After delays and deferrals, the BMW X3 plug-in hybrid will finally be making the trip to Australia.
Having initially planned to bring the pre-facelift X3 xDrive30e in the second quarter of 2020, BMW Australia has confirmed the plug-in hybrid SUV will instead come Down Under as part of the facelifted range revealed this morning.
It’ll touch down during the fourth quarter of 2021, around 18 months later than initially planned.
The 2022 BMW X3 xDrive30e blends a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor and 12kWh lithium-ion battery pack.
Total system outputs are 215kW of power and 420Nm of torque, although that peak power jumps to 245kW for brief periods.
Claimed electric range is 46km for the X3 PHEV, down 1km on what the Mercedes-Benz GLC300e can manage.
The plug-in X3 can operate in pure electric mode at speeds of up to 135km/h and can be recharged via a standard wall socket in just six hours.
When it arrives, the X3 xDrive30e will go head-to-head with the Mercedes-Benz GLC300e.
Its arch-rival from Mercedes packs a little more punch, with system outputs of 235kW and 700Nm and a 0-100km/h time of 5.7 seconds.
BMW hasn’t indicated how much the xDrive30e will cost locally, but its big rival is priced at $86,300 before on-road costs – $4800 more than a regular Mercedes-Benz GLC300, which also lacks the plug-in hybrid’s air suspension.
When it arrives, the X3 PHEV will sit alongside the pure-electric BMW iX3 in local showrooms.
Under the floor of the iX3 sits a 74kWh (usable, 80kWh net) lithium-ion battery pack, hooked up to a single electric motor on the rear axle.
With 210kW of power and 400Nm of torque, it punches the iX3 to 100km/h in just 6.8 seconds from standstill.
At home, the iX3 can be charged at 11kW using a wall box. Plugged into a DC fast charger, it’ll recharge at 150kW.
That means an 80 per cent charge takes just 34 minutes, but BMW says owners can gain 100km of range in 10 minutes if a splash-and-dash is more your style.
MORE: BMW X3, X4 facelift here late in 2021
MORE: 2021 BMW iX3 locked in for Australia
