BMW has announced that the plug-in hybrid variant of the BMW X3 will go into production early in 2020. While BMW isn't revealing specific features, Cars Direct is reporting that order guides are showing it will start from $49,545, including destination. That makes the plug-in hybrid X3 the most expensive X3 variant without an M badge. The gas engine in the hybrid X3 is connected with an eight-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive is standard. The electric drive system is made up of a single electric motor and a 12 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that's fitted flat on the vehicle's floor.

Combined with the gas engine, the xDrive30e model produces 292 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, giving the hybrid X3 a 0-60 mph time of 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 130 mph. There's no EPA estimation on fuel economy yet, but BMW does claim an electric drive only range of a little over 20 miles and that the battery can be fully charged in less than six hours using a standard charger, or in around three and a half hours using a BMW i Wallbox. When the all-electric BMW iX3 comes out, the X3 line will be BMW's first vehicle to be available as purely gas driven, as a plug-in hybrid, and as a battery-only electric vehicle.

With the iX3, BMW claims that its engineers managed to reduce the share of cobalt contained in the battery by another two-thirds. At the same time, the iX3 battery cells have 20% more gravimetric energy density than former technology used by BMW Group. There's no EPA estimates on the range for the iX3 yet, although the European WLTP test cycle shows 273 miles of range. Typically, EPA estimates are more conservative, so we'll have to wait and see there.

The X3 hybrid will join BMW's other three hybrid models available, the 530e, 745e, and the i8 in 2020 as a less expensive but also less powerful competitor to the Volvo XC60 Hybrid and the Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e.