Photo: Auto Feng
The new chapter that BMW wants to write in its history with a plethora of plug-in hybrids will probably start with the production version of the X5 eDrive Concept that will be called xDrive40e. This particular model was just spotted camo-free in China, wearing the usual ‘Hybrid Test Vehicle’ stickers.
So, what hides under that ‘eDrive’ sticker? Well, you didn’t think that those billions of dollars invested into making the i sub brand will just be used on the i3 and i8, right?
The new eDrive models will be using the same technology as the i cars and they will be aiming at extremely polluted areas around the world, like China, for example. It’s no longer news that the communist country is facing the worst smog problem in the world in its biggest cities.
With the eDrive technology, BMW wants to offer a complete alternative to usual cars that depend on internal combustion engines alone and make transportation more eco-friendly.
The X5 will be using a 2-liter I4 turbocharged engine up front, making 245 HP and 350 Nm (258 lb-ft) of torque and an electric motor making 95 HP and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft) of torque at the back. Both of them will be sending their power to a new xDrive system that uses the torque in the most efficient way possible.
With a combined figure of 340 HP and 600 Nm (442 lb-ft) of torque, the xDrive40e will be quite capable on the road. The batteries stored under the boot’s floor will be good for an all electric range of 22 miles (35 km) with the car being able to reach 100 km/h (62 mph) in 7 seconds with a top speed of 75 mph (120 km/h). Those are quite impressive numbers for a 2 ton electric car.
Unfortunately, we don’t have an official launch date but rumors claim that we should see the new X5 eDrive model out somewhere this year, most likely at Paris.
The new eDrive models will be using the same technology as the i cars and they will be aiming at extremely polluted areas around the world, like China, for example. It’s no longer news that the communist country is facing the worst smog problem in the world in its biggest cities.
With the eDrive technology, BMW wants to offer a complete alternative to usual cars that depend on internal combustion engines alone and make transportation more eco-friendly.
The X5 will be using a 2-liter I4 turbocharged engine up front, making 245 HP and 350 Nm (258 lb-ft) of torque and an electric motor making 95 HP and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft) of torque at the back. Both of them will be sending their power to a new xDrive system that uses the torque in the most efficient way possible.
With a combined figure of 340 HP and 600 Nm (442 lb-ft) of torque, the xDrive40e will be quite capable on the road. The batteries stored under the boot’s floor will be good for an all electric range of 22 miles (35 km) with the car being able to reach 100 km/h (62 mph) in 7 seconds with a top speed of 75 mph (120 km/h). Those are quite impressive numbers for a 2 ton electric car.
Unfortunately, we don’t have an official launch date but rumors claim that we should see the new X5 eDrive model out somewhere this year, most likely at Paris.
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