Plug-in hybrid · Petrol · registered 2021–2024

BMW X5 xDrive45e real-world fuel use

n = 18,633 cars Avg 43,795 km driven per car EEA data 2024
On the road this car uses
6.0×
the fuel of its official figure
Official
1.3
Real world
7.8
0510 L/100 km
Real world: total fuel ÷ total distance across 18,633 cars (EEA OBFCM data, CC BY 4.0). Official: derived from the average WLTP CO2 of 29.9 g/km.
Real fuel use
7.8 L/100 km
36.1 mpg (UK)
Distance with engine off
33%
all models average 28%
Extra fuel per year
+£1,373
vs official, at 15,000 km and £1.40/L
Real CO2 from fuel
181 g/km
official 30 g/km
Illustrative photo
Illustrative photo, not the BMW X5 xDrive45e.

How much is really driven with the engine off

Engine off (electric)33.1%
Battery, engine off 33.1% Battery assisting, engine running 22.3% Battery empty, hybrid mode 44.6%

When not driving on battery alone, this model uses about 11.7 L/100 km. Its official electric range is 84 km. Charge more often and your figure drops towards the official one — try the calculator.

Against similar plug-in hybrids

The closest models by kerb weight in the same data.

ModelOfficial → realReal L/100 kmEngine offCarsGap
BMW X5 xDrive45e7.833%18,6336.0×
Audi Q7 60 TFSI e9.522%6394.1×
Volkswagen Touareg R9.822%2,8274.1×
Audi Q7 55 TFSI e9.921%1,3534.2×
Audi Q8 60 TFSI e9.921%1,2284.1×
Jeep Grand Cherokee10.1—4813.8×
Audi Q8 55 TFSI e10.120%1,3644.0×
Compare with Audi Q8 60 TFSI eCompare with Audi Q8 55 TFSI eCompare with Volkswagen Touareg R

UK company car tax

Benefit-in-kind tax is based on the official CO2 figure (30 g/km average for this model in the data), not on real-world use. Plug-in hybrids approved to the stricter Euro 6e-bis standard show higher official CO2. Under HMRC's current easement, qualifying cars first registered from 1 January 2025 to 5 April 2028 with official CO2 of 51 g/km or more and at least 1 mile of electric range are treated as 1 g/km for company car tax. Check your own car's emission standard and figures before relying on it.

What the rule change means
General information, not tax advice.

Own one? Send us your real figures

Tell us your average fuel use, how often you charge and your typical trip. Owner reports will appear separately from the official data.

Send my figures

Questions

How much fuel does the BMW X5 xDrive45e really use?

Across 18,633 cars in the EEA 2024 fuel meter data, the BMW X5 xDrive45e used 7.8 L/100 km (36.1 mpg UK). Its official figure, derived from WLTP CO2, is about 1.3 L/100 km.

Why is the real figure 6.0× the official one?

The official test assumes a high share of electric driving. In real use these cars covered 33% of their distance with the engine off, so the engine ran far more than the test assumes.

Where does this data come from?

From the on-board fuel consumption meters fitted to every new car in the EU since 2021. The European Environment Agency publishes the readings each year under a CC BY 4.0 licence.

Can I get closer to the official figure?

Yes, by charging before most trips and keeping daily journeys within the electric range of about 84 km (official). Use the calculator to see your own likely figure.

Method: all BMW X5 xDrive45e plug-in hybrids in the EEA 2024 OBFCM dataset with at least 1,000 km recorded (name variants grouped: X5 xDrive45e, X5 xDrive 45e). Full methodology. Data: European Environment Agency, CC BY 4.0.