Australian pricing and details for the 2017 BMW 530e
iPerformance plug-in hybrid (PHEV) have been revealed this week, with the
electrified luxury sedan to arrive in Australian showrooms from July.
Starting from AUD 108,900 before on-road costs, the
hybrid 5 Series is the same price as the more conventional 530i, though the
hybrid claims to be far more frugal. It’s also the first time a BMW
iPerformance model has been priced identically to a combustion-powered
equivalent.
Under the bonnet is a plug-in hybrid
petrol/electric powertrain consisting of a 184 Hp/290 Nm 2.0-litre turbo up
front, along with an 83kW/250Nm electric motor. Combined outputs are rated at
252 Hp and 420 Nm – marginally better than the 252 Hp/350 Nm 2.0-litre turbo
powering the 530i. The 530e claims up to 43 kilometres of all-electric range
from its 9.2kWh battery pack, while fuel consumption is rated at 2.3L/100km on
the combined cycle. Performance-wise, the 530e can sprint from 0-100 km/h in
6.2 seconds – which is in the same league as many hot hatches.
In terms of standard equipment, the 530e largely
mirrors its 530i M Sport sibling (Luxury Line is a no-cost option), which
includes a 10.25-inch Navigation Professional infotainment system, wireless
smartphone charging, a head-up display (HUD), 19-inch BMW M light alloy wheels,
an automatic tailgate, adaptive LED headlights with highbeam assist, 16-speaker
Harman Kardon surround sound system, and heated front sports seats.
The hybrid adds unique appointments like a
stationary cooling system, acoustic pedestrian protection, extended eDrive
features for the ConnectedDrive online-based services, a charging cable, and a
six year, 100,000 km battery certificate.
Safety and driver assistance features include
adaptive cruise control with stop/go function, the semi-autonomous steering and
lane control assistant (up to 210 km/h), front cross traffic alert, active
parking assist, surround view camera system, speed limit info and assist, along
with a suite of airbags.
Distinguishing the 530e from the wider 5 Series
range are an array of styling appointments like blue kidney grille slats, blue
wheel hub covers, ‘eDrive’ badging, and additional eDrive modes; Auto eDrive,
Max eDrive and Battery Control.
Auto eDrive constantly monitors driving conditions
to ensure the petrol engine and electric motor “interact to optimum effect” in
all situations, allowing an all-electric top speed of 90 km/h. Max eDrive
switches to electric power only, with a top speed of 140 km/h. However, if the
accelerator is pushed hard enough, the petrol engine will kick in and assist
with an extra power boost – ideal for overtaking, for example.
Finally, Battery Control lets the driver select a
desired charge level for the 9.2kWh battery (between 30 and 100 per cent). The
system will automatically reserve that proportion of the battery’s capacity for
all-electric driving later on as desired.
