Much has being made about the BMW Concept X5 eDrive following its debut at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show->ke235 last year. Shortly after its debut, a prototype was seen testing out on the road. Now, a refreshed version of the concept->ke169 is headed to the 2014 New York Auto Show->ke226.

Whether this is a production model labeled as a concept or simply another prototype is a question that only BMW->ke178 can answer. For the most part, there have been a few changes from the first concept we saw back in September last year.

What we do know is that there appears to be a future for the Concept X5->ke326 eDrive at some point. It may not be in the coming months, but years down the line, we expect this vehicle to be out on the road. The hybrid, luxury SUV market is still growing, and its only a matter of time before BMW jumps into the picture and announces its plans to be a strong competitor in it.

Click past the jump to read more about BMW Concept X5 eDrive.

2013 BMW Concept X5 eDrive

Exterior

Not much has changed on the X5 eDrive Concept when compared to the debut concept from the 2013 Frankfurt Show. It still looks like an SUV that was designed with performance in mind instead of drastically changing the look of the base X5.

The muscular shoulders are still there and the front end still makes good use of the larger headlights and the rectangular kidney grilles. Touches of i8 styling can also be found, particularly the blue-tinted chrome accents in the grille bars that complement the blue accent lines in the lower bumpers. On the flip side, the two fog lamps still look completely out-of-place, although not to the extent where they completely ruin the SUV's overall front-end styling.

Like the previous version of the concept, the blue-trimmed charge port door is still located in the same place; prominently mounted on the front fender and quite easy to spot, given that it sits on the top side of the front wheel arch.

The clean tailgate design at the back bears a close resemblance to the X5 M. The taillights are still enormous, and take in the shape from other X5 models while the blue brightwork elements that separate the exhaust vents are another hat tip to BMW's i range styling, creating a visible contrast to the concept's Silverflake metallic exterior paintwork.

Interior

Interior touches on X5 Concept eDrive were made to keep the image of the X5 as luxurious as possible. Unfortunately, it doesn't look the same attention to space was given as third-row seating looks like an added option. But even with that small caveat, the interior of this X5 is still pretty sophisticated.

The front seats, the door-trim panels, and the dashboard have been adorned with Ivory White exclusive leather with its own light blue double-felled seams. Contrasting the clean and smooth look of the white leather is a Piano Finish Black interior trim with blue accent strips, ambient lighting with a blue hue, and an eDrive button that is also likewise illuminated in blue.

Move over to the back and you're going to see a transparent cover that shows a clear view of the high-voltage battery for the electric motor.

Drivetrain

Unlike the X5 M, the Concept X5 eDrive doesn't put all of its attention on the SUV's performance as much as it is combining that and fuel economy into the equation. As a hybrid, two distinct powertrains can be found in the SUV with the first being a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 245 horsepower, deceptively strong for its standards. That gas engine then has a tag-team partner in the form of a single BMW-developed electric motor that now produces 95 horsepower, adding up to 340 worth of ponies to play around with.

The motor, in particular, has been supplied with power from a lithium-ion battery that can be charged from any domestic socket and has sufficient capacity to enable all-electric driving with zero local emissions for a range of up to approximately 20 miles.

Coinciding with that is tremendous fuel returns with BMW estimating an average fuel efficiency figures of approximately 62 miles per gallon (US) in the EU test cycle for the Concept X5 eDrive.

When Can I drive One?

BMW has given no indication on when the Concept X5 eDrive is going to hit production. It's reasonable to expect a release in 2015 if everything falls into place.

Competition

Lexus RX450h

The Lexus RX450h has owned the hybrid crossover segment since first hitting showrooms in 2010. But with more and more companies finally seeing the merits of having a big hybrid in its ranks, the onus is on the RX to up its game to welcome this new wave of contenders.

As it sits now, the Lexus could benefit from a redesign on its now dated appearance and its current, 3.5-liter, V-6 engine combined that's combined with a pair of electric motors for a total of 295 horsepower also needs an upgrade or two to keep up with the growing market.

Here's the good news: a plug-in version of the next RX is coming soon, possibly as early as next year.

Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid

Another premium SUV that recently received a hybrid makeover is the Porsche Cayenne. The Cayenne has the rather obvious advantage of being styled in the same vein as all other Porsche models, a surprisingly attractive quality that has generated a lot of interest.

Power is bigger than the X5 eDrive with the Cayenne S Hybrid employing a 333-horsepower, supercharged 3.0-liter V6 along with a pair of electric motors that add 47 horsepower, bringing up the total to 380 horsepower. All that and the Cayenne S Hybrid is still capable of hitting 60 mph in 6.1 seconds to go with a top speed of 150 mph.

The Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid has a retail price of $70,900.

Conclusion

There is a production future attached to the BMW Concept X5 eDrive, and the only question is when that's going to be? As it stands, the concept already has the cursory features and details that makes us question why BMW isn't rushing to get this out to production. Maybe there are still a few tweaks and changes left before that happens. But rest assured, people with deep pockets and an affinity for the environment will be paying close attention on the fate of this concept SUV.