BMW unveiled the new 3 Series Sedan and Touring models, including a new plug-in hybrid line-up with increased electric range.
The condensed line-up now consists of the BMW 330e Sedan and BMW 330e Touring, which are both available with a choice of classical rear-wheel drive or BMW xDrive. Their drive technology comprises a four-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor integrated into the eight-speed Steptronic transmission, which generate a combined system output of 215 kW/292 hp.
The plug-in-hybrid representatives from the latest edition of the BMW 3 Series boast even greater efficiency and a considerably longer electric range. This has been made possible by the switch to a new high-voltage battery with 19.5 kWh of usable energy. The product of fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology, it has a much higher energy density than the battery previously fitted in BMW 3 Series plug-in-hybrid models.
The new BMW Gen5 high-voltage battery represents a leap forward, bringing an improvement in all the relevant technical statistics. The high energy density at both cell and battery pack level combines with higher voltages to bring about a major increase in system efficiency. This ultimately results in a much longer electric range for the driver. Although the high-voltage battery’s usable energy has nearly doubled, the amount of space in the interior and load compartment remains unchanged, as does fuel tank capacity.
These latest advances in battery technology open up greater scope for experiencing pure-electric driving pleasure in a BMW 3 Series. Electric range figures of 85 – 101 kilometres (53 – 63 miles) for the new BMW 330e Sedan, 81 – 96 kilometres (50 – 59 miles) for the new BMW 330e xDrive Sedan, 87 – 98 kilometres (54 – 61 miles) for the new BMW 330e Touring and 84 – 91 kilometres (52 – 57 miles) for the new BMW 330e xDrive Touring, allow drivers to complete not only urban journeys and the daily commute with zero local emissions, but longer trips too.
More advanced charging technology is also on hand to help drivers use all-electric drive power as extensively as possible. The new charging unit supports three-phase AC charging at up to 11 kW, the first time that such a high rate has been available for a plug-in hybrid from BMW. This enables the high-voltage battery to be fully recharged from empty in 2 hours 15 minutes. The plug-in-hybrid models in the new BMW 3 Series range are also now compatible with the latest offering from BMW Charging: the Connected Home Charging option provides the basis for solar-optimised and load-optimised charging.
The new BMW 3 Series Sedan and new BMW 3 Series Touring will be launched worldwide with a production phase-in in July 2024. Both models will be built at BMW Group Plant Munich. The BMW 3 Series Sedan will also be produced at BMW Group Plant San Luis Potosí in Mexico. The new BMW 3 Series Sedan for the Chinese market will be produced at the Tiexi plant in Shenyang operated by the joint venture BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA).
