BMW has launched an electrified version of the
third-gen X3. It’s called the X3 xDrive30e, packs a PHEV powertrain and will
enter production at Spartanburg, USA, in December. Powering it are a 2.0-liter
four-pot that makes 184 PS and an 109 PS electric motor integrated into the 8-speed transmission. The total system
output of 292 PS and 420 Nm of torque is
delivered to all four wheels by the xDrive AWD system as required. The 0-100
km/h sprint takes 6.1 seconds and top speed is 210 km/h,
while its towing capacity is rated at 2,000 kg.
Juice for the electric motor comes from a
lithium-ion battery mounted beneath the rear seat (the fuel tank is positioned
above the rear axle), which can be charged using conventional household sockets
with the standard charging cable in almost 6 hours. Plugging it into the
company’s Wallbox cuts down the charging time to around 3 and a half hours.
Thanks to the clever packaging, the boot volume remains unchanged at 450 liters, and can be extended up to 1,500 liters by folding down
the rear seats.
Users can shift between different driving modes,
including a zero-emission mode that gives them a range of 51 to 55 km – estimated at almost 32 km in the U.S. – when the battery is
fully charged. The combined power consumption of the X3 xDrive30e is between
16.4 and 17.2 kWh and, officially, it burns 2.1-2.4 l/100 km (112-98 mpg US /
134.5-117.7 mpg UK) on average, while emitting 49-54 g/km of CO2.
The plug-in hybrid premium compact SUV will be
offered in four trim levels named Advantage, xLine, Luxury and M Sport. Even
the base model is nicely specced, getting standard features such as
remote-controlled auxiliary air-con, digital services, acoustic pedestrian
protection and others. Options will include almost the entire range of
equipment available for the rest of the X3 lineup, including the adaptive
suspension, variable sports steering, M brakes, head-up display, active cruise
control and many more.
BMW will launch it in the U.S. in Q1 2020, with
pricing and other details to be announced close to that date.
