What We Like
Seamless hybrid powertrain
Looks good
Premium and comfortable cabin
Pliant ride and easy to drive
eDrive very useful in jams
What We Dislike
Full electric capabilities hampered by limited charging infrastructure
The new generation BMW 5 Series is one of the best and most complete cars we've driven this year. Now, as part of BMW's iPerformance range, the 5 Series is now also available in Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) form.
We've already driven this car - the BMW 530e - last month, over in Lisbon, Portugal. And we came away thoroughly impressed and couldn't really find any real flaw with the car. But how does it fare in Singapore?
A battery charge gauge lets you easily monitor your remaining battery charge and estimated available electric range
High luxury
As a luxury executive sedan, the 530e checks all the boxes you'd expect it to. After all, it is still a 5 Series. Visually, the 530e fits right in on our roads alongside the multitudes of other luxury car brands. There are subtle details that speak to its electrified nature (the blue ring around the BMW logo on the rims and the blue detailing between the grilles), but beyond that the car remains to be rather traditional-looking.
The inside of the 530e is also expectedly fantastic. It's comfortable, premium and well-equipped (it's specced similarly to the 530i).
Again, there's not much to separate the standard 5 Series and the 530e, with the exception of the dashboard. There, in place of a traditional odometer is a power dial that goes from zero to 100 percent. Additionally, there's also a gauge with which you can see how much battery charge is available, along with an estimated pure electric range.
Toggling between the three drive modes is easily done via the press of a button
High functionality
On the road, the 530e is quite a different experience, with the car starting off in soundless electric mode. However, once you get moving, it's every good bit of a 5 Series (comfortable, powerful, stable and balanced around corners), and then some, with extra range and extra torque.
There are three available driving modes - auto eDrive, max eDrive and battery control. Where you will absolutely appreciate the eDrive is in jams - jams are a killer on your fuel consumption, with constant start/stop traffic and crawling in low gears.
With the 530e, you can slowly crawl along in a jam with the petrol engine completely switched off, powered only by the electric motor. It's brilliant.
We've already driven this car - the BMW 530e - last month, over in Lisbon, Portugal. And we came away thoroughly impressed and couldn't really find any real flaw with the car. But how does it fare in Singapore?
High luxury
As a luxury executive sedan, the 530e checks all the boxes you'd expect it to. After all, it is still a 5 Series. Visually, the 530e fits right in on our roads alongside the multitudes of other luxury car brands. There are subtle details that speak to its electrified nature (the blue ring around the BMW logo on the rims and the blue detailing between the grilles), but beyond that the car remains to be rather traditional-looking.
The inside of the 530e is also expectedly fantastic. It's comfortable, premium and well-equipped (it's specced similarly to the 530i).
Again, there's not much to separate the standard 5 Series and the 530e, with the exception of the dashboard. There, in place of a traditional odometer is a power dial that goes from zero to 100 percent. Additionally, there's also a gauge with which you can see how much battery charge is available, along with an estimated pure electric range.
High functionality
On the road, the 530e is quite a different experience, with the car starting off in soundless electric mode. However, once you get moving, it's every good bit of a 5 Series (comfortable, powerful, stable and balanced around corners), and then some, with extra range and extra torque.
There are three available driving modes - auto eDrive, max eDrive and battery control. Where you will absolutely appreciate the eDrive is in jams - jams are a killer on your fuel consumption, with constant start/stop traffic and crawling in low gears.
With the 530e, you can slowly crawl along in a jam with the petrol engine completely switched off, powered only by the electric motor. It's brilliant.
To really maximise the car's electric range, apart from regularly charging it, is to engage battery control mode during normal situations (the car will maintain battery charge at a defined percentage), and then engage either auto eDrive or max eDrive in low speed situations. Yes, it's a bit more fiddly compared to a more traditional petrol car, but the upside is more range.
The engine and electric motor combine to produce 249bhp and 420Nm of torque
High time
In many ways, a country like Singapore is the perfect place for a PHEV car like the 530e. We don't drive far enough to have to worry about range anxiety, and the nature of our congested roads means that electric drive becomes very useful.
The biggest hurdle right now is our charging infrastructure. By the end of 2017, 25 percent of the charging points in Singapore will be type two (which is what the 530e uses). However, by the end of 2018, all charging points will be type two. And by 2020, as part of its EV-sharing program, the Government has instituted that 2,000 charging points be built, with up to 20 percent available for public use.
On our roads, with the 530e, you can realistically expect about 33km of full electric range on a single full charge. This means that it's entirely conceivable that your journey from home to work (or the other way around) can be done with no petrol consumed at all.
The BMW 530e is a thoroughly complete car, but its full capabilities are presently limited by our charging infrastructureSo, is this car a little ahead of its time here? Well, in some ways, yes, we think it is. Right now, it's a perfectly practical and sensible and usable 5 Series, but doesn't offer that vast a difference from your regular 530i. You couldn't be faulted for picking one or the other.
However, in a year's time, the increased availability of charging points will make all the difference in the world. Perhaps then, PHEVs such as this one will become much more commonplace on our roads.
High time
In many ways, a country like Singapore is the perfect place for a PHEV car like the 530e. We don't drive far enough to have to worry about range anxiety, and the nature of our congested roads means that electric drive becomes very useful.
The biggest hurdle right now is our charging infrastructure. By the end of 2017, 25 percent of the charging points in Singapore will be type two (which is what the 530e uses). However, by the end of 2018, all charging points will be type two. And by 2020, as part of its EV-sharing program, the Government has instituted that 2,000 charging points be built, with up to 20 percent available for public use.
On our roads, with the 530e, you can realistically expect about 33km of full electric range on a single full charge. This means that it's entirely conceivable that your journey from home to work (or the other way around) can be done with no petrol consumed at all.
However, in a year's time, the increased availability of charging points will make all the difference in the world. Perhaps then, PHEVs such as this one will become much more commonplace on our roads.
