BMW 530e plugs into local range

Yet another plug-in hybrid, the 530e iPerformance, is joining the local BMW range from July this year.

Based on the G30 generation of 5 Series and trimmed to basically same specification as the 530i, the latest addition sits in the range alongside the 330e, the X5 xDrive40e and the 740e.

BMW is yet to announce pricing, but the 530e is expected to sell for a relative small premium above the price of the 530i, which is currently priced at $108,900 in Australia. The price premium between the two in Europe is about €1000.

With the plug-in 5 Series there’s potential to recoup the extra cost over the 530i quite quickly, in the case of owners who religiously recharge the 530e’s battery every night and only drive short distances during the day.

According to BMW, the Aussie-spec 530e – with a standard M Sport wheel and tyre combination – will travel up to 43km in electric-only mode.

The 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder is located under the bonnet primarily to recharge an on-board battery supplying the electric drive motor once the 530e has exhausted the battery reserve. But the engine also provides supplemental motive power for those occasions – overtaking, for instance – when the electric motor’s output is just not enough.

BMW rates the petrol engine at 135kW and 290Nm. The electric motor pumps out 83kW and 250Nm, and the total output of the two drive units combined is 185kW and 420Nm.

Sitting between the engine and the eight-speed ZF automatic transmission, the electric motor draws charge from a 9.2kWh lithium-ion battery under the rear seats. BMW has developed a smaller, 46-litre fuel tank for the plug-in 5 Series, and located that in the boot, above the rear axle.

In addition to BMW’s usual choice of Driving Experience modes, the 530e features three disparate drivetrain system modes: Auto e-Drive, Max e-Drive and Battery Control. Only in the case of the last does the petrol engine operate in complete isolation – providing motive power and charging the battery while the electric motor remains dormant.

Max e-Drive reverses the situation, with the 530e operating on electric power alone unless the driver floors the accelerator pedal, demanding more performance than the electric motor can deliver. At this point the engine instantly restarts for acceleration that BMW claims has been measured at 6.2 seconds for the 0-100km/h time. The 530e will operate in this mode at up to 140km/h.

In theory – and depending on driver and the driving environment – the 530e uses just 2.3L/100km of fuel in Auto e-Drive, the third of the drivetrain modes. This is the default mode that balances electrical and petrol power for optimal efficiency and driving satisfaction. On the subject of driveability, the 530e’s weight is distributed 48:53, front to rear. That delivers driving dynamics akin to conventional 5 Series variants’, BMW claims.

The 530e can be recharged from a standard domestic (10-Amp) power outlet or by means of BMW’s optional i Wallbox, which can recharge the battery to 80 per cent capacity in under two hours. Charging from the 10-Amp outlet takes double that time for the same outcome.

In addition to plug-in hybrid-specific features such as stationary cooling, acoustic pedestrian protection, eDrive elements of the extended ConnectedDrive services, a charging cable and battery certificate for six years or 100,000km, the 530e has all the standard features of the 530i.

These include Navigation system Professional, a 10.25-inch touch screen, wireless smartphone charging, head-up display, active cruise control, Stop&Go, lane control assistant, front cross-traffic warning, parking assistant plus and speed limit info.

Furthermore, there’s also the M Sport package, 19-inch alloy wheels, powered boot lid, adaptive LED headlights with high beam assist, 16-speaker Harman Kardon audio, front sports seats with heating, anthracite headlining and M leather-bound steering wheel.

“The BMW 530e iPerformance sedan blends the refinement and technology available in the new 5 Series and takes it a step further, with a sophisticated plug-in hybrid drivetrain,” says BMW Australia CEO Marc Werner.

“With a 43km NEDC electric range, the 530e is capable of emission-free commuting, while the combined petrol and electric systems provide strong performance when the driver demands.”