As we reported before, the next generation of the BMW X5 will be the Bavarian automaker’s first production vehicle to go on sale with as many as five different powertrain options. The company has now supplied some new and interesting details, especially concerning the all-electric version.
The zero-emission crossover speculated to be called “iX5” will be based on the company’s older CLAR platform, but will nonetheless benefit from many of the technological advantages of the Neue Klasse architecture. Among other things, it will support 800V power internals and next-generation power cells that will give it whopping 144 kilowatt-hours of energy storage for the U.S. market and 141 kWh in Europe.
The powertrain of the alleged iX5 is likewise no longer a secret. BMW says it consists of two electric motors driving all four wheels with a combined 578 PS (570 hp / 425 kW).
The entry-level X5 40 xDrive will utilize a 3.0-liter petrol I6 rated at 406 PS (400 hp / 299 kW) or so. The 50e xDrive will be a plug-in hybrid rated at 490 PS (483 hp / 360 kW). More affordable variants, including petrol and diesel mild hybrids, are slated to arrive later. In 2028, a hydrogen-powered BMW X5 is expected to complete the family.
On the technical side of things, BMW promises us adaptive suspension with an option for air-ride springs, active anti-sway system to keep the bulky SUV stable in turns, and an innovative on-board computer known as the Heart of Joy. It will be responsible for the quintessential driving enjoyment, or Fahrspaß as the German company calls it.
Earlier statements from BMW reps indicated that the new X5 would be unveiled this summer.