BMW Concept X5 eDrive at New York Auto show

BMW will be showcasing the BMW Concept X5 eDrive at the New York International Auto Show 2014 to present what it sees as the logical next step towards bringing about a radical reduction in fuel consumption and emissions in the Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) segment.

According to a company statement, the BMW Concept X5 eDrive has a xDrive intelligent all-wheel-drive system and a luxurious ambience enshrined within an interior offering tremendous versatility of use with a plug-in hybrid drive system, according to a company statement. A conventional combustion engine works together in perfect harmony with the BMW eDrive technology to produce not just a sporty drive but also a significant reduction in fuel consumption.

As a result, the car is able to drive on electric power alone at speeds of up to 120 km/h  and for a distance of up to 30 kilometres , while recording average fuel consumption figures of less than 3.8 l/100 kilometres in the EU test cycle.

The concept study underwent a series of detailed refinements in preparation for its appearance at the New York International Auto Show and is equipped with a drive system comprising a 245 hp four-cylinder petrol engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology and a 95 hp electric motor likewise developed by the BMW Group. The motor is supplied with power from a lithium-ion battery that can be charged from any domestic socket and has sufficient capacity to enable all-electric driving with zero local emissions for a range of up to 30 kilometres. To ensure a particularly high level of crash safety, the high-voltage battery developed for the BMW Concept X5 eDrive is housed underneath the luggage compartment, whose everyday usability remains virtually uncompromised thanks to the 40:20:40 split-folding rear backrest and an almost level loading floor.

In addition to the settings that can be activated using the BMW Driving Experience Control switch, three driving modes can be selected according to requirements and the situation at hand: intelligent hybrid drive with an optimal relationship between sportiness and efficiency (AUTO eDrive), pure electric and thus local emission-free driving (MAX eDrive) and SAVE Battery to maintain the current charge level.