GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: BMW 330e, 530e, 745e and X5 45e unveiled

BMW has stretched more range out of its plug-in hybrid batteries, delivered more electrified cars and brought electrification to the masses, at least as defined by its own buyer profile.

The new electrified cars revealed by BMW at the Geneva motor show this week include plug-in hybrid versions of the X3, X5 and 3 Series.

There are also electrified versions of the 7 Series and the even the 5 Series and the 2 Series as BMW gets serious about tackling both the path to EVs and its own CO2 average figures.

The X3 xDrive30e and the 330e made their debuts, while the X5 xDrive45e, the 530e and the 225xe Active Tourer all scored battery boosts that took their zero-emission range out to 60km.

Even better, there will be a fully electric X3 arriving next year to back up the X3 xDrive30e’s 50km of claimed EV running range.

BMW claims the technology pulls its WLTP emissions down to just 56g/km of CO2, while its fuel consumption falls to 2.4L/100km.

It mates a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor, with both power units pushing through an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

The combined power of the X3 xDrive30e is 185kW, though that can be overboosted by 30kW by cranking up the electric motor for brief periods.

BMW claims it will reach 100km/h in 6.5 seconds, yet it retains 450 litres of luggage space despite the lithium-ion battery being nestled beneath the cargo area.

The EV range of the 330e has been boosted to 60km, and BMW claims its fuel consumption has been lowered to just 1.7L/100km, with the CO2 number down to 39g/km.

Using a similar powertrain to the X3 xDrive30e, the 330e delivers 185kW of power and can also be overboosted by 30kW, sprinting to 100km/h in six seconds.

Unlike the 330e and the new X3 LongNameClosedUp, the xDrive45e runs its hybrid power in conjunction with an inline turbocharged six-cylinder motor.

The system power is claimed to be 290kW and the heavy soft-roader can hit 100km/h in 5.6 seconds, and for all of that BMW claims its pure EV range can reach out to 80km, which is kind of incredible.

Its predecessor’s EV range was a third of that, and it might be enough range that customers might even bother plugging them in now.

It uses a 69-litre fuel tank, and its WLTP fuel consumption figure is just 2.1L/100km, with ad CO2 emissions of 49g/km.

Even with its bigger battery, the X5 xDrive45e retains 500 litres of luggage space, or up to 1716 litres with the seats folded down.

BMW claims to have added 30 per cent to the EV range of the flagship 7 Series, with the 745e reaching out to 58km. Maybe. Or 50km, depending on the measuring criteria.

For such a big car, a combined fuel-consumption cycle of 2.1-2.3L/100km – and CO2 emissions of only 48-52g/km -- isn’t to be sneezed at.

The 530e is a hugely relevant step forward for BMW, because it’s right in the heart of its executive-limousine country.

The plug-in 5 Series has lifted its gross energy content from 9.2 to 12.0 kWh, delivering 30 per cent more EV range, topping out at 64km.

That helps it to pull its consumption down to 1.7L/100km and its emissions down to 38g/km for CO2. It will add an xDrive version later in the year, so expect these figures to grow slightly pessimistic for the all-paw version.

The unloved 2 Series Active Tourer scores the 225xe badge, giving it 25 per cent more EV range (up to 57km), with its lithium-ion battery now delivering 9.7kWh of energy storage (up from 7.7).

BMW’s move echoes that of Audi -- which will reveal PHEV versions of its Q5, A6, A7 and A8 at Geneva – and the Bavarian brand will also debut the hot-shoe X3 M and X4 M performance SUVs at the Swiss show.