BMW is entering the 2025 model year in the United States with numerous novelties. We’ve already dissected the raft of updates for the 4 Series/M4 lineup and the Z4 M40i’s long-awaited manual gearbox. However, there’s another notable change as the new 5 Series Sedan is finally getting a plug-in hybrid option. Joining the gasoline-only models and the electric i5, the 550e xDrive combines an inline-six engine with an electric motor.
483 HP, 56 Miles Range (WLTP)
The turbocharged 3.0-liter gasoline unit and the e-motor deliver a combined output of 483 hp and 516 lb-ft. It’s the most powerful 5 Series with a combustion engine that money can buy, but not for long. Later this year, BMW will unleash the new M5 (G90) with its plug-in hybrid V8 setup making over 700 hp. Better yet, we have it on good authority the US is also getting the M5 Touring (G99) as the sole version of the 5 Series wagon destined for North America.
Offered exclusively with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission, the new 2025 550e needs four seconds to hit 60 mph from a standstill. Flat out, it’ll do an electronically limited 155 mph. When driven in electric mode, it can reach speeds of up to 87 mph. BMW USA isn’t offering additional details, but we do know from the European model that the electric motor is built into the Steptronic Sport gearbox.
The 550e xDrive sold on the Old Continent has a battery pack mounted in the underfloor with a usable capacity of 19.4 kWh. It can be charged at up to 7.4 kW, in which case it takes three hours to go from 0% to 100%. From a household socket, you’ll have to wait nearly 10 hours to completely recharge it. This plug-in hybrid model has a WLTP-certified electric range of up to 56 miles (90 kilometers) but we’re expecting a lower EPA number for its American sibling.
Coming To The U.S. Also
Full details – including pricing – for the 2025 BMW 550e xDrive for the US market will be announced closer to the start of production in July. Over in Europe, the luxury brand is also going to sell a cheaper rear-wheel-drive 530e plug-in hybrid with a smaller four-cylinder gas engine but that won’t be available stateside.
Improved Highway Assistant
Elsewhere, the 2025 5 Series gets the optional Level 2-certified Highway Assistant, enabling hands-free driving at speeds of up to 85 mph. It’s also an extra on the 7 Series, X5, X6, and the iX, while the XM gets the technology as standard. The Active Lane Change functionality triggered by the driver’s eye movement is coming to certain models produced starting in March.
Source: BMW
