The BMW 330e, or BMW's legendary triple in the electric hump. Consumption will surprise you
I may be contradicting myself a bit right off the bat, because it sounds like the 330e can't get it going properly. The opposite is true. Even the plug-in hybrid version of the BMW 3 Series can push you hard in your seat. But it offers so much more!
You won't know it at first glance
The plug-in hybrid version of the legendary BMW 3 Series is unmistakable at first glance. The fact that there is also an electric motor and a battery under the shell is obvious only by the small "E" next to the model designation and possibly thanks to a special mark starting with "EL", thanks to which you do not have to pay a vignette and if you are from Prague, you can park in all blue (i.e. also purple) zones without restrictions.
In front, there are chrome BMW kidney-shaped headlamps that blend in beautifully with the wide LED headlights. Compared to its predecessor, the 330e now has one exhaust tip on each side. Both are also fully functional! The car I tested was also adorned with chrome fog light decals, which further emphasised the elegance of the vehicle (available as part of the Luxury Line package). The BMW Individual Oxide Silver paintwork also suited the car very well, but you will have to pay an extra CZK 52,832 for it. It's a hefty sum, but when this paint shines in the sun, it's a beauty.
Although the new trio has changed quite dramatically, it still retains the original character that many drivers around the world have come to love it for. Compared to the previous generation, however, this model has grown up a bit. It now measures 4709 mm (+85 mm) in length, 1827 mm (+16 mm) in width and 1442 mm (+1 mm) in height. The wheelbase has also been stretched slightly, by 41 millimetres to 2851 mm. Together with the increase in wheelbase (+42 mm at the front and +21 mm at the rear), this means that the new generation is similarly tall, but considerably longer and wider. The new triple has thus gained a bit more muscle, which definitely suits it!
However, electrification has taken away a significant amount of boot capacity. Overall, it has lost 105 litres and now offers 375 litres. That's plenty for some, but for others it's a pretty paltry figure. Similarly, the tank now offers just 40 litres. However, BMW also launched the 330e this year as a wagon in the traditional touring version, which can hold a bit more cargo.
View of the LED headlights and fog lights with chrome trimPhoto: Jan Witek
If everyone did the interior like BMW
Bavarians' interiors are literally delicious! I've already mentioned the Luxury Line package, which makes the vehicle adorned with chrome accents. This package, which by the way comes out to 132,600 CZK, also includes a leather dashboard, ambient lighting, tri-zone air conditioning, front and rear parking sensors, etc.
The materials used, the optional sports seats, the steering wheel, the leather on the dashboard and much more are pleasing to the eye and to the touch. The car's controls are intuitive and after just a few minutes you know where to reach to control and adjust the car to your liking. I must also praise the BMW Professional multimedia environment. The touchscreen controls and round rotary joystick are, for me, the most convenient solution in all of automotive. The Apple CarPlay wireless connection is also great, so you don't have to take your phone out of your pocket and can use all your favourite apps with ease. In my case, Waze navigation and Spotify player.
Elegant with a sportsman's soul
I wrote in the introduction that the electrified version of the trio evokes more of a sense of elegance, but if you want to, you can also have fun with this machine. Under the bonnet is a two-litre Twin Power Turbo petrol four-cylinder and there's an electric motor too.
All in all, the system delivers 292 hp (215 kW) with a maximum torque of 420 Nm. However, if we focus only on the petrol unit, it offers 184 hp, while the electric motor alone offers a total of 113. Thanks to the electric motor, acceleration is very impressive and there is no doubt that this is a very playful car. You can get from 0 to 100 km/h in a pleasing 5.9 seconds.
Up to 60 kilometres on electricity!
Official figures say you can drive up to 66 kilometres with this car purely on electricity. However, during testing I was hovering around the 50 kilometre mark, which is still a pretty hilarious figure. When driving around town, the car can save you a lot of money, and for longer trips out of town, you don't have to rely on charging stations, which are not enough in the Czech Republic yet, but a powerful petrol engine will do the job.
The BMW 330e is a skilled housekeeper and when the hybrid mode is activated, the drive is determined automatically. In this case, you can get a respectable consumption of around 2 litres per 100 kilometres. But that's only if you charge the car regularly and have enough energy in the batteries. However, even when the electricity is depleted, consumption is not staggering and is around seven litres.
The car can of course be recharged from public charging stations, but it can also be recharged from a conventional socket. However, future owners will certainly prefer to install their own wallbox, through which it takes about three and a half hours to charge the car to the maximum.
View of the rear of the carPhoto: Jan Witek
Driving the new three is literally a treat
Let me tell you, during the drive I felt like I wasn't even sitting in a BMW 3 Series, but in a higher-end car. The car is perfectly soundproofed and literally floats along the roads. You hardly notice the switching between the two powertrains. It's a very smooth process, which you'll notice above all through the digital dashboard, which turns blue in electric mode.
The icing on this Munich cake is the XtraBoost driving mode, in which the electric motor assists the combustion unit with an additional 30 kW (41 hp). In this case, the car responds much more noticeably to the accelerator pedal and the sporty driving experience can begin!
Always in touch
If you need to check the battery charge level, the current range or find the nearest charging station, the BMW Connected app is the perfect tool. Thanks to the remote communication function, you can operate the charging process, see how economically you've driven your car and get practical advice on how to optimise your driving style for a longer range. You can also remotely ensure the optimum interior temperature.
Every drive will be a pleasure
The BMW 330e is the car for all progressive people who crave new technology. It will be perfect for a single person or a couple, as it is definitely not a family car. It is a hilarious car that will offer a lot, but it will let you pay for it properly, and I mean especially the purchase price, because it can save quite a lot of money by operating. The version of the BMW 330e (215 kW) tested by me, without extras, costs around CZK 1,250,600, with extras it is CZK 1,754,510.
