Munich. With a comprehensive expansion of its range
of plug-in hybrid models, premium automobile manufacturer BMW
continues to consistently pursue its electrification offensive. At the
2020 Geneva International Motor Show, BMW presents four new plug-in
hybrid models for the premium mid-range. The additional model variants
of the BMW 3 Series will offer highly efficient driving pleasure from
summer 2020 onwards.
Electrification of the drive portfolio is one of the future mobility
fields defined by the BMW Group in its corporate strategy NUMBER ONE
NEXT. Innovations in the areas of D-ACES (Design, Autonomous,
Connected, Electrified and Services/Shared) are to establish the
conditions for sustainable growth in the global automotive markets. As
a pioneer in the field of e-mobility, the BMW Group has already
delivered half a million electrically powered vehicles worldwide. A
total of 145 815 electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles of the BMW and
MINI brands were sold in 2019. With a market share of more than 7 per
cent worldwide and more than 14 per cent in Europe, the company leads
the worldwide ranking of established premium providers of vehicles
that are purely electrically powered or run on plug-in hybrid systems.
In Germany, the BMW Group is the clear market leader in the segment of
electrically powered automobiles with a share of 24 per cent (source:
IHS Markit New Registrations 2019 Report 17.01.2020).
By the end of 2021, the BMW Group aims to have more than one million
vehicles with electrified drive systems on the road. A quarter of the
vehicles sold by the BMW Group in Europe will be electrified by 2021:
this share will increase to a third by 2025 and to half by 2030. The
BMW Group plans to expand its range to include 25 electrified models
by 2023, more than half of which will run on electric power alone.
Production of the all-electric BMW iX3 will begin before the end of
2020, followed by the BMW i4 and BMW iNEXT the following year.
“Power of Choice”: diverse drive portfolio to meet mobility
needs around the world.
With the market launch of the BMW iX3, the successful Sports Activity
Vehicle becomes the first model of the brand to be available with
efficient petrol and diesel engines as well as a plug-in hybrid system
and purely electric drive. Its strategic “Power of Choice” approach
enables the BMW Group to meet the individual mobility needs of its
customers all over the world. A broad spectrum of drive technologies
provides a selection of models tailored to a wide range of legal
conditions and individual requirements.
The diversity of the drive portfolio is growing in the BMW 3 Series,
too. The new additions to the range of plug-in hybrid models presented
for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show 2020 enable customers to
align their desire for sustainable mobility even more precisely with
their personal needs and preferences. In future, touring models with
electric drive will be available for the first time. The Geneva Motor
Show sees the debut of the new BMW 330e Touring (combined fuel
consumption: from 1.7 l/100 km; combined power consumption: from 15.7
kWh/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: from 39 g/km, provisional
figures*) and the new BMW 330e xDrive Touring (combined fuel
consumption: from 2.0 l/100 km; combined power consumption: from 17.8
kWh/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: from 46 g/km, provisional
figures*). The interplay of plug-in hybrid technology and intelligent
all-wheel drive can also be experienced in the new BMW 330e xDrive
Sedan (combined fuel consumption: from 1.8 l/100 km; combined power
consumption: from 16.7 kWh/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: from 42
g/km, provisional figure) .
The Geneva Motor Show 2020 will also be the venue for the world
premiere of two further models in the BMW 3 Series. The new BMW M340d
xDrive Sedan (combined fuel consumption: 5.7 – 5.3 l/100 km; combined
CO2 emissions: 149 – 139 g/km*) and the new BMW M340d xDrive Touring
(combined fuel consumption: 5.8 – 5.4 l/100 km; combined CO2
emissions: 153 – 143 g/km) feature an in-line 6-cylinder diesel engine
with an output of 250 kW/340 hp and a mild hybrid system featuring a
48-volt starter generator. The sales launch of the two new BMW M
automobiles and the three additional plug-in hybrid models means that
the number of engine variants available in the BMW 3 Series will
increase to four petrol engines, four diesel engines and one plug-in
hybrid drive.
Efficiency becomes more diverse: world premiere for three
additional plug-in hybrid models in the BMW 3 Series.
