BMW X5 Enters Final Test Phase with First Fully Electric iX5 and Hydrogen Option
The new BMW X5, featuring the first fully electric iX5 and a hydrogen variant, enters final calibration drives before production.
144 kWh
425 kW (578 hp)
2028
What Happened
The fifth-generation BMW X5 has entered the final phase of its development program, with prototype vehicles completing calibration drives near BMW Group Plant Spartanburg in the USA. The new X5 will be the first BMW production model available with a choice of five drive system technologies: petrol and diesel with 48V mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid, fully electric, and hydrogen fuel cell. Media representatives sampled the petrol, plug-in hybrid, and electric variants in concluding test drives.
144 kWhusable energy (USA)
The fully electric BMW iX5 60 xDrive uses Gen6 eDrive technology with cylindrical cells and 800V architecture.
- Petrol with 48V mild hybrid
- Diesel with 48V mild hybrid
- Plug-in hybrid
- Fully electric (BMW iX5)
- Hydrogen fuel cell (BMW iX5 Hydrogen from 2028)
The new X5 features the Heart of Joy control unit from the Neue Klasse, which processes powertrain, brakes, steering, charging, and recuperation ten times faster than previous systems. Next-generation SAE Level 2 driver assistance systems include optional Motorway and City Assistant with Entry-2-Exit and Address-2-Address assistance, designed for seamless human-AI interaction.
Why this matters
The new BMW X5 is the first model to offer five drivetrain options including fully electric and hydrogen, making it a milestone in BMW's shift to diverse propulsion technologies.
Terms in This Story
- plug-in hybrid
- A vehicle with both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor that can be recharged from an external power source.
- fuel cell
- A device that converts hydrogen and oxygen into electricity to power an electric motor, emitting only water vapor.
- SAE Level 2
- A level of driving automation where the vehicle can control steering and acceleration/deceleration simultaneously, but the driver must remain engaged and monitor the environment.
- regenerative braking
- A system that captures kinetic energy during braking and converts it into electricity to recharge the battery.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.