BMW’s world premiere at the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) isn’t quite a world premiere – the BMW Concept X5 eDrive was shown in Frankfurt last year, but the company has now provided more details of the plug-in hybrid version of the original Munich SUV (SAV in BMW-speak).
What we now know is the output of the petrol engine – the TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder (still of unknown capacity, but we believe it is BMW’s current 2.0 litre mill) produces 245 hp and 350 Nm, the same as other models fitted with the “28i” suffix such as the 328i and the 528i. The engine is mated to a 70 kW (95 hp)/250 Nm electric motor to create a combined power output of 302 hp.
Claimed performance and efficiency figures are unchanged – 0-100 km/h in under 7.0 seconds, an average fuel consumption of under 3.8 litres per 100 km, carbon dioxide emissions of under 90 g per km and a maximum range of 30 km in electric-only mode, operable at speeds under 120 km/h. There is a Save Battery mode that maintains the current battery charge level for later use such as in city traffic.
We also now have a look at the interior of the eDrive, complete in Ivory White leather upholstery with light blue stitching, Piano Finish Black trim with blue accent strips, blue ambient lighting, an eDrive button as well as eDrive logos debossed into the headrests. A window built into the boot floor showcases the lithium-ion battery pack underneath, also illuminated in blue.
That is a lot of blue, and for good reason – blue is the signature colour of the BMW i brand, and the company obviously wants to display the link between its regular hybrids and its dedicated electric vehicles as much as possible. The colour also shows up on the outside on the kidney grille bars, the inserts in the front air intakes, the charging port surround on the front fender as well as the rear bumper insert.
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2.0 liter engine eh?
CKD of this would mean it will be tax free… An X5 for the price of a Santa Fe Diesel Premium?