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BMW 330e iPerformance PHEV Launched from $44,695 in New York

BMW revealed the 330e last year at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2015. About half a year later, the same plug-in hybrid sedan is being launched in the US from $44,695 including destination and handling.
BMW 330e iPerformance 49 photos
Photo: BMW
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For a sedan of this size, that's a lot of money, even if it happens to be a BMW equipped with the most frugal plug-in hybrid engine yet. The green 3 Series costs $3,850 more than a 328d diesel model, although it does have a lot more power than it. But being $5,350 more expensive than the 328i is hard to justify simply by looking at the fuel bills.

The EPA numbers are pretty eloquent. The 330e iPerformance is rated at 31 mpg on the combined cycle, but also has a 72MPGe gas-electric rating. The Environmental Protection Agency says that over 5 years, the 330e will save you $750 on gas compared to the 328i. That number rises to around $1,500 in the case of the 328d.

On paper at least, the 330e does not trade power to be green, as it has the potential to deliver 248-hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. When sport mode is selected, the 180 hp 2-liter turbo engine collaborates with the 87 hp electric motor to take you from 0 to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 140 mph (225km/h). However, that depletes the engine much faster, so you won't use that mode very often.

What's surprising is that the 330e is not that impressive as a pure EV. Sure, it can reach 75 mph (120km/h) without burning gas, but its range is limited to 14 miles (22 km). The European model is supposed to have a 40 kilometer (25 mile) range, but even that isn't groundbreaking. The problem is that the onboard battery pack only has 7.5 kWh, whereas the new Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid offers more than double at 16 kWh. Despite this, the 330e tips the scales at about 1.8 tons, about the same as a 5 Series. Is this the same company that made the amazing i8?

Once the battery is drained, the 330e can be charged in as little as two hours and 30 minutes using the optional BMW i Wallbox Level II 240 volt charger. However, it will take 6 hours using a regular 120V charger.
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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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