The electric component (9.2-kWH lithium-ion battery pack) works with the 2-liter, twin-turbocharged gasoline (premium recommended) engine to produce 248 horsepower. That is sufficient to push this sedan from 0 to 60 mph in slightly less than six seconds.
If the battery pack is at 100 percent and the fuel tank is full, the sedan can travel 350 miles without pulling into a gas station. The 530e only has a 10.8-gallon fuel tank. That compares to the 18-gallon tank on a normal 530i. In the city and suburbs, the almost 4,000-pound (including the 500-pound battery pack) sedan can average 28 to 30 mpg of gasoline.
Power and economy are important parts of the 530e story, but there is more. Normally, an owner has to recharge the battery pack by plugging a cord leading from the connector on the driver-side fender to a 220-volt outlet. That can be cumbersome and annoying.
BMW has solved that issue with a wireless charging pad. Enclosed in the relatively small pad is an induction coil that creates an alternating electromagnetic field that creates an electric current in a second coil in the car, which charges the battery. The process takes 2.2 hours, according to BMW publicity, compared to three hours with the charging cord. The pad can be inside or outside. Two necessities prevail: The 530e has to be correctly parked over the pad and the pad’s cord plugged into a 220-volt outlet. Charging via a cord hookup from car to home electrical outlet remains standard equipment.
At the moment, the pad is not available as a BMW option. It will be available later in 2018, according to a statement made by John Kelly, BMW North America product planner, at the Detroit Auto Show in January. The cost likely will be in the $1,000 range. The pad is only available for the 530e.
The battery pack, which is at the rear of the car, intrudes on trunk space. Instead of 18 cubic feet in a 530i, the 530e has 12 cubic feet.
Owners can choose from four drive modes, Eco Pro, Normal, Comfort, Sport. Each mode changes the amount of gas reaching the four pistons.
Other choices are usage of gas and electric power units. Will they be in concert, partially working together or not at all. There is a battery control mode, for example, which saves electric power for later use. That mode also charges batteries while driving.
Blue slats in the iconic BMW grille and blue rings around wheels indicate this is a car with an electric side to it. Badging and the electric cord connector door on the fender also give the soul of this sedan away.
BMW has targeted the United States as the biggest market for the 530e, which costs about $200 more than a gasoline-only 530i. The rear-wheel-drive 530e iPerformance sedan has a suggested price of $51,400. All-wheel-drive costs an additional $2,400. During a test week, the RWD 530e had no problem driving through four inches of driveway snow.
True to its nature, the 530e is spirited and a delight to drive and ride in. Controls are sensible. The latest in power, including steering wheel and glass moonroof, is onboard. Also onboard is a navigation system and the latest in smartphone integration plus multiple infotainment systems. See a dealer for details, including when the recharge pad will be available and how much it will cost.
Mercedes-Benz also is developing a recharge pad for its plug-in electric hybrid S560e. The S-Class is the company’s flagship sedan.
Fast facts
Vehicle: 2018 BMW 530e iPerformance plug-in hybrid model
Type: rear-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger entry-luxury gasoline sedan with electric mode
Price: $51,400
Engine: 2-liter, 248-horsepower, twin-turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: eight-speed shiftable automatic
Fuel: premium
Fuel tank: 10.8 gallons
Neat feature: push-button control for heated steering wheel placed on hub of steering wheel
Length, width, height, ground clearance in inches: 182.8, 71.3, 56.3, 5.5
Weight: 3,900 pounds
Trunk: 13 cubic feet
Leg room: 42 inches front, 35.1 inches rear
Warranty: four years or 50,000 miles with roadside assistance, free scheduled maintenance three years or 36,000 miles, eight years or 80,000 miles on high-voltage battery
Assembly: Dingolfing, Germany
Information: www.bmwusa.com
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