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The 2021 BMW X3 xDrive30e is one of the anticipated plug-in hybrids today. One of the reasons is that every EV gains criticism for its lack of performance on the road. For most customers, the 15 miles of all-electric range is usually not worth the hybrid’s extra cost premium.
This latest TFLC video shows how far the X3 hybrid can go in the pure electric range. The video begins to demonstrate the car’s full battery charge and promises a range of 16 miles. That’s not very far and will probably make most of the customers feel a little underwhelmed, at least. The car actually does, however, produce more than its projected 16 miles.
Andre, one of the TFCL’s guest drove the 2021 BMW X3 xDrive30e. He was able to make the entire 22.8-mile ride home without ever using the petrol engine. More than that, at some stages, he also reached speeds of up to 50 mph. He wasn’t driving at solely suburban speeds, even though he didn’t drive on the highway. So the hybrid X3 is capable of providing efficient journeys under pure electric control in real-world driving.
The BMW X3 XDrive30e runs for about an average of 3 miles per kWh. Which is not impressive, but also not too bad. If you think it has about 10-ish kWh of battery available (12 kWh battery pack, but BMW builds a buffer to encourage battery longevity), if driven carefully, it might potentially be capable of about 30 miles per charge. That could last all day for most people. Particularly in heavily traffic-dense areas, where regenerative braking would help preserve the battery.
The next morning, when Andre drove the car without charging it the night before, he could recover over 7 miles of range using the gasoline engine. So if during your regular runs, you’re using a combination of both gasoline and electricity, it wouldn’t be shocking to see much of your driving done with pure electricity. Particularly if you charge at night or while you’re home.
In fact, while plug-ins may not have the pure electric range of BEVs, they may prove to be surprisingly useful in daily life. Plug-ins will really be the best of all worlds if handled properly and powered properly.
