India-bound BMW 5 Series gets new plug-in hybrid powertrains

• These are 530e and 550e xDrive 
• Offers 103km and 90km of electric range, respectively 

The new and updated BMW 5 Series arrived in May alongside its all-electric version, the i5. Now, BMW has shown two new plug-in hybrid variants of the mid-size executive sedan which will go on sale in the European markets.  

The new PHEV powertrains go by the name 530e and 550e xDrive. The former has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine making 299bhp and 450Nm. It can do 0-100kmph in 6.3 seconds and has a top speed of 230kmph and an electric top speed of 140kmph. It also gets an electric driving range of 93-103 kilometres (under WLTP). 

As for the 550e xDrive sedan, it gets a bigger 3.0-litre straight-six engine which generates 490bhp and 700Nm. The xDrive in the name suggest AWD with a 0-100kmph sprint claimed in just 4.3 seconds. The 550e is electronically limited to 250kmph and has the same 140kmph top speed in pure electric mode. As for the electric driving range, this one can go 83 to 90 kilometres without burning a drop of fuel.  

Like an EV, the 19.4kWh lithium-ion battery pack is placed underneath the body floor liberating a boot space of 520 litres (same as the conventional model). The battery can be juiced up using a 7.4kW charger which can be charged from zero to 100 per cent in just over three hours. But the household socket will take 11 hours and 45 minutes to charge the battery. 

In terms of hardware, it offers 19-inch alloy wheels and the IconicSounds which are offered in Bavarian EVs (composed in collaboration with Hans Zimmer) along with adaptive chassis professional, active steering, and BMW’s new ‘interaction bar’ inside the cabin.  

The PHEV 5 Series will go on sale from November 2023 in the European markets. We don’t expect these powertrains to be offered in India when the eighth-gen 5 Series makes its way here.