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2020 BMW X5 M driving up mountain road

The BMW X5 PHEV Just Got Incredible Power Upgrades

Vroom, vroom baby! The BMW X5 plug-in hybrid just got more power, making it one exciting PHEV model to whip around town in. You’ll get the thrill of driving fast and sporty, but with a clear conscience, because you’ll be in an eco-friendly ride.  The 2021 BMW X5 Got More Power  The BMW X5 eDrive …

Vroom, vroom baby! The BMW X5 plug-in hybrid just got more power, making it one exciting PHEV model to whip around town in. You’ll get the thrill of driving fast and sporty, but with a clear conscience, because you’ll be in an eco-friendly ride. 

The 2021 BMW X5 Got More Power 

The BMW X5 eDrive was released in 2018, and now after a few years, this midsize SUV is receiving some powerful upgrades. Now it’s returning with a refresh as the BMW X5 xDrive 45e and some powerful updates. 

2020 BMW X5 M driving up mountain road
2020 BMW X5 M | BMW

Under the hood of the 2021 BMW X5 Hybrid, you’ll find a 3.0-liter V6 engine instead of the previous 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. This engine upgrade is paired with a 112-hp electric motor and provides the BMW X5 with 389 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque. This is an increase of 81 hybrid ponies and 111 lb-ft of torque. The BMW X5 xDrive can tow up to 7,600 lb, making it pretty capable.

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Plus, the BMW X5 xDrive got a bigger battery to increase it’s electric driving range from 14 miles to 30 miles before the gas kicks in, and the SUV performs as a regular hybrid.

But with the ability to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds, it’s above a regular hybrid. That’s also 1.2 seconds faster than the previous model. The larger battery also ups the eligible tax credit from $4,668 to $7,500. 

In electric mode, the BMW X5 xDrive can now go up to 84 mph instead of 70 mph. It also tops out at 130 mph unless you get performance tires, then the top speed is 146 mph. But keep it to the speed limit! 

2021 BMW X5 xDrive 45e Features 

The 2021 BMW xDrive starts around $66k. This is a significant price jump from the gas-powered model, which starts around $59k. But you get a lot of standard features included with the base model. 

BMW X5 mid-size luxury SUV on display at Brussels Expo
The BMW X5

You’ll get leather seats, heated seats, adaptive LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, and two 12.3” LED displays. The infotainment center can connect to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well. 

A variety of standard features are included too. You get forward collision prevention, automatic collision mitigation, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alerts, lane-keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, pedestrian warning, and more. But you’ll have to select a higher trim package for the heads up display and Laserlight headlights, glass controls, and gesture controls. 

A BMW X5 on display at an auto show
BMW X5 on display | Manfred Schmid/Getty Images

But with the 24-kWh lithium-ion battery under the luggage compartment that’s replacing the 9.0-kWh battery, you lose about 5.1 cubic feet of cargo space, reducing the amount of room in the rear to 17.2 cubic feet. 

The gas tank is also shrinking by 4.2 gallons, reducing the size to 18.2 gallons. This could be to reduce the weight of the vehicle as the new battery adds 440 lb. The 2021 BMW xDrive 45e will be delivered later this year, and we can’t wait to learn more about it. 

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