Taking a hiatus from everyday life is vital for soaking up new energy, inspiration and ideas. Therefore we decided to go to the Baltic Sea as it’s only a ride of three hours from Berlin. Our destination – the Strandhotel Ahlbeck on the island of Usedom uniting timeless elegance, luxury and calm. With its beachfront location it’s the ideal spot for some time-off. Our companion on this short trip is the BMW X2 plug-in hybrid. Perfect to start our ride in Berlin silently and emission-free. And with a range of up to 57 kilometres in the fully electric driving mode, more than enough to leave the city and head towards the motorway. We set off in the best autumn weather with the destination Strandhotel Ahlbeck. Only three hours later we arrived feeling relaxed in the BMW X2.

The BMW X2 xDrive is the first Sports Activity Coupe (SAC) with plug-in hybrid drive in the compact segment offering a unique combination of extrovert design, versatile sportiness and electrified drive technology.
Inside, the BMW X2 offers plenty of space. Due to the positioning of the high-voltage battery underneath the rear seat bench, the storage space in the boot has been more than enough for our short trip. But also if you go on a longer trip with more luggage – no problem. Thanks to the 40:20:40 split rear seat, the luggage compartment can be increased from 410 to 1.290 litres.

So back to our arrival and stay at the Strandhotel Ahlbeck. It’s the ideal retreat if you want to escape the hectic city life – located on a quiet, car-free promenade with the beach right on the doorstep. So 42 kilometers of beautiful sands lies directly in front of you and invites for long beach strolls.

The Strandhotel Ahlbeck mixes old and new with style. – a great combination. The interior design is light, friendly and well arranged. Natural fabrics and high-quality materials are being used. The wellness area with sauna, indoor pool, fitness studio and massage treatments offer you the ultimate relaxation. So coming back from a long beach walk, you can continue your relaxation programme in the wellness area. Afterwards make sure to enjoy the beautiful view across the sea and pier from the islands’s highest restaurant PRIME, which is located on the rooftop of the Strandhotel Ahlbeck. We were pretty lucky to enjoy a perfect sunset. So if you are now seeking to escape the city life, book your stay here.

As we enjoyed the proximity to the beach, our first day on the island consisted of a long beach walk to recharge our batteries with a wellness programme afterwards. On our second day we continued our journey and explored Usedom with the BMW X2. The X2 lives up to the BMW slogan “sheer driving pleasure”. We enjoyed driving the X2 plug-in hybrid to the fullest and we have to admit it’s one of our favourite cars in the portfolio of BMW.

Some impressions from our trip shot on a Polaroid camera.

Some tech specs. The X2 xDrive25e features the fourth and latest generation of BMW eDrive technology developed for the plug-in hybrid models. It comprises a 70 kW/95 hp electric motor generating and a high-voltage battery with a gross energy content of 10 kWh enabling an all-electric range of up to 57 kilometres while reaching a speed of up to 125 km/h. Together with the 92 kW/125 hp three-cylinder petrol engine on the front axle, this results in a system output of 162 kW/220 hp. The X2 xDrive25e accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds and has a maximum speed of 195 km/h.

The BMW X2 plug-in hybrid enables electric driving in three operating modes. In the AUTO eDRIVE standard setting, the intelligent drive system ensures optimum interaction between the two power units in all driving situations and takes into account the navigation data and route profile. The MAX eDrive mode can be activated for maximum use of the electric drive. The SAVE BATTERY mode enables the driver to save battery capacity. So the battery charge level is either maintained or increased by recuperation for later use when driving in the fully electric mode for example in cities with strict environmental zones. Besides the Driving Experience switch can be used to select between the Comfort, Sport and Eco Pro settings.

When the battery is fully discharged, you can easily recharge it in about five hours at your household socket with 80% of its total capacity being attained after 3.8 hours. At the BMW Wallbox, the charging process is a bit quicker taking around 3.2 hours. 80% of its overall capacity are being reached after 2.4 hours.

The exterior of the BMW X2 is sportive, modern and powerful yet with a distinctive design. The X2 is immediately recognisable by the BMW logo on the C-pillar. With its lifestyle-oriented charisma and sporty handling characteristics, the BMW X2 is geared to the demands of today’s target groups in urban environments.

As you would expect from BMW, the interior is premium and simply classic. Everything is neatly arranged and ease to use. The X2 is available in different equipment lines. Our model had the M Sport package giving the vehicle an even sportier touch, inside and outside and with an increase in driving pleasure as the M Sport suspension and the M aerodynamics package optimise the dynamic driving qualities. With the thick leather steering wheel, the soft and high-quality sports seats, the finely tuned interior trims, you know you are sitting in a premium vehicle and it all made our journey comfortable at any time. The X2 is available with various innovations such as Apple CarPlay, telephony with wireless charging, the BMW Head-Up Display and intelligent safety systems such as Driving Assistant Plus and Parking Assistant. While the combination of two features made our journey perfect – AppleCarPlay, one feature that we don’t want to miss in a car and the Harman Kardon Surround Sound System offering an exceptional music experience. So during our drive we greatly enjoyed listening to our ellectric playlists.

Conclusion: The BMW X2 xDrive25e combines design, sportiness, lifestyle and driving pleasure. In the city or villages we had the opportunity to be on tour emission free in the fully electric driving mode. The Harman Kardon Surround Sound System provided us with the perfect sound. With its dimensions, the BMW X2 is ideal for the city as well as for short and long trips. Price starts from 47.250 €.

Fore more tech specs and to configure your X2, head over to the BMW website.

Pictures: ellectric
Text: Britta Reineke