Australia will miss out on the latest plug-in hybrid from BMW, with the X2 xDrive25e revealed this week ruled out for our market.
Speaking with CarExpert, a representative from BMW Australia said there are no current plans to introduce the new X2 PHEV Down Under, nor the related X1 xDrive25e.
Update, 11:07pm 27/5: BMW has released official imagery of the new X2 xDrive25e. We’ve updated the gallery with new images.
The BMW X2 xDrive25e shares its underpinnings with the X1 xDrive25e and Mini Countryman Hybrid (known elsewhere as the Cooper SE Countryman), the latter of which is already on sale in Australia.
Power comes from a turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol developing 92kW and 220Nm, paired with a six-speed automatic driving the front wheels. On the rear axle, there’s a 70kW/165Nm electric motor and single-speed transmission – making for electrified all-wheel drive.
System outputs are rated at 162kW (220hp) and 385Nm, with BMW claiming a 6.8-second sprint from 0-100km/h for the X2 plug-in hybrid, which is 0.1 seconds quicker than the equivalent X1.
A 10kWh lithium-ion battery feeds the electric drive system, allowing 55-57 kilometres of zero-emissions motoring on a full charge.
Using a standard household socket, the X2 xDrive25e’s battery can be charged from empty to 100 per cent in around five hours, while 0 to 80 per cent takes 3.8 hours.
Those who opt for the BMW i Wallbox can reduce those times to 3.2 hours from 0 to 100 per cent charge, or 2.4 hours from 0 to 80 per cent.
Like the X1 and Countryman plug-in hybrids, the X2 xDrive25e offers a trio of ‘eDrive’ modes to toggle the characteristics of the hybrid powertrain.
Auto eDrive lets the vehicle shuffle between the two power sources on the fly, also drawing upon navigation system to ensure efficiency and “driving pleasure” is optimised throughout the journey.
Max eDrive solely draws upon the on-board battery system for pure-electric driving. In this mode, the vehicle is capable of driving at speeds of up to 135km/h for the aforementioned range of up to 57 kilometres.
Finally, Save Battery mode maintains the state of charge for the battery pack to be used later in the journey – e.g. holding battery charge on the highway for use in the city.
In addition to the hybrid profiles, the regular BMW drive modes are also available – Comfort, Sport and Eco Pro.
Another feature standard on BMW’s new hybrids is acoustic pedestrian protection, designed to alert other road users when the vehicle is driving in silent electric mode.
At speeds under 30km/h, the vehicle will emit an “unmistakable sound” designed specifically for electrified BMW models without “impairing the acoustic comfort of the vehicle occupants”.
European deliveries of the BMW X2 xDrive25e will commence in July.
