Frankfurt 2013: BMW Concept X5 eDrive
One of BMW's offerings at the Frankfurt Auto Show is the BMW Concept X5 eDrive. The Concept X5 will join the new standard X5 lineup at some point in the future as an efficient alternative to BMW's flagship four-wheel-drive vehicles.
The X5 Concept combines the efficient eDrive with BMW's own intelligent all-wheel-drive system, xDrive. The car is capable of travelling 30km in electric-only mode. It speeds up to 120kmph and returns efficiency numbers of 31.5kmpl and CO2 emission numbers of 90g/km.
The power behind the Concept comes from a four-cylinder combustion engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology and a 70kW electric motor which sources its energy from a high-voltage lithium-ion battery. Power is sent to the wheels through the xDrive system, so it has the ride abilities of a standard utility vehicle. It gets three driving modes too, depending on requirements and situation â€" the intelligent hybrid drive option for a balance between performance and efficiency; pure electric for emission-free driving; or Safe Battery mode to maintain battery charge.
There are a few touches of the blue colour from the 'i' lineup on the slats in the grille, a stripe along the lower air intake and an inlay in the rear bumper. The BMW Concept X5 eDrive also comes with specially designed roof rails, a connector for the charging cable that lights up during charging, and 21-inch light-alloy wheels.
The car gets BMW ConnectedDrive which keeps an eye on efficiency affecting factors like traffic conditions, route profile and driving style. It also provides data about charging stations and allows connectivity with the smartphone.
BMW's eDrive concept is also the one on the recently launched i3 and the just revealed i8. This hybrid system working in conjugation with the xDrive promises assured traction, increased agility and optimised stability in all weather and road conditions without sacrificing efficiency.