BMW X3 plug-in hybrid will cost an extra $4,600
At $49,545 including destination, the X3 xDrive30e costs less than the Mercedes-Benz GLC350e or the Volvo XC60 T8.
BMW will launch a new, plug-in hybrid version of its popular X3 SUV next spring. With a 12-kilowatt-hour battery onboard, the X3 PHEV should deliver roughly 20 miles of pure-electric range, and offer instant torque to supplement the engine's power. Of course, an advanced powertrain like this doesn't come cheap, and according to a report from CarsDirect published last week, the plug-in option will add $4,600 to the X3's bottom line.
This information was sourced from one of BMW's order guides, obtained by CarsDirect. At $49,545 (including $995 for destination), the X3 PHEV -- badged xDrive30e -- will slot between the $44,945 X3 xDrive30i and the $56,895 X3 M40i.
Compared with other plug-in hybrid luxury SUVs, the X3 xDrive30e is priced appropriately, undercutting both the Mercedes-Benz GLC350e ($51,645) and the Volvo XC60 T8 ($55,590). Soon, Audi will launch a plug-in version of the Q5, and Lincoln will offer a PHEV version of the new Corsair , called the Grand Touring, both of which should have price tags in the $45,000-to-$50,000 range.
The X3 xDrive30e is powered by a 2.0-liter, turbocharged I4 engine and the aforementioned 12-kWh battery, delivering a combined 292 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. We took a brief spin in an X3 PHEV prototype earlier this year and found it to be both efficient and enjoyable to drive.
Official X3 xDrive30e fuel economy ratings will likely be released closer to the SUV's on-sale date in a few months. Production of the X3 xDrive30e is scheduled to kick off at BMW's Spartanburg, South Carolina, plant in March.