Following the successful market launch of the new BMW 330e Sedan
(fuel consumption combined: 1.7 – 1.6 l/100 km; combined power
consumption: 15.0 – 14.8 kWh/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 38 – 36
g/km), the diversity in the range of plug-in hybrid models in this
series will be significantly expanded from summer 2020 onwards.. In
the four future models with electrified drive, latest-generation
eDrive technology increases not just efficiency but also hallmark
brand driving pleasure. The electric range of the plug-in hybrid
models in the BMW 3 Series reaches a maximum of between 55 and 68 kilometres.
The intelligently controlled interaction of a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder
petrol engine and an electric motor integrated in the 8-speed
Steptronic transmission produces a system output of 185 kW/252 hp in
the BMW 330e Touring, BMW 330e xDrive Sedan and BMW 330e xDrive
Touring. Under especially high loads, this can be increased by an
additional 30 kW/40 hp to up to 215 kW/292 hp for up to 10 seconds by
means of the standard XtraBoost. The maximum system torque is 420 Nm.
The agility and sporty flair of the driving experience is highlighted
by a specific drive sound tuning, a direct yet precise accelerator
pedal curve and a specific shift programme as part of the 8-speed
Steptronic transmission that includes brake downshifts.
The sporty characteristics and high efficiency of the plug-in hybrid
drive are combined with the superior versatility of intelligent
all-wheel drive in the BMW 330e xDrive Sedan and BMW 330e xDrive
Touring models. It distributes the power of both engine and electric
motor between the front and rear wheels via an electronically
controlled multi-disc clutch as required at all times. In this way,
BMW xDrive ensures maximum traction and driving stability in all road
and weather conditions. In addition, the fully variable power
distribution promotes agility in sporty driving. The combination of
BMW eDrive and BMW xDrive is geared in particular to the requirements
of driving on snow, in mountainous regions and off-road.
The launch of two Touring models with plug-in hybrid system takes
into account the requirements of those customers who appreciate not
only hallmark brand driving pleasure and ground-breaking efficiency
but also extended functionality. In their versatile interior, the
electrified Touring models offer exactly the same level of interior
comfort on five seats as the conventionally powered model variants.
Meanwhile the luggage compartment volume is only slightly limited due
to the space-saving arrangement of the high-voltage battery under the
rear seat. By folding down the backrest with a standard split of 40
: 20 : 40, storage space can be extended from 410 to up to 1 420 litres.
BMW IconicSounds Electric
In November 2019 BMW Group announced a partnership with Hans Zimmer
for the development of visionary sounds under the brand name of BMW
IconicSounds Electric. As composer and curator he contributes his
expertise to various projects for sound creation for electrified BMW
vehicles worldwide. As of July 2020 the Start/Stop sound co-created by
Hans Zimmer and BMW Sound Designer Renzo Vitale will be rolled out to
all BMW Plug-In Hybrids.
World premiere of the BMW M340d xDrive Sedan and BMW M340d
xDrive Touring: BMW M automobiles with mild hybrid.
Inspiring driving dynamics and impressive efficiency characterise the
two other new additions to the BMW 3 Series model range – also due to
see their world premiere at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show. The
unmistakable characteristics of the new BMW M340d xDrive Sedan and the
new BMW M340d xDrive Touring derive primarily from a 3.0-litre in-line
6-cylinder diesel engine and mild hybrid technology with a 48-volt
starter generator. The newly developed diesel drive with BMW TwinPower
Turbo Technology delivers a peak output of 250 kW/340 hp and a maximum
torque of 700 Nm. Its impressive pulling power is complemented with
particularly spontaneous power delivery: this is taken care of by an
electrical overboost that is generated by the 48-volt starter
generator. The resulting additional output of 8 kW/11 hp supports
power delivery in dynamic driving situations. In addition, the starter
generator also supports the combustion engine during continuous
driving. This allows the diesel engine to run as much as possible in
an efficiency-optimised load range so as to reduce consumption peaks.
The powerful drive of the new BMW M automobiles is combined with an
8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission, model-specific suspension
technology and intelligent all-wheel drive. An M sports suspension
including variable sports steering and an M sports brake system come
as standard, as does the M sports differential. In addition, M
specific exterior features with optimised aerodynamic properties
contribute to the dynamic and superior driving characteristics. The
BMW M340d xDrive Sedan takes 4.6 seconds to accelerate from zero to
100 km/h, while the new BMW M340d xDrive Touring completes the sprint
from a standing start to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds. Spirited driving
characteristics and a cockpit design geared towards intense driving
pleasure guarantee a thrilling performance experience.