Last week, BMW Malaysia recently launched another plug-in hybrid car right after the debut of 330e. Presenting the all-new BMW 530e, this electrifying Beemer is meant to challenge the new Mercedes-Benz E350 e as well as the Volvo S90 T8.
Besides of the absence of the M Sport image, there are few things that are omitted on the 530e over the 530i. The full adaptive LED headlights, is replaced by the standard LEDs, a 16 speaker harman/kardon audio system, is replaced by the standard 12 speaker BMW unit, the signature BMW Display Key which is of course now, a normal key, gesture controls and sunroof which are already gone. Apart from that, adaptive cruise control is also not available.
Compared to the 530i which is available last year, the BMW 530e is a plug-in hybrid luxury sedan. So basically it's a G30 with an eDrive hybrid powertrain which is carried over from the 330e, namely the twin-scroll turbo inline-4 B48B20 combustion engine with 181 hp and 290 Nm of torque, married to an electric motor at the back of the car that carries 113 hp and 250 Nm of torque. To combine those power figures, the whole system brings 248 hp and 420 Nm of torque that sends to the rear wheels. Also, the electric motor is paired with the infamous ZF 8-speed automatic so it doesn't need to use the torque converter in full electric mode while maintaining the gear ratios.
When it comes to safety, it does come with the Driving Assistant package which consists of forward collision warning and autonomous emergency braking. Furthermore, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, rear cross traffic warning, park assist and rear collision prevention are also thrown in. Other features like 6 airbags, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Dynamic Brake Control (DBC) are also come as standard.
Speaking of trunk space, the half part of the space has been occupied by the electric motor, if you pull the trunk partition handle to the back, you get some deep spaces if you want to throw more stuffs behind.
If you look at the left side it, there's a bag beside the wheel well that includes the charging cable if you want to charge the battery. Speaking of charging, the battery can take 5 hours to be fully charged with a standard plug, and 3 hours with the BMW i Wallbox charging unit. Although it does have regenerative braking to charge, but it is not as sufficient as using the cable.
Moving on to the interior, the 530e still comes with the same kit like its petrol counterpart without some features that I mentioned previously.
Even the steering wheel is now a conventional one.
So that's all for the basic features and a glimpse of the G30 530e, and it's time to get a small spin.
The Beemer is charging to get more juice.
So how does it feel to drive?
First and foremost, this is my second time driving the G30 5er, but it's my first time driving the hybrid variant. It feels like a breeze by judging from the acceleration of the car, as it responds pretty similar to the petrol version and it has more torque than the one that I previously drove. Handling-wise, it feels absolutely precise no matter how heavy the car is due to the battery pack and so on, and I bet BMW did a pretty good job when it comes to make the car more dynamic especially the suspension set up and the steering feedback. Also, by hitting the Sport button, both powertrain will turn on at the same time and thus creating an ultimate pleasure in any driving situations. As for Comfort and Eco Pro mode, the car will behave like a normal hybrid car whereby only the electric motor kicks in to the rear wheels and the engine will turn on whenever it needs the power to charge it.
If you're curious of the eDrive, you can even look how the eDrive system works by going to the eDrive menu and go to the info screen and see how the battery is charging while on the move, as well as how eco your driving is from time to time. There's also an eDrive button if you want to go full electric and it only has 35 km range and a top speed of 120 km/h.
Final Verdict
In short, the BMW 530e is another alternative to the 530i, and it is way more cheaper compared to the Mercedes-Benz E350e and the Volvo S90 T8. It does have the power of the 530i with the help of the eDrive system, but it can't reach the same top speed of the 530i (250 km/h) as it can only go to 235 km/h. It's not really a big deal when it comes to speed, but the amount of fuel consumed is the ultimate catch. Depends on what model to get, but if I were you, I'll always stick to the 530i as it's all petrol powered. Pricing for the 530e starts around RM 343,800 without insurance, with an available 5-year Unlimited Mileage Warranty.
Special thanks to BMW Auto Bavaria Glenmarie for letting me try out the all new BMW 530e
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