The updated BMW 530e plug-in hybrid sedan has been revealed.

 

In Europe, BMW will offer the 530e with rear wheel drive and xDrive all-wheel drive. Both variants move from a 9.2 to a 12.0kWh battery that doesn’t occupy any additional space. BMW says this is due to “the latest advances in the field of battery cell technology.”

 

According to WLTP testing, the larger battery, when fully charged offers a driving range of up to 57 kilometres in the rear wheel drive car. For context, the outgoing model could cover 43km on a full charge.

 

Along with greater EV range, the 530e is slightly faster sprinting from 0-100km/h in 6.1 seconds on its way to a top speed of 235km/h. In EV mode, the top speed is capped at 110km/h.

 

Moving to the 530e xDrive sees the electric driving range reduced to 53km, while the 0-100km dash takes 6.2 seconds. The top speeds are identical to the rear drive version.

 

The plug-in hybrid powertrain in both models consists of a 2.0-litre 135kW/290Nm turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, and an 83kW/250Nm electric motor integrated into the eight-speed automatic transmission. The system’s total outputs are 185kW and 420Nm.

 

BMW Live Cockpit ConnectedDrive is standard and includes a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen.