BMW Group has officially announced that the F30 3 Series will get a plug-in hybrid variant soon. It will indirectly replace the (non-plug-in) ActiveHybrid3 in the upcoming F30 LCI facelift range next year, according to an Autocar UK report.
The F30 BMW 3 Series plug-in hybrid prototype pictured here is powered by a 2.0 litre TwinPower Turbo petrol engine that is paired to an electric motor - similar to what's under the China-only 530Le's hood. BMW's staple eight-speed automatic transmission channels power to the rear wheels.
Combined outputs are around 245 hp and 400 Nm of torque, and BMW claims that it offers performance that is on par with a six-cylinder 3 Series model, i.e. the 335i. A significantly reduced fuel consumption is a given of course, and the prototype is said to return about 50 km per litre (2.0 litres per 100 km).
That's achieved with the assistance of the plug-in hybrid's all-electric mode, which can be active at up to 120 km/h and as far as 35 km. The lithium-ion battery can be re-charged (through a plug on the front left fender) at any household power socket, and the new power pack takes up minimal boot space compared to conventionally-powered variants.
Like all current BMW models, the prototype has a Driving Experience Control switch with three modes: Comfort, Sport and Eco Pro. All modes are custom tailored to harness the full potential of the hybrid powertrain, of course. New to the model are two plug-in hybrid modes: Max eDrive (for maximised all-electric drive) and Save Battery (for keeping the battery charged for later use).
By the way, don't bother looking for LCI changes on these "official spyshots." The prototype looks like the pre-facelift F30 underneath all the camouflage, without the updated light graphics and bumpers we've seen in our own spy photos of the F30 BMW 3 Series LCI. The refresh can't come soon enough as the F30 has a lot of lost ground to cover next to the new W205 Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
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