BMW to boost PHEV ranges in summer
BMW is upgrading its PHEV models for the summer with new battery cell technology for greater electric ranges. All plug-in hybrid models from the Bavarian carmaker will also be equipped with acoustic pedestrian protection.
At this year’s Geneva Motor Show, BMW had already made their ambitions in the PHEV sector clear, and put the spotlight on the second generation of a series of part-time electric vehicles.
According to BMW, the BMW 330e Sedan, the BMW 530e Sedan, the new BMW 530e xDrive Sedan and the new BMW X5 xDrive45e, as well as the BMW 225xe Active Tourer and the 7 Series with electrified drive have all been added to the aforementioned increased electric range thanks to new cell technology. The updated models will be available with the start of production in July and August, respectively.
In specific terms, the new battery cell upgrade differ with the various vehicles. In the case of the new BMW 330e Sedan, this will be increased by around 50 percent to 59 to 66 km according to WLTP. Its drive power amounts to 185 kW with 30 kW boost potential, which makes acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h possible in 6 seconds.
The electric range of the BMW 530e Sedan increases by more than 30 percent to up to 64 kilometres. Meanwhile, the all-wheel drive version of the BMW 530e xDrive, announced for summer, will achieve an electric range of 57 km, according to the manufacturer.
The second PHEV generation of the all-wheel-drive BMW X5 now reaches 290 kW thanks to the use of an adapted combustion engine and a sprint performance that is reflected in 5.6 seconds to 100 km/h. Notably, with an electric range of around 80 kilometres, the range of the predecessor model was almost tripled.
The electric range of the BMW 7 Series has also been increased by almost 30 percent to between 50 and 58 kilometres compared to the predecessor models. The BMW 745e, the long version BMW 745Le and the BMW 745Le xDrive with extended wheelbase and all-wheel drive are available. Like the X5, it has a modified combustion engine, so that the total output now also amounts to 290 kW.
And finally, the BMW 225xe Active Tourer will also have an electric range of 57 km thanks to new cell technology, which corresponds to an increase of more than 25 percent. This is made possible by an increase in capacity from 7.7 to 9.7 kWh for the same battery size.
All plug-in hybrid models will also be equipped with acoustic pedestrian protection as standard from summer onwards. “When driving on electric power, an unmistakable sound specially created for electrified BMW models is generated using a system of speakers,” according to an accompanying press release. The sound design in the low speed range radiates acoustic presence without impairing the acoustic comfort of the occupants.
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