Following the debut of the eighth generation BMW 5 Series and its all-electric iteration i5 earlier this year, the German luxury automobile brand has now rolled out plug-in hybrid variants of the sedan. The new BMW 5 Series is available in two PHEV variants – the 530e and 550e xDrive. What’s more interesting is that the PHEV variants of the sedan promise up to 103 km pure electric range., enhancing the range significantly.
By: HT Auto Desk | Updated on: 28 Sep 2023, 09:53 AM
The eighth-generation BMW 5 Series now comes with electrified engines in 530e and 550e iterations, promising up to 103 km pure electric range.
The BMW 530e is the entry-level plug-in hybrid model that uses a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine paired with an electric motor. Combined, this hybrid powertrain churns out 295 bhp peak power and 450 Nm of maximum torque. It can run up to 103 kilometres in pure electric mode.
Watch: BMW 5 Series: First Drive Review
On the other hand, the 550e variant draws power from a larger 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six petrol powerplant that is paired with an electric motor. This hybrid powertrain pumps out 483 bhp peak power and 700 Nm of maximum torque. The 550e gets an all-wheel drive setup and can run up to 90 kilometres in pure electric mode. For transmission duty, both the 530e and 550e variants get an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
BMW claims both the PHEV variants of the new 5 Series come incorporating new innovations to extract more power from the electric motor. The 530e’s electric motor has been upgraded to churn out 450 Nm torque, which is a significant bump from 280 Nm.
Both the PHEV variants of the new-gen 5 Series sedan come with a 19.4 kWh battery pack, which supports up to 7.4 kW charging. The automaker has said that with the 7.4 kW charger, the battery can be topped up in three hours and 15 minutes. It can be charged using a household socket as well, which takes nearly 12 hours to fully charge the battery.
Design-wise, the PHEV variants are identical to the standard petrol-powered model. However, the most notable difference comes in the form of the 19-inch alloy wheels and flap for the battery charging power located on the fender.
First Published Date: 28 Sep 2023, 09:53 AM IST
