BMW has so far only shown us the conventional versions of its new 3 Series. But there's a new plug-in hybrid version coming. And it's expected to travel a third farther on electric power alone than the outgoing version.
According to InsideEVs, the new BMW 330e iPerformance plug-in hybrid sedan will boast 37 miles of all-electric range before needing to rev up its internal-combustion engine. That's by European standards, so given the 14-mile range certified by the EPA for the outgoing version, we're expecting about 19 miles by US standards for the new model, which will boast a combined 248 horsepower, or up to 288 hp on overboost.
That'd make it more powerful than the conventional 330i (which offers 255 hp), but less than the M340i performance version (with its 382 hp). Expect it to reach 62 miles per hour from a standstill in about six seconds flat, or just a couple of ticks behind the 330i's quoted 5.8-second sprint (thanks to the extra weight).
The new output and performance figures closely mirror those of the outgoing 330e iPerformance, which didn't have the XtraBoost function. But the emphasis here is clearly more on increasing range rather than performance. Still, it ought to compare fairly well to the competition.
Mercedes-Benz's C350e packs a combined 275 horsepower (in between the standard and boosted output of the new 330e) for a 5.8-second 0-60 time and a European range of 19 miles – exactly what we're expecting for the new Bimmer. While Volvo has yet to release full specifications, it has clearly taken a different (and more potent) approach with its new S60 T8 Twin-Engine plug-in hybrid, which boasts 400 horsepower (415 hp in performance-oriented Polestar Engineered spec).
Expect the latest BMW 330e iPerformance to launch in German next summer and begin reaching US dealers sometime in 2020.
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