BMW’s New 530e is An Impressive, Futuristic Daily Driving Dream
BMW’s 530e plug-in hybrid is loaded with tech, but how does it stack up to its internal combustion 5 Series brothers?
As BMW delves further into the world of electric power, the company seems to be focusing more on the practical and efficient uses of electric assistance rather than performance. The 530e is a perfect example. In a recent review, Top Gear outlines the driving experience of the new plug-in hybrid 5 Series. Their test model was without x-drive, so all power is sent to the rear wheels. All-wheel-drive models are also available.
According to Edmunds, both the non-electrically-assisted 530i and the 530e boast 248 horsepower. Unsurprisingly, the hybrid variant has more torque — an impressive 310 lb-ft — thanks to the electric motor. The gasoline-only example sees only 258 lb-ft. Both have the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder lump under the hood and share comparable 0-60 times around the 6-second mark. What’s really interesting, though, is the fact that they have the same starting price. In our eyes, that makes the electric variant the natural choice.
BMW uses some pretty trick technology in the 530e that Top Gear outlines for us well.
“Cleverly, BMW has fitted the electric motor upstream from the transmission – in real-world terms, that means you’ll feel gearchanges even in electric mode – so that there’s no need to fit a torque converter. Net result? They’ve saved weight, a critical element in these porky plug-in hybrids.”
Speaking of fancy electric tech, the 530e has a battery-only range of about 30 miles thanks to its 12-kilowatt-hour battery. While that may not seem like a whole lot, the extended efficiency is excellent for commuter use.
Overall, that’s really what the 530e is good at. Commuting. While Top Gear praises its flat handling and grip capabilities. those aren’t exactly something we’re surprised by.
“It feels so neutral and planted that you’d think there was some element of four-wheel-drive trickery going on,” is Top Gear’s take on it, and that sounds spot-on for any BMW, really. Furthermore, it’s safe to assume that most of the 530e buyers aren’t after white-knuckle performance. Reasonably, one would think those interested in a performance-oriented 5 series are going to skip over both four-cylinder models and jump straight to a 540i or even an M550i. That is perfectly fine, too.
However, the 530e makes an easy choice for a simple daily driver. It’s an effective and easy way to get a taste of the class of 5 series ownership. As Top Gear concludes, “The real beauty of this 5 Series is its lack of fuss. Stick it in Hybrid and it’s a simple car to operate that doesn’t bamboozle you with too many driving options.”
The 530e base MSRP is $53,900 for the rear-wheel-drive model. The xDrive model starts at $56,200. Additionally, you can spec out your own 530e on BMW’s website to see exactly what your dream hybrid 5 series will cost you.
Photos: Top Gear