The BMW Concept X5 eDrive, an all-wheel-drive premium plug-in hybrid, will make its formal debut at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show. If it gets the green light, it will be one of the first premium plug-in hybrid SUVs on the market.
The unveiling of the Concept X5 eDrive is a significant one, signaling that BMW is pursuing a strategy similar to other premium German manufacturers, including Porsche. Earlier this year, Porsche said it is planning plug-in hybriuds versions of every major model.
The BMW Concept X5 eDrive's powertrain consists of a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a 95-horsepower electric motor and a lithium-ion battery. BMW says the SUV can be charged from any domestic power socket. The concept sprints from zero-62 mph in under 7 seconds. The high-voltage battery developed for the X5 eDrive is mounted in a crash-safe position underneath the load area, the company said.
The concept has three driving modes: the intelligent hybrid drive option for what BMW calls "an optimum balance between sportiness and efficiency"; pure electric, and Safe Battery mode. Safe Battery mode allows the battery's energy capacity to be maintained — for example, if the driver wants to cover the final stretch of a longer journey on purely electric power.
The concept gets special roof rails, a connector for the charging cable that lights up during charging and 21-inch alloy wheels.
BMW promises that the concept will deliver the "typical qualities" of an SUV, including stability in all weather and road conditions.––Paul Duchene
