fbpx
Newspress Awards 2024 wide

Automotive Website of the Year

Automotive Website of the Year

Newspress Awards 2024 wide

Automotive Website of the Year

Automotive Website of the Year

Find an Expert Rating: 

New BMW 330e plug-in hybrid joins 3 Series line-up

Petrol-electric hybrid now features up to 37 miles of zero-emission range

Our Expert Partners:

Motorway 600x300

Sell your car with Motorway
Find out more

Cazoo 600x300

Find your next car with Cazoo
Find out more

ALA Insurance logo 2022 600x300

Warranty and GAP from ALA Insurance
Find out more

Motors 600x300

Find your next car with Motors.co.uk
Find out more

MotorEasy logo 300x150

Warranty, servicing and tyres from MotorEasy
Find out more

Mycardirect subscriptions – 600x300

Carsubscriptions from Mycardirect
Find out more

spot_imgspot_img

BMW has revealed the latest addition to its new 3 Series range – the 330e plug-in hybrid model.

The 330e mates a 2.0-litre petrol engine to an electric motor and battery pack for improved efficiency and up to 37 miles of pure-electric motoring.

The new 330e is the latest model to be announced in the all-new 3 Series range – the latest evolution of BMW’s enormously popular executive saloon. It uses a 185hp 2.0-litre engine paired with a 68hp electric motor.


You may also like:

The total system output is 252hp – identical to the outgoing model – although an overboost can increase this for short bursts. However, a diet means this model is lighter than its predecessor, which improves fuel economy.

The car’s all-electric range has increased by 50% to 37 miles, while fuel economy is an official 138mpg – under the new, stricter WLTP guidelines. Official CO2 emissions are also an impressively low 38g/km.

The hybrid powertrain offers good performance as well as those headline economy figures. BMW claims the 330e will accelerate from 0-60mph in 5.8 seconds, while the top speed is 143mph. That’s thanks in part to the new ‘XtraBoost’ function, which temporarily boosts the electric motor’s output from 68hp to 113hp for added performance.

BMW 330e side profile

The electric motor is supplied by a 12kWh battery pack, which sits below the boot floor. That does have an effect on load volume, which is down by 100 litres to 375 litres – but split folding rear seats are still standard to help accommodate longer loads.

The rest of the interior is business as usual, including the trim levels – which stand as SE, Sport Line and M Sport.

Bespoke hybrid features include updates to the navigation system. When searching for a public charging point, the nav will offer drivers activities to do while the car is charging – from cafes to tourist attractions. There’s also standard interior pre-heating.

The new BMW 330e will go on sale from July 2019. Prices are yet to be confirmed, although expect a slight increase over its predecessor’s circa £35,000 starting price – not least because of the removal of the government’s plug-in car grant for hybrids of this nature.

BMW 330e passing some wind turbines
(PA)

Latest news from the car industry at The Car Expert

Stuart Masson
Stuart Massonhttps://www.thecarexpert.co.uk/
Stuart is the Editorial Director of our suite of sites: The Car Expert, The Van Expert and The Truck Expert. Originally from Australia, Stuart has had a passion for cars and the automotive industry for over thirty years. He spent a decade in automotive retail, and now works tirelessly to help car buyers by providing independent and impartial advice.