BMW 330e 2016 Review

BMW 330e

Plug-in hybrids haven't captured the mood of the Australian public, yet BMW is jumping in at the deep end with its 330e, a battery-electric 3 Series variant with a range-extending four-cylinder engine. It's a compelling product, costing just $2000 more than the popular 330i, and equipped to much the same level. Offering better performance than the diesel 320d and promising zero emissions for short-haul commuting, it should be a winner. But will Aussies rate it?

The march of progress frequently runs at the double – unless it's the progress made by automotive manufacturers working on plug-in hybrids. Then progress is as slow as the flow of treacle, hamstrung by perceived cost, battery technology, packaging conflicts and customer expectations.

But there is some good news to tell. BMW's 330e, tested briefly in Melbourne yesterday, shows some incremental gains over the Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid tested by this writer about 12 months ago.

The new addition to BMW's 3 Series range is priced just $2000 higher than the 330i with which the 330e shares most of its equipment. Clearly, plug-in hybrids are coming down in price – to the point where the 330e is an acceptable alternative to a diesel 3 Series offering similar performance.

That hypothetical 3 Series diesel is not the 320d, by the way. At 7.2 seconds to reach 100km/h from a standing start, the 320d is over a second slower than the 330e with petrol and electric power combined. BMW isn't highlighting this fact, preferring to focus on the 330e's eerily quiet, low-cost electric-only drive modes, rather than any performance benefits to be had.

In addition to a lithium-ion battery pack mounted over the rear axle and an electric motor located between the petrol engine and the transmission, the 330e differs from the 330i in lacking the conventional car's standard M Sport suspension. Engine output is lower, and the automatic transmission is not a 'sport' transmission as fitted to the 330i.

Another significant point of difference between the two cars is the steel 41-litre fuel tank fitted to the plug-in model. This comes with a manual release for the filler cap – via a button on the dash. Legislation in Europe demands that to be considered a low-emissions vehicle, the car is not to relieve pressure build-up in the fuel tank while it's on the move. So the 330e bleeds off pressure in the tank when the driver pushes the button to unlock the filler flap.

BMW offers the 330e with three different methods for recharging the battery. There's the standard 10-Amp plug that draws eight Amps from the standard domestic power supply to recharge the battery fully in about three hours. There is a 15-Amp converter available in Europe, but BMW Australia has no intention of offering it here, since few EV buyers have shown any interest in upgrading a power outlet to supply the higher amperage.

BMW can supply an iWallbox for the sum of $1750 to install in the garage. This unit will recharge the 330e in around two hours. Finally, there are currently 262 public charging stations available around the country, with that number expected to rise to around 950 by 2020.

As with other plug-ins, the 330e has a limited electric-only range, but in ideal circumstances that range could be as much as 30km. BMW's local execs claim it's possible to travel that kind of distance in the real world. For our drive programme through Melbourne's inner suburbs and across the Westgate Bridge, the 330e travelled 24km on a battery that was charged to just 81 per cent of capacity. Fully charged, the battery would have powered the car across the bridge and on to our destination, another three or four kilometres further. Over the course of the drive programme the 330e averaged 4.2L/100km.

As with most plug-ins we've sampled in the recent past, the transition from electric to petrol or a combination of the two was seamless. There was no sudden kick in the pants as the four-cylinder cranked over, and the internal-combustion engine ran very quietly at all times.

The 330e can run in one of three hybrid modes – Auto eDrive, Max eDrive and Battery save. Just like other plug-ins offering similar facilities, the 330e will pick and choose when to run the petrol engine (Auto) with electric-only drive taking precedence up to 80km/h. It can also remain exclusively in electric drive (Max) at speeds up to 120km/h, although kick-down will wake up the petrol engine for a burst of extra performance in an emergency. The petrol engine will also keep the battery charge at a set level (Battery Save) for use in congested areas where internal-combustion operation will incur tax.

On the generally good roads – and at slow speeds – through St Kilda and across to Williamstown, the 330e was occasionally caught out by rough patches of bitumen. The run-flat 19-inch tyres were noisy and the suspension wasn't as supple as the removal of the M Sport underpinnings had promised. Although there was little opportunity to test the 330e by the time-honoured journalistic method, the BMW's steering did feel odd with some lock applied.

Unlike earlier hybrids (and not just plug-ins either), the BMW has a useful boot and a triple-fold rear seat. BMW claims 370 litres of luggage capacity in the 330e, a reduction of about 110 litres over the 330i. But the boot will still hold two golf bags, the company insists.

Toting up all those considerations, the 330e is a competitive product – measured against its 330i sibling in particular. It's an ideal choice for buyers who like the idea of owning a 3 Series – rather than the more confronting i3 – and only need to drive around 30km a day on average.

And even on conservative running costs, the 330e should offset its own price premium over the 330i within something like two years.

2016 BMW 330e pricing and specifications:
Price: $71,900 (with metallic paint option, plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 135kW/290Nm (petrol); 65kW/250Nm (electric); 185kW/460Nm (combined)
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 2.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 49g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star (ANCAP)