BMW has quietly loaded uppricing of its plug-in hybrid X5 luxury SUV. Here's how much it costs.

The takeup of plug-in hybrid vehicles in South Africa has been very slow as there's no incentive for customers to make the switch. Despite the challenges, many OEMs are offering these vehicles to the SA market. The principle behind a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) is simple. There's an internal combustion engine mated to an electric assist that can be charged from things like engine braking, coasting, and plugged into a wall socket.

In this BMW X5's case, power comes from a 3.0-litre turbocharged 6-cylinder engine with 210 kW and 450 Nm, mated to an 83 kW and 150 Nm electric motor. Total system output is claimed at 290 kW and 600 Nm. Performance is very impressive, with a claim of 5.6 seconds to 100 kph. Fuel economy sounds far too good to be true at 2.5 L/100 km and it's exempt from emissions tax. It can drive on pure electric power too, with a range of between 67-87 km on the WLTP cycle at a maximum speed of 135 kph.

It's available in 2 lines of trim: xLine and M Sport. You can spot the newcomer with its 2 fuel filler caps. One on the front left for electricity and the conventional cap on the right rear for petrol. It also has 45 e badging on the rear.

BMW X5 xDrive45e Price in South Africa (January 2020)

BMW X5 xDrive45e xLine R1 345 000

BMW X5 xDrive45e M Sport R1 383 300

Further Reading

BMW X5 xDrive30d vs Mercedes-Benz GLE 400d (2019) Comparative Review [w/Video]

Competition Spec V8 for BMW X5 M and X6 M

BMW X5 (2018) Launch Review

BMW X5 xDrive30d xLine (2019) Review

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