BMW reveals 330e plug-in hybrid with XtraBoost

The seventh-generation BMW 3 Series has recently touched down in SA and while we wait for the brutal M340i and M3 to land in SA, the German manufacturer has revealed its new 330e plug-in hybrid.

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The 330e plug-in hybrid joins the line-up with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that makes 135 kW of power plus a single electric motor that provides an extra 83 kW.

All that amount of power is accessed via an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

Combined, BMW lists total output at 185 kW, but this new hybrid has an interesting feature called XtraBoost that works not unlike a shot of nitrous oxide. With the 330e in Sport mode, mashing the accelerator adds an additional 30 kW for a period of up to 10 seconds, giving the sedan a total output of 215 kW for short moments, though.

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Speaking of performance, BMW claims it can dash from a standstill to 100 km/h in a mere 5.9 seconds en route to a top speed of 230 km/h.

The BMW 330e can also be equipped with the standard complement of trim levels, including the spiffy M Sport variant with upgraded adaptive suspension and M Sport brakes.

In Hybrid mode, the 330e can reach a top speed of 110 km/h – enabling full-on Electric mode raises the limiter to 140 km/h.

The 330e lurks a 12 kWh lithium-ion battery that gives the sedan an electric-only range of 59 to 66 km. Space has been reduced due to the positioning of the battery in the boot.

Speaking of which, the 330e sedan is currently launching worldwide, with a trailer-towing version available in November yet it remains unknown if it is coming to SA.