BMW is committing to electrification with new electric propulsion versions, and the X3 is one of them

BMW has committed to electrification. So much so that at this year’s Geneva Motor Show it presented the latest versions of some of its models plug-in hybrids. It has also announced the Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) with electric propulsion and the launch of the hybrid version of the BMW X3.

By the end of 2019, the German group plans to launch twelve electric propulsion models onto the market. The electric range of BMW will include the BMW i3, the BMW i3s, the BMW i8 Coupé and the BMW i8 Roadster. These will be accompanied by the plug-in hybrid versions of the BMW X5, BMW X3, BMW 2 Series, BMW 3 Series, BMW 5 Series, not forgetting the 7 Series, the BMW X1 xDrive25Le, available only for the Chinese market. And not forgetting the Mini Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 and the Mini electric.

BMW X3 xDrive30e plug-in hybrid

December 2019 is the date chosen for the Bavarian brand to begin production of the BMW X3 xDrive30e plug-in hybrid. This new member of the electric propulsion vehicle family from BMW will have a range of up to 50 km in electric mode. This new BMW hybrid features a four-cylinder petrol engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology and an electric motor.

The gearbox has 8 speeds and features an intelligent all-wheel drive system. The combined power is 252 CV, although this figure can rise by 41 CV if the electric motor’s maximum power is used. Although the figure is not official, everything points to a 0-100 km/h time of 6.5 seconds.

Plug-in hybrids in three different segments

The BMW 330e saloon has increased its electric-mode range to 60 kilometres. This figure is almost double that of its predecessor. It has 252 CV, which can be increased to 293 CV through the XtraBoost system. It will be able to go from 0 to 100 km/h in six seconds.

The BMW X5 xDrive45e, for its part, will feature an inline six-cylinder petrol engine combined with an electric motor. It will have 394 CV and take 5.6 seconds to reach 100 km/h. Its electric mode offers a range of 80 kilometres.

The BMW 7 Series will also have plug-in hybrid versions. The range of these luxury saloons has increased by up to 30%, reaching 58 kilometres. The lineup consists of the BMW 745e, the BMW 745Le and the BMW 745Le xDrive, which goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds thanks to its six-cylinder petrol engine combined with an electric motor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAFMwd0w6dc

Greater range in electric mode

The BMW 5 Series and 2 Series models will be equipped with the new lithium-ion battery. This will make it possible to increase the range of these models by up to 30%. The BMW 530e saloon, specifically, will have a range of 64 km and a consumption of 1.7 litres/100 km. From this summer, the BMW 530e xDrive saloon will reach the market, offering a range of 57 kilometres.

The BMW 225xe Active Tourer, for its part, has a range of 47 km, although the capacity of its lithium-ion battery has increased to 9.7 kWh.

Among the novelties of the BMW electric propulsion range BMW is also the new display, the operating system and the services that offer the user a more intense electric driving experience, as the Bavarian brand assures. “In the new BMW 330e saloon and BMW X5 xDrive45e, there is also a control unit that checks navigation and sensor information to optimise energy recovery during braking, within Hybrid Ecopro mode. When the car approaches a junction or a vehicle ahead, for example, the recovery can be particularly strong to increase deceleration,” explained BMW about the operation of the hybrid systems.