The powerful BMW X5 45e xDrive
The plug-in hybrid version of the BMW X5 is a powerful, comfortable car with a substantial zero-emission range. Used in town and charged sensibly, it can use very little fuel and will let you enter Clean Transport Zones.
Today models with electric drive are available in practically every segment, from city cars to vans, sports cars, SUVs and luxury limousines. In 2019 the range of fully electric BEVs and plug-in hybrid PHEVs on offer comprised 65 models. In 2021 it will grow to more than 200. The BMW X5 competes in the large SUV category.
Design, dimensions and boot
Its imposing yet very dynamic silhouette catches the eye and gives its owner a strong, businesslike "calling card". The car weighs about 2.5 tonnes, which unfortunately you sometimes feel on the move, especially in corners. It is almost 5 metres long (4922 mm) and measures as much as 2218 mm between the mirrors. Bearing these dimensions in mind, it would seem reasonable to consider a 7-seat version, even if the rearmost row would only satisfy children. It would make the car more economical, especially in terms of fuel consumption per passenger carried, thereby also improving its "eco" credentials.
Despite its size, the car does not look so enormous or heavy; the excellent styling means you are not overwhelmed by its dimensions. The relatively smaller "kidney" grille at the front, compared with the 7 Series or X7, and the new narrow, tinted rear lights mean that from a distance the car's size is not overpowering.
But the fact is that the car is very wide. I had the chance to drive it on the narrow roads of Kashubia. The lane-keeping systems force the car back onto the tarmac of a narrow road, even though pulling onto the verge is necessary when passing a larger vehicle coming the other way. Either you have to switch the systems off or you end up "wrestling" with the steering wheel.
The boot is not cavernous, and the tailgate is split into two parts, both of course opened and closed by electric motors. Even though the car can be lowered, the loading sill remains fairly high. But then it is an SUV.
Drivetrain, performance and electric range
The combustion engine is a three-litre straight six producing 286 hp. It is assisted by an electric motor generating 113 hp. As a result the whole drivetrain delivers 394 hp and 600 Nm to the wheels. Everything is mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox with sequential manual shift modes. The sprint to 100 km/h, taking 5.6 s, will satisfy any driver. The hybrid X5 has a top speed of 235 km/h.
The range, for a plug-in hybrid, is more than satisfactory. Covering 80 km in town on electricity is definitely within reach! I managed 56 km, but it was never purely urban driving, as I also took expressways, and then the range dropped because of the speed (air resistance) and the lack of opportunities to recover energy. The battery has a large capacity of 24kWh; that is as much as the first fully electric cars had.
Equipment, Night Vision and driving modes
You could write at length about all the systems and features this car has, or you could simply say that it is "fully loaded". Massage seats, several cameras and a radar, the option of lowering the car for loading and a very interesting Night Vision function. I would like to devote a little space to the last of these.
An infrared camera located in the radiator grille registers the heat emitted by various objects. Thanks to this, the system can recognise pedestrians and cyclists from as far as 300 metres away, who at night are often practically invisible on the road. After analysing the video data, it determines whether there is a person or a large animal in the car's path (which depends on speed and steering angle). When that happens, Night Vision warns the driver with a visual and an audible signal. When it comes to detecting animals, the system can "see" further than the main-beam headlights reach. The infrared thermal imaging camera distinguishes people from animals by the amount of heat they emit. If BMW Night Vision detects the danger of hitting an animal, the dynamic spotlight starts illuminating it with pulses of light. At the same time an icon showing a deer lights up on the display in the dashboard (in Poland an elk might be more appropriate, as it is responsible for most of the tragic road accidents involving animals). If there is a serious risk of collision, the system also warns the driver with an acoustic signal.
As in the BMW 5 Series, which I described here the central display shows a different layout depending on the selected driving mode. In purely electric mode the speedometer only goes up to 140 km/h, because the top speed in this mode is 135 km/h. Besides electric mode, you can choose hybrid drive, individual electric and sport. Select the latter and the dials in front of you light up in rich red.
Once plugged into a power source, the car analyses the "quality" of the energy supplied and shows the exact time when it will be fully charged. The key shows the car's combined range after adding up the "sub-ranges" for petrol and electricity.
Test summary
The BMW X5 45e xDrive is a large, technology-packed, fully equipped SUV. It offers a long zero-emission range, comfort of the highest order and performance that will satisfy the most demanding drivers.
