BMW’s first ever plug-in hybrid Sports Activity Vehicle, the 2016 X5 xDrive40e, starts production in August 2015 and will arrive in showrooms in the fall with a starting price of $63,095 including $995 D&H.
The BMW X5 xDrive40e is the first plug-in hybrid production model from the core BMW brand. It combines the versatility and luxurious ambience of a full-sized Sports Activity Vehicle with the superb traction offered by the BMW xDrive intelligent all-wheel-drive system as well as BMW EfficientDynamics eDrive technology for exemplary efficiency.
With a total system output of 230 kW/313 hp generated by a 2.0-liter TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder gasoline engine and a synchronous electric motor, the BMW X5 xDrive40e achieves a combined fuel consumption of 3.4 – 3.3 liters per 100 kilometers (69 – 71 mpg US or 83.1 – 85.6 mpg imp) and a combined electricity consumption of 15.4 – 15.3 kWh over the same distance. CO2 emissions come in at 78 – 77 grams per kilometer.
The energy for the electric motor integrated in the 8-speed Steptronic transmission is drawn from a lithium-ion battery, which also supplies power to the low-voltage battery for the 12V electrical system aboard the BMW X5 xDrive40e via a voltage transformer. It can be recharged by connecting to any standard domestic power socket or a BMW i Wallbox, as well as at public charging stations.
To save space the high-voltage battery is housed underneath the luggage compartment floor, where it is also particularly well protected in the event of a crash. With 500 – 1,720 liters of luggage space, a three-part folding rear backrest and a luxuriously designed interior, the BMW X5 xDrive40e also boasts the high versatility associated with a large sports activity vehicle but blended with an exclusive ambience.
The actual driving experience is likewise characterized by versatile and effortless performance. The intelligent hybrid powertrain control ensures that the engine and the electric motor act in unison in a way that optimizes efficiency while also catering perfectly to the driver’s wishes. The eDrive button on the centre console allows the driver to adjust the hybrid drive’s operating mode. In the AUTO eDrive basic setting, the engine’s power is boosted to noticeable effect when accelerating or during quick bursts of speed by the electric drive, whose full torque of 250 Newton meters (184 lb-ft) is on tap from standstill for instantaneous power delivery. The BMW X5 xDrive40e completes the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.8 seconds.
Alternatively, the MAX eDrive mode can be engaged, enabling the BMW X5 xDrive40e to run purely on electric power – when driving in urban traffic for instance – resulting in zero local emissions. When the high-voltage battery is fully charged, the vehicle has a range of up to 31 kilometers (approx. 19 miles) in the all-electric drive mode with a limited maximum speed of 120 km/h (75 mph). The SAVE Battery mode can also be activated at the touch of a button, causing the high-voltage battery’s state of charge to be maintained or allowing energy to be accumulated again, e.g. by means of recuperation, if capacity is low. In this way, electrical energy can be deliberately conserved for all-electric driving later in the journey.
Regardless of the setting chosen with the eDrive button, the power stemming from both drive sources is permanently transmitted to the road via the intelligent all-wheel-drive system, BMW xDrive. The various vehicle set-ups that can be selected with the Driving Experience Control switch – COMFORT, SPORT and ECO PRO – are also available in all drive modes.
