BMW will bring an updated version of the X1
xDrive25Le plug-in hybrid to the Shanghai Auto Show next month. The China-exclusive
long-wheelbase BMW X1 plug-in hybrid adopts a new battery technology with a
high level of energy density to achieve an EV driving range of up to 110 km. That’s 83 percent higher than the EV range of the previous version. And
there’s more: the efficiency of the new X1 xDrive25Le has also been increased
by 72 percent.
BMW claims that the combined fuel consumption (NEDC)
is now as good as 1.3 liters per 100 kilometers (180.9 mpg US). The BMW X1 xDrive25Le owes these
spectacular improvements to its new lithium-ion high-voltage battery. In the
new battery cells, the ratio of nickel, cobalt, and manganese in the anode
material is 8:1:1.
According to BMW, the expanded nickel share
increases energy density, while the reduction in the cobalt component means
that less rare earth material is required. Despite offering massive gains over
its predecessor, the new battery is only 2.5 kg heavier.
As before, the plug-in hybrid system of the BMW X1
xDrive25Le includes a 1.5-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine driving the
front wheels, while an electric motor powers the rear axle. The combined output
is 231 PS, with a maximum system torque of 382 Nm.
Equipped with a 6-speed Steptronic transmission, the BMW X1 xDrive25Le sprints
from zero to 100 km/h in 7.4 seconds.
Both the BMW X1 long-wheelbase plug-in hybrid and
its new battery are built at BMW Brilliance joint venture’s Tiexi plant in
Shenyang, China. BMW sold more than 140,000 plug-in hybrid and electric
vehicles globally last year — 38.4 percent more than in 2017. The German
automaker is the market leader in the premium segment of electrified vehicles
in China.
