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Early BMW X5 eDrive Prototype Spied Testing at High Altitude

 If you’ve watched any of the videos posted by the guys from TFL Car you probably noticed that they take big pride in their high altitude tests. Being located in Colorado, these kind of endeavors are easy to do for them so they decided to make the most of them. Furthermore, they also help us see exactly how various cars handle the lack of oxygen.
BMW X5 eDrive Hybrid 1 photo
Photo: Screenshot from Youtube
 
In one of their most recent videos they happened to stumble upon something they never expected: an early prototype of the BMW F15 X5 eDrive concept that is bound to be released later on this year. Apparently that model was used in the most extreme conditions to see how the hybrid powertrain would handle it.
 
It’s pretty obvious that they wanted to test the car at a high altitude, as it was spotted at nearly 1 mile above sea level here but a sticker in the window also told us that the car was put through its paces in Death Valley as well. 
 
That’s a region in the eastern side of California’s Mojave Desert and it’s the lowest, driest and hottest area in the entire North American continent. It’s actually 86 meters (282 feet) below sea level and temperatures are often above 40 degrees Celsius out there, with the record being set at 57 degrees at the moment (set in July 1933).
 
That pretty much says it all about how serious BMW is about testing their new cars, on both high and low altitudes as well as extreme temperatures. However, those tests are paramount, especially considering the powertrain of this car that is now conventional.

The hybrid X5 will be using a 2-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol engine making 245 HP and 350 Nm of torque in tandem with an electric motor making 95 HP and 250 Nm of torque for a total of around 340 HP and 600 Nm of torque.
 
Some lithium-ion batteries will be stored in the boot, under the luggage compartment, allowing the car to cover up to 22 miles (35 km) in EV mode alone, at speeds up to 75 mph (120 km/), numbers that are certainly impressive for an SUV that weighs 2 tons. Seeing how those batteries and the electric motor would handle extreme weather is therefore paramount.
 
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