BMW embraces luxury hybrid driving with a pair of new PHEV models. The BMW 550e and 530e xDrive sedans will launch in Europe this November.
The BMW 5-Series lineup expands to these two impressive PHEVs and a new i5, which is the all-electric version. The new BMW 550e xDrive is confirmed for the US market, arriving in the spring of 2024. This new plug-in hybrid model is more powerful than the 530e PHEV, utilizing a larger engine to deliver impressive performance on any road. The EPA hasn’t tested this new hybrid BMW yet, but it should offer at least 40 miles of all-electric driving.
This luxury hybrid uses eDrive
BMW has developed a hybrid system that’s extremely efficient. This system has an integrated electric motor with an eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission. This layout is becoming more commonplace but hasn’t been adopted by all hybrid vehicles yet. A similar system is present in the new 2024 Toyota Tacoma, but unlike the Tacoma, this new BMW hybrid is made for speed and performance. This layout also enables the two BMW PHEV models to provide much better fuel economy figures than gas-powered versions.
BMW placed the hybrid batteries in the floor
Traditionally, hybrid vehicles house batteries in the trunk or under the rear seat. The new BMW 550e has a lithium-ion battery arranged in the underbody. This ensures drivers have use of all storage space provided in this luxury midsize sedan while adding improved balance and center of gravity with the weight moved low and in the floor of this BMW sedan.
These new hybrid batteries have a useable energy content of up to 19.4 kWh and can be charged in as little as 3 hours and 15 minutes using an at-home Level 2 charging system. This makes the new PHEV sedan easy to drive and enjoy, especially when most of your driving will be done using only the electrical system.
More power in the 550e
The BMW 530e isn’t a new addition to the market, but with a new generation, an improved version is relatively new. The 530e uses a small four-cylinder gas engine with the BMW eDrive system, which produces combined power figures of 299 horsepower. This system is good for up to 62 miles of electric driving range, but this figure is rated on the WLTP system, which might be much less when the EPA tests this new BMW hybrid.
If you want to enjoy a more powerful hybrid BMW sedan, the 550e is the right choice. This new sedan uses the same hybrid system mated to an inline six-cylinder engine that produces 489 horsepower and up to 56 miles of electric driving range. Again, the driving range is rated on the WLTP cycle.
More standard equipment make these hybrids more enjoyable
The new BMW 550e xDrive sedan features regenerative braking through adaptive recuperation, which ensures the batteries can recover electrical energy while driving. This luxury sedan also features special 19-inch light alloy wheels and BMW’s IconicSounds Electric, which is a system that delivers acoustic feedback to match the accelerator. This means the silence of an electric driving experience is lost with these sounds that make this hybrid BMW sound more like a traditional vehicle.
The second-most powerful BMW 5-Series car
When the new 550e arrives, it will be the second-most powerful model in the 5-Series lineup. This will change when the new M5 arrives, but until then, the most powerful 5 Series is the new i5 M60 xDrive, which delivers 593 horsepower from an all-electric power system. The gas models, 530i and 540i, can’t come close to what the new 550e offers in terms of horsepower.
What should the new BMW 5-Series include?
Some of the features found in the new BMW 550e start at the base model, which is the foundational version of this luxury sedan. The BMW 530i includes:
- 19-inch alloy wheels
- Power moonroof
- Perforated Veganza synthetic leather upholstery
- Wireless device charging
- BMW Curved Display
- 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster
- 14.9-inch iDrive 8.5 infotainment system
- Android Auto/Apple CarPlay
- Harman Kardon audio system
- Active Driving Assistant
- Forward collision warning
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Lane-departure warning
- Rear parking sensors
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Automatic high beams
As you might expect, the base version of the BMW 5-Series sedan can be had with various upgrades and options that add more to the mix. We’ll have to wait until the new 550e arrives to understand which feature will be part of the standard package and which will be optional for this new plug-in hybrid sedan.
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