New 2019 BMW 330e plug-in hybrid: pictures, specifications and release date
The forthcoming BMW 330e plug-in hybrid saloon will be joined by a plug-in Touring estate version later this year, the manufacturer’s bosses have suggested.
Speaking to our sister title Auto Express, product manager Stefan Horn said the carmaker would have a “solution” in the form of a 330e Touring in the second half of 2019.
The BMW 330e Touring will be the company’s first plug-in hybrid estate, and it will follow shortly after the launch of its internal combustion-engined sibling.
BMW wants to make electrification of its range “the norm”, and plans to drop its iPerformance badges as well as the blue accents that have previously been used to make electrified models stand out.
There will be no fully electric 3 Series, however, with BMW planning to tackle that section of the market with a production model of its i4 concept in 2021.
Full details of the new BMW 330e plug-in hybrid saloon were released late last year, ahead of the car going on sale in July 2019. Prices and exact specifications for the UK market will be revealed closer to the on-sale date, but for now BMW has revealed plenty of technical information about the new car.
The brand says the new 330e is 30% faster than its discontinued predecessor, as well as delivering 50% greater all-electric range and emitting 10% less CO2. It features a system called 'Xtraboost', which will supply an extra 41hp on top of the hybrid engine's standard 252hp at the push of a button, for a maximum of 293hp.
New BMW 330e hybrid engine and performance
The new 330e is powered by a 184hp 2.0-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo petrol engine, combined with an electric motor with a continuous output of 68hp and peak output of 113hp. Total output of the whole system is 252hp, with the Xtraboost system increasing that by 41hp to 293hp when called upon.
Going from 0-62mph takes six seconds and the car has a top speed of 143mph. Maximum speed in pure electric mode is 68mph and BMW promises a potential zero-emissions range of 37 miles. Claimed average fuel economy is 138mpg and CO2 emissions are 39g/km.
A "suitably throaty engine noise when the car is put through its paces" is also assured, while an acoustic pedestrian protection function generates a sound when the car is in electric-only mode, to warn pedestrians of its presence.
The car's 12kWh battery can be charged from a public or home charging point, and is also topped up while you're driving by a regenerative braking system. With the battery under the rear seats and the fuel tank under the rear axle, luggage capacity is 375 litres – 105 less than the standard 3 Series' figure of 480 litres.
Specifications
The new BMW 330e will be available in SE, Sport Line and M Sport specification levels, with options including adaptive suspension, variable sports steering and sports brakes available.
A full range of driver-assistance systems will also be offered: parking assistance is standard, while steering and lane-guidance assistance can be added as part of the 'Driving Assistant Professional' pack.
Interior pre-heating capability is also standard on all versions of the new 330e, while digital services aim to assist you with charging the car's battery while out and about.
After selecting a public charging station on the sat nav, the system will bring up a list of recommended nearby hotels, restaurants, cafes, tourist attractions and cultural institutions, while also predicting how busy the public charging station will be at the expected time of arrival.
