Photo: Guido ten Brink/SB-Medien
Announced in 2018 to great acclaim, the plug-in hybrid 3 Series for the G20 generation is a compact executive sedan with a lot of green credentials going for it. The most efficient model of the lot uses the engine from the 320i in combination with an electric motor, 12-kW battery, and XtraBoost driving mode for temporary bursts of increased performance.
The B48 and e-motor are good for 248 horsepower (252 PS) and 310 pound-feet (420 Nm) of torque. At the tap of a button, the car BMW brought to Geneva calls up 289 horsepower (293 PS), which isn’t bad for a vehicle of this size and weight.
Zero to 60? That’s coming in 6 seconds if you mash the throttle, and keeping the foot planted to the floor gets you to 143 mph (230 km/h). The plug-in hybrid drivetrain includes an eight-speed automatic transmission from ZF and rear-wheel drive, a setup anyone would expect from BMW.
The PHEV system doesn’t hinder practicality as much as you’d imagine. In addition to 40:20:40 folding seats in the rear, the trunk is 105 liters smaller than in the 320d with the 2.0-liter turbo diesel. Space in the back isn’t great, but that applies to every 3 Series on offer.
One of the highlights of the 330e is the Anticipatory Hybrid Drive, drawing on satellite navigation to maximize efficiency by switching to EV mode at low speeds and when stationary. Coasting is also possible, and BMW promises better noise, vibration, and harshness than ever before.
In real-world driving conditions, you'll get in the ballpark of 20 miles in EV mode from the 330e. At speeds above 68 mph (110 km/h), the B48 four-cylinder turbo kicks in. On the other hand, BMW claims up to 37 miles of electric range before the battery needs recharging.
The 5 Series is also available with the plug-in hybrid setup of the 330e, but the 7 Series levels up to a six-cylinder engine. Given this upgrade, the full-size luxury sedan is available as the 745e with rear- or all-wheel drive, with the standard or long wheelbase.
Zero to 60? That’s coming in 6 seconds if you mash the throttle, and keeping the foot planted to the floor gets you to 143 mph (230 km/h). The plug-in hybrid drivetrain includes an eight-speed automatic transmission from ZF and rear-wheel drive, a setup anyone would expect from BMW.
The PHEV system doesn’t hinder practicality as much as you’d imagine. In addition to 40:20:40 folding seats in the rear, the trunk is 105 liters smaller than in the 320d with the 2.0-liter turbo diesel. Space in the back isn’t great, but that applies to every 3 Series on offer.
One of the highlights of the 330e is the Anticipatory Hybrid Drive, drawing on satellite navigation to maximize efficiency by switching to EV mode at low speeds and when stationary. Coasting is also possible, and BMW promises better noise, vibration, and harshness than ever before.
In real-world driving conditions, you'll get in the ballpark of 20 miles in EV mode from the 330e. At speeds above 68 mph (110 km/h), the B48 four-cylinder turbo kicks in. On the other hand, BMW claims up to 37 miles of electric range before the battery needs recharging.
The 5 Series is also available with the plug-in hybrid setup of the 330e, but the 7 Series levels up to a six-cylinder engine. Given this upgrade, the full-size luxury sedan is available as the 745e with rear- or all-wheel drive, with the standard or long wheelbase.
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