BMW has officially entered the final testing phase of its flagship SUV, the fifth-generation X5 (G65), at its Spartanburg plant in the US before its official global launch.
Notably, this will be the first commercial vehicle in BMW's history to offer five different powertrain configurations.
Although still developed on the upgraded CLAR platform rather than a purely electric platform, the exterior design of the BMW X5 is heavily influenced by the Neue Klasse electric vehicle wave, especially its sibling the new generation iX3. At the front, the headlights are defined by four diagonally placed LED bars, combined with a tall and narrow double kidney grille.
The new generation X5 completely eliminates traditional door handles. Instead, it uses small, hidden mechanical levers (winglets) located on the B-pillar and C-pillar to open the doors, a style similar to the Ford Mustang Mach-E or Skytop concept cars.
The slim LED taillights extend to either side, with the BMW logo in the center of the trunk lid.
Inside the cockpit, the BMW X5 G65 will be upgraded to the next-generation iDrive infotainment system running on the OS X operating system. A revolutionary innovation is the removal of the traditional instrument cluster behind the steering wheel, replaced by a BMW Panoramic Vision display projected directly onto the windshield, stretching from one A-pillar to the other.
The vehicle also comes equipped with SAE Level 2 autonomous driving assistance technologies.
In addition to gasoline and all-electric versions, the new generation BMW X5 also offers a PHEV option. Photo: BMW .
The biggest highlight of this media campaign is BMW's early announcement of specifications for all three flagship versions that will be launched first (including petrol, PHEV, and all-electric), while the diesel and hydrogen-powered versions (iX5 Hydrogen, expected to launch in 2028) will be added later.
The first three versions revealed are the gasoline-powered X5 40 xDrive, the X5 50e xDrive (PHEV), and the iX5 60 xDrive (all-electric). The all-electric version is equipped with two electric motors for a total output of 578 horsepower, while the PHEV version boasts 490 horsepower thanks to the combination of an electric motor and a 3.0L I6 gasoline engine.
As the first and most pioneering variant to launch, the iX5 60 xDrive boasts a usable battery capacity of 141 kWh (in Europe) and 144 kWh (in the US). This is the largest battery capacity ever fitted to a commercial BMW electric vehicle to date.
Both the all-electric iX5 and the hydrogen-powered iX5 Hydrogen will be equipped with the "Heart of Joy" system, along with BMW's own Dynamic Performance Control software. This system is responsible for calculating and centrally controlling all operational feedback, the xDrive electronic all-wheel drive system, and regenerative braking capabilities.