What is it?
BMW’s electrification strategy is second to none. Want a quirky, cutting-edge, cool-to-drive, city-conquering EV? That’ll be the i3. Want a low-emission, eco-savvy, futuristic and forward-thinking sports car? That’ll be the i8. BMW i’s two-model line-up has proven to be a first-adopter slam dunk - and a wham-bam slapdown of the plodding, concept-heavy strategy trotted out elsewhere.
Nevertheless, both offerings were exclusive (and expensive to make) by design. BMW never intended to put one on every driveway; the i3 and i8 were the amuse-bouche of its hybrid menu - intricate, innovative and out there.
Now, as if to reiterate that we’ve moved onto a more substantive course, BMW has decided that the first production core brand PHEV we get to sample should be the X5, in high-price xDrive40e format.
To the manufacturer at least, this makes sense. Hybrid SUVs might not yet have taken Europe entirely by storm, but in the petrol-dominated US and Chinese markets, their potential sales volumes are prodigious.
In the US, with Lexus and Porsche chief among its rivals, luxury and performance rate as highly as efficiency, so the plug-in hybrid X5 gets plenty of surge to go with its zero-emission waft.
Consequently the car comes with a 111bhp electric motor located just upstream of its eight-speed Steptronic gearbox, and, ahead of that, the most powerful four-cylinder petrol engine in the BMW range: the 242bhp TwinPower turbocharged lump found in the 328i.
Total system output is rated by its maker as 309bhp and 332lb ft, and 0-62mph ought to take just 6.8sec. Claimed combined economy, mwanwhile, is 85.6mpg.
One of the advantages of the compact hybrid powertrain is that it allows the X5 to retain its standard clutch-based all-wheel drive system - and while there’s a lithium ion battery to find space for beneath the boot floor, most buyers won’t notice the loadspace sacrifice.
From a domestic socket, the car will recharge itself in a little under 4hr, or 2hr 45min if you’ve stumped up for the fancy-looking BMW i Wallbox.
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Of course I get it
Cobnapint wrote: But the
I give up.
@winnie
Cobnapint wrote: I presume
No. I think there are too many compromises at present. I am a private car owner so dont get BIK charges, so hybrids and electric don't make sense for me.
What you arent thinking about is policy. The whole world is being legislated towards zero carbon. That means using no fossil fuels at all. You can't have a zero emissions diesel vehicle, no matter how efficient it is. You can have a zero emissions (or near to) electric vehicle however, if the electricity is generated by solar / tidal / wind power.
What you are seeing here is the start of a revolution AWAY from fossil fuels. Yes it is currently clunky and heavy and not as good as optimised fossil fuel equivalents, but the first computers were like that as well... no better, infact worse than a room full of people sitting on abacuses or using punched card machines.
So there IS a point to them. They ARE a good idea. They aren't optimised yet, but like computers and mobile phones they will get far more efficient, far more useful.
Remember the goal here is Zero Carbon output, which means Zero emissions, which isn't possible using diesel engines. Doing what you suggest of making diesel engines more efficient will become the OLD way of doing things because no matter what you do, if you burn diesel, you can't have a zero carbon vehicle.
If you don't get this, I give up.
Back in the real world...
OK, the Diesel BIK rate is 27% versus 13% for the Hybrid - but that is about the only benefit from where I'm sitting.
anti Telsa rubbish
There's so much guess work in your anti-Telsa post it’s hardly worth replying. Tyre wear is a concern and faster than an X40, you're guessing, have to remember to plug-in at night, do you forget to put queue up at petrol station when the light comes on? Batteries only last 4 years? you’re making sweeping scare statements! I believe the Model S is out-selling the 928 in America to such a degree Porsche is panicking and developing more plug-in’s FACT.
Cobnapint wrote: You can have
my god.