BMW 330e driven: the best plug-in hybrid so far?

Y ou only need try an electric toothbrush (preferably your own) to appreciate how battery power can take the effort out of an everyday chore. The latest versions are so advanced that they come with a three-figure price and enough brush heads, speeds and sensitivity settings to cater for all dental needs, whether it's massaging gums or excavating those gapsat the back where sweetcorn gets stuck. If you were to consider upcoming environmental legislation as the awkward kernel on the cob that is the automotive industry (and you should), then the petrol-electric plug-in hybrid is the Oral B Ultrasonic that promises to sort it out.


The theory is at least sound; that in one car you get enough battery power to cover your daily commuting needs, along with the convenience of petrol propulsion for weekend jaunts (total range from a full tank and charge is about 370 miles). The exact amount rest of electric-only range depends on the manufacturer, but the consensus seems to be falling around the 25-mile mark, which is what BMW has adopted for its new 330e. T his car has been a long time coming, BMW having thus far dedicated the majority of its resource surrounding electric propulsion to the i3 and i8 models.
But with those now on sale the focus shifts to electrifying others in the range, starting with the X5 SUV, moving through the 3-series and 2-series Active Tourer , the 7-series executive car and eventually everything in between. T he 330e usesa 181bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine,along with an eight-speed automatic gearbox, minus the torque convertor. Mounted within the gearbox, and also driving the rear wheels, is an 87bhp electric motor, which takes its power from a 7.
6kWh lithium-ion battery located under the 30mm higher boot floor (luggage capacity is reduced by more than 100 litres). Total system output is 249bhp and 310lb ft of torque. Assuming there is enough charge, the 330e defaults to pulling away in electric mode, and from that point on power management can either be left up to the car or overridden using an eDrive button located next to the gear-lever, through whichyou can alsoselect maximum poweror a battery save function that'll hold charge (or top it up to 50 per cent if needed)until you're in a built-up area.
In full electric mode it will travel up to62mph before any internal combusting is required, and offer almost silent running, plusa smooth and strong response off the line. Limiting the battery to 7.6kWh also means it's relatively quick to charge (two hours from a dedicated wall box, or three from a domestic socket). As BMW says in relation to battery capacity, it is not a case of merely considering what is possible, but what makes sense, and lugging around a lot of cells that you rarely use simply doesn't.
A nd anyway, it'd be a shame never to get to enjoy the four-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine, which cuts in unobtrusively and gives a welcome snarl under acceleration as rest it moves through the automatic gearbox's eight ratios. Performance is prettyswift(0-62mph in 6.1seconds, 140mphflat out), with barely any hesitation when you floor the throttle, but carrying around 165kg worth of batteries, motors and other bits and pieces is like having two adults in the boot, and however much engineers might shuffle ancillaries around to give perfect weight distribution, that's still going to file the sharpest edges off the handling. In addition, BMW can add itself to the long list of manufacturers who have failed to perfect brake pedal response as it switches between friction and regenerative effort, leading to disconcerting feedback and more often than not unexpectedly abrupt stops.
The 330e does ride well enough for BMW not to feel the need to offer adaptive suspension, though. P erhaps that also has something to do with managing the costs associated with this car. Because while a sub-50g/km CO2 rating will mean enviably low running costs, and buyers still qualify for a share ofthe Government's plug-in car grant, this is still a new technology, and carries a price that keyboard reflects as much.
Fact is, for the same money you could have a top-specpetrol 3-series which, to many, will better embody the BMW experience. I also can't help recalling what a Lexus engineer recently said to me about owners of plug-in hybrids in China, who have embraced the idea of buying these tax-dodging devices, only to never plug them in. As somebody with an electric toothbrush that lives, unused, in the bathroom cabinet, I can kind of see how that might happen.
But equally, even those who cut their teeth on internal combustion must acknowledge that plug-in hybrids will play an increasingly important role in our future. As corny a conclusion as it might be, the 330e at least proves that future is still very bright indeed. THE FACTS BMW 330e Tested: 2,000cc turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and electric motor, eight-speed automatic transmission, rear-wheel drive Price/on sale: £33,935/now Power/torque: 249bhp/310lb ft Acceleration: 0-62mph in 6.
1 seconds Top speed: 140mph Fuel economy: 148.7mpg (EU Combined) CO2 emissions: 44g/km VED band: A (£0) Verdict: A very well executed plug-in hybrid, with decent performance, ride and handling, plus a great interior. Just watch out for thesmall boot and weird brakes.
Telegraph rating: Four stars out of five For all the latest news, advice and reviews from Telegraph Cars, sign up to our weekly newsletter by entering your keyboard email here A-Z car finder BMW 3-series review A udi A4 review M ercedes C-class review J aguar XE review ©

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