BMW's new plug-in 5 Series | New Release - Car News Jan 2017

08:49 Tuesday 03 Jan 2017

BMW has announced price information for its new 530e iPerformance saloon.

The plug-in hybrid goes on sale this month priced from £43,985 on-the-road.

With a 9.2kWh high voltage lithium-ion battery giving a pure electric range of 29 miles, combined fuel economy of up to 141.2mph, and emissions as low as 46g/km of CO2, the new 530e iPerformance is BMW’s most efficient 5 Series model ever.

The doesn’t mean power has been compromised however; the combination of electric power and traditional internal combustion means a total system output of 252bhp, which is good for 155mph and 0-62mph in just 6.2 seconds. A range of almost 400 miles is achievable in real-world driving, but a 29 mile range at speeds of up to 87mph is possible using electric power alone. Power from the 184bhp engine and electric motor is directed to the rear wheels via an 8-speed Steptronic transmission which is located upstream of latter in order to enable full use of the gearbox ratios even in all-electric mode. The motor itself sits beneath the rear seat to save space, so the 530e saloon still provides 410 litres of boot capacity and a flat load floor. The 9.2kWh battery can be fully charged in less than five hours via a standard domestic power socket, and less than three hours with a 3.7kW BMW i Wallbox.

In addition to Sport, Comfort, and Eco Pro settings accessed through the Driving Experience Control switch, a separate eDrive button has been added to the 530e iPerformance. This contains three modes; AUTO eDRIVE, MAX eDRIVE, and BATTERY CONTROL. In AUTO eDRIVE an all-electric, and the mode is automatically activated as the default setting each time the vehicle is started to ensure the engine and electric motor interact to optimum effect in all driving situations. MAXeDRIVE sees the BMW 530e Saloon drive on electric power alone, up to a maximum speed of 87mph, however if the accelerator is pressed through to kickdown the engine will cut in, giving a handy boost of power when overtaking. BATTERY CONTROL mode allows the driver to manually set the charge level for the high-voltage battery, a range of between 30 and 100 per cent of maximum charge, allowing that proportion of the battery’s capacity to be reserved for all-electric driving at a later point in the journey. The 530e’s intelligent battery management either keeps the high-voltage battery’s charge constant at the selected level or increases it to the pre-set value, with the electric motor acting as a generator. By doing so, BATTERY CONTROL mode makes it possible to conserve or even increase the reserves of electric power while travelling on the motorway, ensuring that an upcoming section through an urban area can be covered with zero local emissions.

Styling cues for the BMW 530e iPerformance saloon include blue kidney grille slats, blue wheel hub covers, and a charging socket located between the front wheel arch and driver’s side A-pillar. eDrive emblems on the C pillars and 530e boot badge further distinguish the plug-in hybrid variant. Illuminated sill panels bearing eDrive lettering light up when passengers open the doors.

Like the rest of the new BMW 5 Series line-up range, the 530e iPerfomance’s navigation, telephone, entertainment and vehicle functions are accessed via a high-resolution 10.25-inch display, which can be controlled by the iDrive Controller, touching the display buttons, Intelligent Voice Assistant, or BMW gesture control which reacts to simple movements of the hand or fingers. Driver assistance systems include evasion aid, crossing traffic warning, lane change assistant, and lane keeping assistant with active side collision protection, with active cruise control and option.

The model also boasts the BMW Connected system, which allows for iPhone, Apple Watch, Android smartphone, smartwatch or Amazon Echo connectivity. BMW Connected Onboard, enables personalised information such as the next navigation destination, estimated arrival time and current weather conditions at the destination to be shown on the car’s display, and also able to seamlessly transfer the user’s personal agenda for the day from their smartphone straight to their car, so the next destination can be accepted with a single click. Surround View and 3D View displays a bird’s-eye view of the driver’s car as well as a three-dimensional image of the traffic situation, perfect for congested urban motoring. Remote 3D View even allows smartphone users to quickly check on their parked car no matter how far away it is. In an industry first, the 530e iPerfomance offers Microsoft Office 365 users a secure server connection for exchanging and editing emails, calendar entries and contact details through a built-in Microsoft Exchange function.