The BMW X3 xDrive30e is the latest addition to BMW’s plug-in hybrid line-up in Singapore

Photos: BMW

SINGAPORE

BMW has expanded its plug-in hybrid line-up in Singapore with the introduction of the X3 xDrive30e, which has just gone on sale here with a retail price of $251,888 inclusive of Certificate of Entitlement (COE).

The X3 xDrive30e joins the 225xe Active Tourer, 330e, 530e, 745Le and the soon-to-be-discontinued i8 sports car as BMW’s hybrid models in Singapore, and marks the first time that the X3 has received a plug-in hybrid option available officially on sale here.

The X3 xDrive30e is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 184hp, matched with an electric motor integrated into the car’s eight-speed automatic transmission that produces 109hp, for a combined power output of 292hp. Maximum system torque is rated at 420Nm, and the car can go from 0-100km/h in 6.1 seconds, and achieve a top speed of 210km/h.

Like all plug-in hybrids, the X3 xDrive30e can run solely on electric power alone, and there are two selectable drive modes to activate pure electric drive. The standard Auto eDrive mode allows you to travel at speeds of up to 110km/h just on electricity alone, while the Max eDrive mode ups that speed to 135km/h, with the combustion engine kicking in once you go above those limits. The electric range of the car is approximately 45km (WLTP) and 50+km (NEDC).

The batteries are located beneath the rear seats, and the fuel tank just above the rear axle. As a result, there is minimal intrusion into the car’s boot space, and the X3 xDrive30e offers a luggage capacity of 450 litres, slightly down from the regular X3’s 550 litres.

Bessie the cow can enjoy fresher air thanks to the X3 xDrive30e’s reduced emissions

BMW quotes a six-hour charging time for the X3 xDrive30e’s batteries with a standard issue charging cable, but if you’re using a BMW i Wallbox, that time drops to three and a half hours.

For those who say batteries and hybrids contribute to pollution, BMW says its ‘full-cycle’ CO2 emissions for the new PHEV – ie from raw materials to end-of-life/recycling – are 26 percent lower than that of a X3 xDrive30i. If you use renewable energy (solar power is available in Singapore via Sunseap) it’s reduced by as much as 54 percent.

The company does not state any capability for fast charging, but like many plug-in hybrids, the X3 xDrive30e can also recoup energy generated from the combustion engine to recharge the batteries if needed.

The plug-in hybrid SUV segment in Singapore is still relatively small, with the X3 xDrive30e’s most obvious rival right now being the recently-launched Volvo XC60 T8 Recharge. However, with the Government’s push towards electrifying the car population, expect more of such models to appear on our shores in the near future.

READ MORE: On the other end of the scale, the X3 is also capable of mind-blowing performance in M Competition form. Read our review here!