BMW’s first plug-in hybrid offered in the BMW 5 Series range – the 530e – has just been unveiled at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show. Sold under the iPerformance badge, the 2017 G30 530e uses the same drivetrain as the BMW 330e iPerformance model but it claims to travel even more on electricity alone, despite its larger size. Fitted with a 2-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine under the hood and a synchronous electric motor embedded in the gearbox, the total power output of the 530e iPerformance is 252 HP and 420 Nm (310 lb-ft) of torque.
At the same time, those figures mean that the new hybrid will accelerate to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 6.2 seconds. Offering a range of 45 km (28 miles) on battery power alone and with a combined fuel consumption figure estimated at 2 l/100 km (117 mpg) on the NEDC testing cycle, this car should emit about 46 grams of CO2 per kilometer.
To separate the iPerformance cars from the rest of the range, BMW decided to employ a few smart design cues which will set them apart. In addition to the “eDrive” logo on the C-pillar, the BMW iPerformance models will feature a BMW i logo on the front left and right sidewalls, blue hubcaps and a BMW kidney grill with slats painted in typical BMW i blue.
The battery pack used in the 530e is a 9.2 kWh battery that’s stored under the rear seat, in contrast to the 740e which has a saddle type that replaces the fuel tank under the rear seat, and the fuel tank was moved to reside under the trunk. In the BMW 530e, the car has a flat-load trunk floor, rather than the 740e’s trunk which has a large hump in the floor toward the back. Using a 120V outlet, such as the Occasional Use Cable, the 530e’s battery is capable of fully charging in 7 hours. With the 3.6kW – 7.2 kW (16/32 A, 240 V) BMW Charging Station, the 530e’s battery can be charged in just under three hours. A fully charged battery allows the 530e to drive in full electric mode at speeds up to 87 mph (in MAX eDrive mode) or 56 mph (AUTO eDrive mode, which utilizes both powertrains as best as possible).
The new G30-generation BMW 5 Series is one of the most technologically impressive BMWs ever made and the 530e iPerformance is probably the most tech-intensive of the bunch. Not only does it pack all of the same incredible luxuries and technologies of the entire 5 Series model line but it adds the impressive plug-in hybrid powertrain.
