BMW adds Touring and xDrive versions to 330e range

By Matt de Prez

20 February 2020

BMW is introducing a 330e Touring (estate) alongside the option of xDrive all-wheel-drive on its 3 Series plug-in hybrid.

The new variants will join the existing 330e saloon in the summer. All emit less than 50g/km.

With a 12kWh battery, the 330e provides a WLTP zero-emission range of 34-36 miles.

A 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine combines with the electric motor to produce 252PS. The XtraBoost function, activated in the Sport driving mode, increases peak power to 292PS for 10 seconds.

The 330e Touring is the first BMW estate to be offered with plug-in hybrid technology. With its battery located under the rear seat, the 330e Touring’s luggage compartment is only marginally smaller than in the combustion version. With the rear seat folded there is up to 1,420 litres of cargo space.

The BMW 330e Touring can accelerate from 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds (provisional) and its maximum speed is 136mph (provisional). In Hybrid mode, the new BMW 330e Touring can reach up to 68mph when running on electric power alone. The combustion engine only switches on at higher speeds or when there are high load requirements.

When the Electric mode is activated with the eDrive button, the vehicle can reach speeds up to 87mph drawing on the power of its eDrive alone.

The new xDrive versions of the 330e saloon and Touring use a mechanical all-wheel-drive system that enables power from both the electric motor and the petrol engine to feed all four wheels.

All plug-in hybrid models in the new BMW 3 Series are fitted as standard with active pedestrian protection. When running on electric power at speeds of up to 19mph, an “unmistakeable sound” designed specifically for electrified BMW models is generated to alert other road users to the approaching car without impairing the acoustic comfort of vehicle occupants.

The standard equipment of the BMW 3 Series models with electric drive also includes three-zone automatic air conditioning and auxiliary air conditioning. At low outdoor temperatures, the interior can also be conveniently heated prior to setting off, even if the battery charge status is low. The preconditioning function also enables the interior to be cooled at high outside temperatures.