The BMW 330e seems like a really good choice if you think about it. The new plug-in hybrid in the 3 Series range has really good specs and could allow you to drive on electricity alone most of the time around town, which is yet another plus. With the launch of the new 330e though, BMW entered a new segment, one where the competition is rather different than what we’re used to seeing. One of the cars the 330e has to beat is the Volvo S60 T8 hybrid.
The review posted below takes a look at how these two are similar and what differentiates them. All while aiming to establish the winning car. The guys set up the two models in similar conditions across a test loop to see how far you could get on electric power alone first. The BMW 330e managed to cover 31 miles (50 km) on the battery alone while the Volvo S60 T8, doing the same route and with the same settings on, managed 29 miles (47 km) giving the BMW a first win.
When it comes to charging, both cars can be charged up in about three a half hours and they have similarly sized batteries on board. Therefore, there isn’t much to separate them here although Volvo will charge you only a fraction of what a BMW charging cable for a Type 2 socket costs. Oh, and in case you were wondering, yes, the video includes a drag race between the two cars starting at the 7:30 mark.
2020 BMW X3 xDrive30e plug-in hybrid priced slightly below $50,000
The Volvo has 395 HP at its disposal while the BMW has a deficit of over 100 HP. Furthermore, the S60 is all-wheel drive while the 330e is RWD and the roads were rather wet. Nevertheless, the 330e did better than expected, given the power difference.
But drag racing isn’t exactly what buyers of plug-in hybrids will be looking for, is it? They will be interested in how these two drive though and, luckily, the people from Driving Electric covered that as well, making some rather interesting comments about the experience from behind the wheel.
Check it out.
