BMW X5 β Overview
BMW Malaysia has made quite an impact with the BMW X5 series with the introduction of the previous-generation X5 Hybrid back in 2016. Thanks to generous incentives under the Energy Efficient Vehicle (EEV) classification and other corporate-led investments, the F15-generation X5 could be had under RM 390,000, a significant reduction compared to the 3.0-litre-engined variant priced at over RM 570,000.The sales success created by the plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) convinced BMW Malaysia that PHEV powertrain is well-accepted and also the direction forward for the brand in Malaysia. The new-generation G05 X5 xDrive45e M Sport was introduced after the launch of the petrol-only xDrive40i in 2020. The initial first batch of BMW X5 2020 was imported from BMW USA located in Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA.
Thanks to the experience in negotiating on the pricing of locally-assembled hybrid models, the xDrive45e M Sport has a price of RM 434,377.45 in Malaysia, much lower than the xDrive40i at RM 618,800, which has its importation from BMW USA discontinued since. Direct competitor with electrified BMW X5 is the Volvo XC90 T8, priced from RM 391,150 while the Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 has seen its price reduced to RM 475,501 after switching to local-assembly.
The fully-imported Audi Q7 3.0TFSI meanwhile is priced at RM 599,900. Meanwhile, Lexus only offers the RX300 and it is priced from RM 424,187.
BMW Malaysia is also the biggest supporter of building and expanding the electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Malaysia through their partnership with ChargEV. As of April 2021, there are 319 individual charging points with a mix of 3.7 kW or 22 kW power delivery.