge.

In concept form, the SUV comes with blue accents on the kidney grille slats, air intake bars and rear bumper garnish. It’s not just any blue though; it’s the BMW i Blue used on the new i sub-brand. It also gets unique roof rails, a charging socket that lights up when in use, and 21-inch alloy wheels in an aerodynamically-optimised design.