Here is a new photo gallery of the 2015 BMW X5 xDrive40e, the first plug-in hybrid BMW SUV and one of many to come.
The eDrive X5 will use BMW’s 2.0 liter turbocharged four-cylinder making 240 hp, mated to an 8-Speed, ZF automatic and using a rumored 100 hp electric motor as a torque converter. The battery pack will be in the back of the car with a plug-in charge point located on the front left fender. Combined power output is said to be around 300 hp with the electric motor filling in for turbo lag, as on the i8.
So while the electrified X5 might not be the fastest SUV on the block, it will definitely have a nice punch. Not that anyone would really need to know 0-60 times on a plug-in hybrid SUV, but the X5 eDrive should do it under 7 seconds.
The X5 eDrive will have three driving modes, Intelligent Hybrid, Pure Electric and Save Battery. BMW claims that the Save Battery mode will be most utilized but it’s the Pure Electric is the important one to most folks. Capable of driving 20 miles on electrons alone, the eDrive will be the perfect around-towner. It can also hit up to 75 mph in Pure Electric mode. Save Battery mode will restrict the use of battery power to save it, but will allow a reserve of power to complete a trip if need be. The Lithium-ion high-voltage battery has 96 cells and a capacity of 9.0 kWh.
The electric motor and batteries add about 500 lbs to the X5 hybrid.
BMW’s X5 xDrive40e achieves a combined fuel consumption of 3.4 – 3.3 liters per 100 kilometers (estimated 55 MPG) and a combined electricity consumption of 15.4 – 15.3 kWh over the same distance.
The first ever plug-in hybrid Sports Activity Vehicle, the 2016 BMW X5 xDrive40e, starts production in August 2015 and will arrive in showrooms in the fall. It will sell for an MSRP of $63,095.
