Photo: BMW
Although we associate BMW with the ultimate driving machine, the Bavarian automaker knows a thing or two about electrification as well. For the 2021 model year, the 545e xDrive serves as a kind reminder that plug-in hybrids don’t need to be boring thanks to a straight-six turbo and plenty of power for a mid-size sedan.
394 PS or 389 horsepower, to be more precise, coming courtesy of the internal combustion engine and a synchronous electric motor. Better still, it’s all-wheel drive for supreme handling characteristics in bad weather and in the twisties too.
This fellow is the fifth (!!!) plug-in hybrid 5 Series on sale today as well as the top-of-the-range electrified option. In EV Mode, the Bavarians promise 54 to 57 kilometers from a 400-volt battery positioned under the rear seat. In other words, 35 miles of driving range in a car that weighs a lot and offers seating for five adults.
Trunk capacity, however, isn’t up there with ICE-only models. 410 liters (14.4 cubic feet) is the quoted volume as opposed to 530 liters (18.7 cubic feet) for the 520i in European specification. In all-electric mode, the newcomer can also hold its own on the highway at speeds of up to 140 kilometers per hour or 87 mph.
Like the 530e, the 545e integrates the electric motor into the eight-speed Steptronic transmission supplied by ZF Friedrichshafen. It’s the same 8HP automatic that Fiat Chrysler utilizes under the TorqueFlite handle, and speaking of which, FCA nominated the German company for a lot of hybrid trannies (series production, however, is planned to kick off in 2022 at the Saarbruecken plant).
On a more curious note, Hans Zimmer is the man responsible for the sounds the 545e makes when entering the vehicle and pressing the start/stop button. You know, the German composer known for scoring The Lion King, Gladiator, Interstellar, Inception, The Dark Knight, and many more memorable movie soundtracks.
Unfortunately, BMW hasn’t released any pricing information for the best plug-in hybrid it has produced thus far. When it will be launched in Europe and when it will be available in the United States, we don’t know either at the time of reporting.
This fellow is the fifth (!!!) plug-in hybrid 5 Series on sale today as well as the top-of-the-range electrified option. In EV Mode, the Bavarians promise 54 to 57 kilometers from a 400-volt battery positioned under the rear seat. In other words, 35 miles of driving range in a car that weighs a lot and offers seating for five adults.
Trunk capacity, however, isn’t up there with ICE-only models. 410 liters (14.4 cubic feet) is the quoted volume as opposed to 530 liters (18.7 cubic feet) for the 520i in European specification. In all-electric mode, the newcomer can also hold its own on the highway at speeds of up to 140 kilometers per hour or 87 mph.
Like the 530e, the 545e integrates the electric motor into the eight-speed Steptronic transmission supplied by ZF Friedrichshafen. It’s the same 8HP automatic that Fiat Chrysler utilizes under the TorqueFlite handle, and speaking of which, FCA nominated the German company for a lot of hybrid trannies (series production, however, is planned to kick off in 2022 at the Saarbruecken plant).
On a more curious note, Hans Zimmer is the man responsible for the sounds the 545e makes when entering the vehicle and pressing the start/stop button. You know, the German composer known for scoring The Lion King, Gladiator, Interstellar, Inception, The Dark Knight, and many more memorable movie soundtracks.
Unfortunately, BMW hasn’t released any pricing information for the best plug-in hybrid it has produced thus far. When it will be launched in Europe and when it will be available in the United States, we don’t know either at the time of reporting.
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