2017 BMW 530e review

Free money sounds like a scam.

On face value, if anyone offered you a few shekels without any compromises you'd take it, right? But then doubt usually creeps in and you question whether there's a catch.

BMW's latest member of the 5-Series family, the 530e plug-in hybrid, arrives in Australian showrooms next month dangling a sizeable carrot in front of it. One, it claims, genuinely comes without any compromises or conditions and finally breaks through the glass ceiling that has sheltered fuel-sipping green machines from becoming more popular.

Traditionally, the extra - and expensive - technology needed to create a hybrid powertrain, notably batteries and electric motors, has come with a significant price penalty that has, when you crunch the numbers, largely negated the fuel economy benefits. But not anymore…

The 530e is among the first hybrids sold in Australia which is offered for the same price, with the same level of standard equipment and a set of performance numbers that are as equal as its petrol-powered equivalent. The choice has become simple.

It looks the same on the outside, save for a few badges of honour that only eco warriors will recognise, and an extra fuel cap in the front fender for the electricity plug. It also appears just as normal on the inside as it comes with same level of the luxury features and cutting-edge connectivity.

On paper, it also stacks up with its conventional sibling. With an electric motor sandwiched between the 2.0-litre turbo charged four-cylinder engine and the eight-speed automatic transmission that drives the rear wheels, the 530e generates combined outputs of 185kW and 420Nm and can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 6.2 seconds - identical power and acceleration figures to the 530i, and 20Nm more torque.

But the big sell is that its economy is almost three times better with a claimed fuel consumption figure of just 2.3L/100km thanks to its ability to drive on electric power alone for up to 43km, even if BMW concedes that figure is in ideal conditions and is more like 30km in the real world when you take into account stop-start traffic and the use of everyday features like air conditioning, heated seats and its booming Harmon/Kardon audio system.

Considering most daily commutes are around that distance anyway, the theory goes that you could drive for the majority of time in urban areas without consuming much petrol at all while still having the back-up, performance and driving range offered by a conventional engine. Free money… or at least significant savings.

Putting that to the test on a short loop around Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, leaving from the Bondi Junction shopping centre - one of 10 Westfield complexes around the country where BMW has installed electric vehicle charging stations - the 530e proved its point.

Even when left in the default Auto eDrive mode, which uses the electric motor as much as possible but taps into the petrol engine when needed under acceleration and higher speeds (there's also a Max eDrive mode where it uses the electric motor only and a Battery Control mode where it switches off the electric motor when the battery reaches a predetermined state of charge), the 530e drives, feels and acts just like a normal car.

The 83kW/250Nm electric motor produces enough grunt to get the car moving away from a standstill quite swiftly and then has the ability to cruise around silently at speeds up to 80km/h.

The petrol engine chimes in occasionally to assist on steep inclines or quicker getaways, but you barely notice when it does as the transition to using both power sources happens almost invisibly.

It's the same when it switches off. There's no chugging or stuttering as it awakens or returns to slumber, and it's just as quiet as the electric motor when it's in use as the cabin offers excellent insulation from wind, road and mechanical noises.

After around 30 minutes of zig-zagging through the narrow maze of Sydney's beachside suburbs, totalling around 25km, or the equivalent of an average commute from Bondi to the city and back, the 530e's fuel consumption read-out hovered just below its claimed 2.3L/100km claim with 40 per cent of its battery capacity still available. It works, and yet it drives just like a normal car.

Even when the battery runs out, the 2.0-litre engine is near as efficient as it is in the 530i with an average consumption of 6.6L/100km, a figure that's around the same as a small hatchback.

There are some compromises when compared to the 530i however, as it's boot has 120L less cargo capacity thanks to a smaller fuel tank (measuring just 46L) being mounted on top of the back axle while the lithium-ion battery pack takes its regular place lower in the centre of the car. The additional bits and pieces required for the plug-in system also contribute to a 230kg increase in weight. 

In the grand scheme of things they are minor, as the boot is still large enough for regular weekly duties, the fuel tank will still provide a range of around 600km and the additional bulk is only felt when you push the car towards its dynamic limits, which is likely to be a rare occasion considering its luxury focus.

There is no scam at work here. The BMW 530e is literally offering you free money, or free fuel at least. Now that there is price parity between the new-age hybrid and old-school petrol-only models, it seems like an offer too good to refuse..

2017 BMW 530e Price and Specification

Price: $108,900 (plus on-roads)

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol, electric motor

Power: 185kW (combined)

Torque: 420NM (combined)

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, RWD

Fuel use: 2.3L/100km

- For more information visit our BMW showroom