BMW has finally rolled out the plug-in hybrid version of the X3, and it’s available in the sole xDrive30e variant. Power comes from a 2.0 litre four-cylinder petrol engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology, combined with an electric motor to produce a total system output of 252 hp.
It’s exactly the same system lifted off the G20 BMW 330e, and comes complete with XtraBoost, which is an on-demand system that bumps output to 292 hp at the touch of a button. Key performance figures include a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 210 km/h.
BMW hasn’t revealed the capacity of the X3’s battery pack, but it likely shares the same 12 kWh lithium-ion unit as the G20 330e (here it gets 66 km of zero emissions range), positioned underneath the rear seats – boot space is down by 100 litres to 450 litres because of this. The plug-in hybrid SUV has a combined fuel economy of between 1.8 litres per 100 km to 2.0 litres per 100 km, along with CO2 emissions of 49 grammes per km.
Drive is channeled to the xDrive all-wheel drive system via an eight-speed Steptronic automatic gearbox, and being a PHEV, it also gets regenerative braking. The X3 xDrive30e is available in basically any trim you fancy, and that includes the M Sport variant. Production of the X3 PHEV will begin next month, and will be joined by an all-electric X3 model that’s due to debut next year.
Meanwhile, BMW also revealed that it will introduce the X1 xDrive25e plug-in hybrid next year. The baby SUV is tipped to receive the same system found in the F45 225xe Active Tourer, which uses an electrified 1.5 litre three-cylinder engine that produces a combined output of 221 hp and 385 Nm of torque. Of course, this isn’t confirmed yet, but expect an official announcement to be made within the next few months.
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If BMW make this as competitive as current 3 series plug in hybrid, good!