BMW X5 XDrive50e’s PHEV Powertrain Frugal, Fun

This plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle packs a punch.

While the propulsion system in the 2024 BMW X5 xDrive50e certainly impressed the Wards 10 Best judges with its efficiency, it simply blew us away with its performance.

With pure battery-electric vehicles still struggling to get a foothold with mass-market buyers, PHEVs long have been seen as a possible bridge to allow consumers to creep into the electrification fold.

PHEV sales in the U.S., up 23% through July, indicate buyers are warming up to the concept. But any remaining skeptics of the technology need only take a spin in the X5 xDrive50e. This one will put to rest any lingering concerns anyone has about the drivability of a hybrid.

The X5 xDrive50e we tested, priced at a shade under $88,000 (including about $15,000 in options), comes equipped with BMW’s 308-hp 3.0L direct-injected, inline 6-cyl. TwinPower engine featuring variable valve control and a twin-scroll turbocharger. That’s coupled with a 194-hp synchronous electric motor integrated into the vehicle’s 8-speed automatic transmission. The electric motor includes a pre-gearing stage that helps fill in the torque gaps in the ICE to provide BEV-like off-the-line acceleration.

Its plug-in range hits the commuter sweet spot at 35 miles (56 km) or better, easily replenished to its 25.7 kWh lithium-ion battery in a few overnight hours using a standard 110V electrical outlet. We saw electric-range readings as high as 50 miles (80 km) after extended charging.

A neat feature is the onboard software that enables the electric drive to activate automatically when the car is detected approaching an electric-only zone, such as a city center. Several European cities already have or plan to create such zones, including London, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Barcelona and Oslo, Norway.

If plugged in nightly, that electric range could be enough for many drivers to avoid refueling stations on all but rare occasions. The X5 is rated at 58 mpg-e. We did a lot of mixed driving with and without plugging it in overnight and averaged 24 mpg (9.8 L/100 km), thanks in part to its already fuel-stingy 6-cyl. that on its own is rated at 22 mpg (10.7 L/100 km) combined.

But enough about efficiency. The X5 PHEV’s electric motor-ICE pairing also delivers the fun. Combined the gas-electric powertrain transfers a maximum 483 hp and 516 lb.-ft. (700 Nm) of torque to all four wheels. That’s enough to move this 5,500-lb. (2,495-kg) SUV from standstill to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.6 seconds, BMW says. And it does so with a rewarding BMW growl – an exhaust note crafted by Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer – from its 3.0L engine.

Drivers get Sport, Hybrid and Electric mode settings to play with (the last possible at speeds up to 90 mph [145 km/h]). Controls are conveniently accessed in a panel on the center console, and all modes deliver as advertised – although you don’t need to be in the top-end performance setting to enjoy the drive. Interaction between the electric motor and ICE is seamless, the stop/start sequence of the gas engine nearly imperceptible and the response from the entire powertrain when you tip in the throttle is instantaneous.

“Does this propulsion system sell this car? Undoubtedly,” notes one judge, adding, “but you get the side benefit of good fuel economy and usable electric range on top of the crazy horsepower and torque.”

Another tester sums it up this way: “You might say the feeling you get driving this car is electric – pun intended.”

Thanks to its slickly engineered propulsion system, the BMW X5 xDrive50e not only is a blast behind the wheel, it eases most environmental concerns with its overall efficiency and eliminates worries about driving range. And that’s a surefire winning formula at this stage in the march toward full electrification.