This month's Frankfurt International Auto Show will see BMW officially revealing four plug-in hybrids: one each in the 7 Series, 2 Series Tourer, X5, and the 3 Series that has also recently undergone a life cycle improvement, or midlife facelift, whichever you prefer.
We’ve known about the X5 xDrive40e plug-in hybrid for quite a while. The 740Le is brand new, and the 225xe plug-in hybrid version of the 2 Series Active Tourer is destined for anywhere but the U.S.—we hope.
The offering that will interest the most BMW fans—at least the green ones—will be the BMW 330e that will be presented to the world at Frankfurt on September 15th as part of the exhibit of the entire facelifted 3 Series range. Over 14,000,000 BMW 3 Series have been sold over six generations, so when BMW takes a big step—like offering a plug-in hybrid version of the 3 Series—people tend to pay attention.
The 330e is a plug-in hybrid that can run on electric battery power alone for up to 25 miles at up to 75 miles per hour. Because of some screwy policies in the U.S., electric and PHEV BMWs sold here don’t always have the same electric range as those sold in Europe, so 25 miles might be a very optimistic range for U.S.-bound 330e’s. Likewise, the 75 mile per hour top speed under electric power sounds good and it’s accurate, but you won’t get anywhere near the maximum electric range at that speed.
But for city driving and short trips, a fifteen- to twenty-mile electric range will be good for plenty of tailpipe zero-emission errands.
The BMW 330e hybrid drivetrain will include a turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline-powered engine in front of an electric motor that is integrated with the car’s eight-speed automatic transmission that drives the rear wheels. The two propulsion units combined deliver 252 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque with an average fuel mileage of 112 to 123 miles per gallon. Of course, those mileage figures are based on European Union test standards, which everyone pretty much agrees are wildly on the high side. The real mileage for the 330e probably will be not be nearly that high, but high enough that you’ll be glad you have a hybrid the next time gas prices shoot through the roof.
For a non-M car, the 330e will be quite zippy, with a zero-to-60 time of 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 140 miles per hour. The car’s 50:50 weight distribution and the fact that it’s a BMW 3 Series are pretty good predictors that it will handle well and be fun to drive.
BMW PHEVs normally start moving under electric power alone as long as there is sufficient battery power. When the driver asks for more acceleration or higher speeds, the combustion engine kicks in. If the driver chooses Max eDrive, the car will stay in electric drive as long as the batteries have enough charge. Likewise, if the driver selects S or Sport mode, the combustion engine will start up right then and there. A boost function adds the electric motor’s torque to the combustion engine’s power and provides faster acceleration while filling in the combustion engine’s turbo lag, should it occur. The electric motor can also assist at higher speeds, resulting in better fuel economy.
Under normal driving conditions, the electric plus gasoline range is well over 350 miles.
Despite the lithium-ion high-voltage batteries under the trunk, the 330e still has over thirteen cubic feet of rear luggage space, plus the 40:20:40 rear split seats allow through-loading for longer items.
The BMW 330e comes with a charging cable that can plug into a standard wall socket. Charging times for a European 220-volt socket are about three hours. Expect longer times when using a U.S. 110/120volt household socket, unless a 220-volt wall charger is available. The car can also access most public charging stations. If no charging is available, the 330e can charge itself up to about a 50 percent charge by driving in the Save Charge mode, or up to an 80 percent charge by driving in the S or Sport mode. Of course, both of these options will cut into the car’s fuel mileage figures a little bit.
The BMW 330e will go on sale in the U.S. next year as a 2016 model. Expect to pay a premium for the PHEV, but some of that cost might be offset by possible federal tax credits.
The 330e as well as the PHEV versions of the X5, new 7 Series, and 2 Series Active Tourer bring BMW four vehicles closer to its commitment of introducing electric or plug-in hybrid versions in all of its model lines. We think that the reaction of world markets to these four vehicles—but especially the BMW 330e since the 3 Series is BMW’s standard bearer—will help BMW decide whether to just make one or two electrified models for each series, or instead make an electrified version of every model; that is, if it hasn't already made that decision.—Scott Blazey
[Photos courtesy of BMW AG.]
