BMW's all-electric SUV on the anvil? - Report

29/07/2015 - 09:00 ,  ,   Karthik H

Will take on the Tesla Model X and the Audi Q6 e-tron.

After tasting success with the i8 and the smaller i3, BMW seems to be dabbling with the idea of a electric-only SUV.

With success at the i8 and i3 segments, the company is said to be eyeing an all-electric SUV in the near future.

According to a report on bmwblog that cites a German newspaper, Wirtschaftswoche, it seems like the purely-electric SUV is a signature away from development.

Set to compete against the likes of the upcoming Tesla Model X and the Audi Q6 e-tron SUVs, the report states that the Germany manufacturer's newly appointed CEO, Harold Kruger, will make the call after seeing the public's response to the Tesla model. The Model X is expected to come with upward swinging doors, a naught to 100 kph time of under 5 seconds, and a turning radius shorter than that of a Mini. The 7-seater SUV will be launched later this year.

BMW's newly appointed CEO wants to assess public response for the upcoming Tesla Model X (rendered here) before giving the SUV project a go ahead.

The Audi Q6 e-tron crossover concept, meanwhile, will make its debut at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show is September. The Q6 will sit on the MLB platform and will source its power from a fully-electric powertrain that might well be borrowed from the Audi R8 e-tron. Audi has promised a 500 km range in a single charge.

If given the green light, the SUV would be manufactured at the company's plant in Spartanburg in South Carolina, USA.

2015 BMW X6

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