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That BMW chose to launch the 5 Series in electric i5 form was quite a statement of intent for a brand that is clearly building its electric offering. But the fact of the matter is, despite tax advantages, some drivers just aren’t ready to go electric, and BMW still needs to cater for those people. Hence the arrival of the 530e, which comes to market just a few months after the i5 was launched. But will this plug-in hybrid version of BMW’s shiny new 5 Series overtake its electric siblings to become the executive BMW of choice for customers in Ireland?
High tech
At first glance, it isn’t easy to tell the new 530e from its electric siblings – unless, of course, you take a gander at the badge on the back. But aside from that and an exhaust pipe, the 530e looks much like any other 5 Series, whether that’s powered by electricity or liquid fuel. Not that there’s anything wrong with looking like other 5 Series models. The 5 Series is quite an attractive thing, with a cleaner and more modern design than its predecessor, as well as a smart new nose. In M Sport form in particular, the 5 Series is a handsome and muscular-looking thing.
And it’s equally modern inside, where the 530e is indistinguishable from other 5 Series variants. Yes, the combination of battery and fuel readouts is a giveaway to the car’s petrol-electric powertrain, but it’s hardly a massive change. The similarities are certainly more numerous, with every version of the 5 Series getting BMW’s excellent infotainment system and a crystalline ambient lighting strip that runs around the cabin at roughly elbow level.
That stripe houses the adaptive ambient lighting system that changes depending on what’s happening and what mode the car is in, but the highlight of the piece is the Curved Display, which houses the touchscreen and instrument display, and comes as standard in every 5 Series. Controlled using a combination of touch, voice commands, steering wheel controls and the iDrive rotary controller on the centre console, the system is sharp, clear and relatively easy to use – at least once you’ve got your head around it.
Naturally, being a BMW, the 5 Series is also immaculately built, with every part and panel feeling upmarket and premium, although we’d still like to see proper switchgear for climate control rather than the screen-integrated system that comes with the 530e. But that’s a minor complaint in what is generally a well-thought-out cabin.
Halfway house
As plug-in hybrids, the 530e – and, to a lesser extent, the more powerful 550e – are designed to be a kind of halfway house between the purely petrol-powered 5 Series models and the all-electric i5 models. There’s a 19.4kWh battery stowed under the floor, sending energy to a 184hp electric motor. That sounds a bit puny alongside the i5 eDrive40’s 340hp motor and 81.2kWh battery, but 184hp is more than enough for most uses, and an official range of 94-102km on a single charge is still enough for everyday driving. Even if you consider the real-world range, which is more like 70km, it’s easily usable for shopping, the school run and commuting.
When the battery’s range is exhausted, you can plug in and charge as you would in an i5, but you can also use the 2.0-litre, 190hp petrol engine to keep going, offering the flexibility of petrol power. Or you can combine the power of the petrol engine and electric motor to produce 299hp when you put your foot down.
Despite that, and the performance that doing so will elicit, keeping most of your journeys below the 70km mark and charging regularly will allow the 530e to burn less than a litre of petrol every 100km on average according to official numbers. Admittedly, owners are unlikely to achieve that ultra-low official figure in the real world – even with the best intentions, life gets in the way – but the fact is the 530e will prove hugely efficient for those with the right lifestyle.
Refinement and excitement
As well as being efficient, the plug-in hybrid powertrain also allows the 530e to feel very refined. On electric power, it’s as smooth as the i5, and even when the 2.0-litre petrol engine is turning, it doesn’t create that much noise. Sure, the four-cylinder engine groans a bit when you really push it through the rev range, but the abundance of power means you’ll seldom need to do that.
The 530e also feels light and nimble compared with the i5, with light yet precise steering and a sense of agility that makes it feel more alive than the electric car. Not that the i5 is bad – far from it – but the 530e feels sharper, somehow, and that makes it more fun to corner in and more interesting to drive, despite it being no less comfortable over bumps. BMW has done an excellent job of keeping the 5 Series feeling unflustered and stable even over the most broken road surfaces. The result is one of the most involving, engaging and driver-friendly executive cars that money can buy.
Budget option?
Speaking of money, perhaps the most appealing thing about the 530e is that it’s one of the cheapest of the new 5 Series models on sale. With prices kicking off at just over €73,000, it isn’t cheap, but it’s only a few thousand euros more expensive than the 520i petrol model and it gets 91hp more, as well as the possibility of far better economy. It’s around €10,000 cheaper than the basic i5, too. And you get plenty of standard equipment, including the M Sport design, 19-inch alloy wheels and a ‘vegan’ interior, with leatherette as a no-cost option. The Curved Display is standard, too, so climate control, navigation and phone connectivity are all included in the price.
What next for BMW?
BMW has such a broad range that there’s always something going on, whether it’s the arrival of the new plug-in hybrid 5 Series or the basic 520i petrol version. Soon, the 5 Series saloons will be joined by the Touring estate model, while new iterations of the new X2 coupe-SUV are in the pipeline, as well. BMW has also confirmed the imminent arrival of a 3.0-litre manual Z4 roadster, and we’re expecting to hear more about the ‘Neue Klasse’ project, which will eventually become the next-generation 3 Series.