2021 BMW X2 xDrive25e Crossover Is A Small PHEV With Big Ambitions
BMW has added another plug-in hybrid to its range, with the new 2021 BMW X2 xDrive25e promising crossover style with electric all-wheel drive. It's not BMW's first attempt at an X Series plug-in hybrid: the automaker already has larger SUVs with battery-electric drive on the market, four of them in fact. However this is the smallest of the range, and its first in the premium compact segment.
Under the hood, the X2 xDrive25e uses a 1.5-liter 3-cylinder gas engine good for 125 horsepower driving the front wheels. It's combined with a single electric motor for the rear wheels, that adds 95 horsepower. Total system power is 220 hp, enough for a 0-62 mph time of 6.8 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 121 mph in hybrid mode, or 84 mph in electric-only mode.
The battery is a 10 kWh pack, which BMW says can be recharged on a Level 2 charger in 3.2 hours. On electric power alone, BMW expects the crossover hybrid to be able to drive up to 53 km on the WLTP cycle. That's about 33 miles, though it's worth noting that the WLTP test leads to fairly different results from US EPA testing, the latter usually coming out lower.
There'll be three drive modes. AUTO eDrive is the default, with the X2 xDrive 25e automatically picking from gas and electric power as the situation demands. MAX eDrive prioritizes electric-only driving, at least until the battery is exhausted. Finally, SAVE BATTERY mode maintains the current charge of the battery for later use.
The battery itself is located under the rear seats. That means this hybrid X2 doesn't sacrifice cargo space in the trunk compared to the regular X2. BMW says that you're looking at 14.5 to 45.6 cubic feet, depending on how the 40:20:40 split bench is positioned.
Outside, there'll be new LED headlamps with integrated daytime running lights as standard. There's also a Phytonic Blue metallic color option which is new. 17-inch alloy wheels are standard, too, and BMW says just about all of the regular X2's Advantage, Advantage Plus, M Sport, and M Sport X trims are available for the hybrid version, too.
Inside, there's two-zone climate control and an auxiliary air conditioning system that can be used to pre-cool the cabin when the X2 xDrive25e is plugged in. There'll also be custom graphics for the hybrid drivetrain, showing things like recuperation status. BMW's smartphone app – which can remotely check in on things like charge levels – is standard, too.
The 2021 BMW X2 xDrive25e will go on sale in Europe this July, the automaker says. It'll be priced from 47,250 euro ($51,350) before any available incentives. No word at this stage on a US launch, but we're not holding our breath.