The lithium-ion battery under the rear seat maintains the luggage volume of the conventional X3. The 6.5-second dash to 62 miles and hour puts it about 0.4 seconds behind the regular, 248-hp four-pot X3.
The Munich maker didn’t specify battery size, but all-electric range of the X3 xDrive30e is “up to 50 kilometers,” say, 31 miles, on the NEDC cycle. A note: BMW’s press release said that mileage figures “have already been calculated based on the new WLTP test cycle and adapted to NEDC for comparison purposes.” So actual mileage will surely vary.
Next come upgraded, second-gen versions of the electrified 2, 3, 5, X5, and 7 Series ranges. The 330e runs up to 37 miles on electric power, a 50 percent improvement over the first-gen — but BMW didn’t clarify how the 3 Series gained the extra range. As with the X3 PHEV, the 330e harnesses a combined system output of 252 hp and a temporary 41-hp squirt using XtraBoost.
The batteries in the 225xe Active Tourer and 530e sedan grow in capacity without growing in size. The 225xe cell is now 9.7 kWh instead of 7.7, extending all-electric range to 29 miles. The 530e battery is rated at 12 kWh, while only taking up the same space as the previous 9-kWh battery. That improves electric range to up to 35 miles. The 530e will also be available with xDrive later this year.
The X5 xDrive45e levels up to an 280-hp inline-six instead of the previous 2.0-liter four-cylinder X5 xDrive40e. Combined output plumps up to 394 hp in Sport mode, a whopping 86-hp increase. EV range is roughly 45 miles or more of silent running, a nearly threefold increase in distance thanks to a 12-kWh battery instead of the previous 9.2-kWh unit.
The 7 Series does the same trick to become 745e, 745Le, and 745Le xDrive. Their all-electric ranges go are between 31 and 36 miles.
Inside, the PHEV 3, 5, and 7 Series’ get new displays and operating systems, plus new digital services. BMW’s digital instrument panel comes standard, featuring readouts that render what’s happening with the battery. The drive mode buttons have been reworked into the “drive experience switch unit,” making easy access to swap both drive modes and the hybrid modes — Hybrid, Hybrid Eco Pro, and Electric. The hybrid systems have also been linked with navigation and sensor data for more frugal operation in Hybrid Eco Pro mode. And when searching for a public charging station, the navigation system will highlight nearby hotels, restaurants, and cultural sights where you can while the time during the re-juice.
The overhauled range is part of the BMW Group’s plan to get 12 electrically powered models on sale by the end of 2019, and 25 models on the market by 2025.
