Sip fuel in a thrifty fashion with the BMW X3 xDrive30e plug-in

BMW has a new plug-in hybrid on coming next year: the X3 xDrive30e.

It'll go about 20 miles purely on electricity before the engine kicks on.

With electric motors and the engine, it makes 292 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque.

Power flows to all four wheels via an all-wheel-drive system.

It'll be a frugal thing, BMW says, but we don't yet have US-spec mpg.

Aside from the badges, it looks a lot like a normal X3.

Drivers will use the eDrive button to toggle through the thriftier drive modes.

Production starts next month in South Carolina before they ship out to dealers this coming spring.