We drove: BMW 330e Touring and BMW X2 Xdrive25e. Who said electricity isn't fun?

BMW's range of electrified vehicles is said to be the largest on the market and has now been expanded with two more models. The first is the 300e Touring, aimed at practical and dynamic drivers. “330, you say? Six-cylinder? “No, not at all, even if there is as much power under the hood as if there was an evil three-liter inline-six hiding there. Under the hood is "only" a two-liter four-cylinder hybrid engine.

Nevertheless, doubts about improper nutrition are unnecessary. The 330e boasts 292 system horses powered by an electric motor, and the ignition of the car is accompanied by a somewhat rough and short engine shake. (in my opinion, it fits perfectly with the character of the car). Thanks to the excellent interaction between the electric motor and the gasoline engine, the driver is immediately provided with enough torque to almost start the car, as well as a bit from the side, which can quickly surprise the inexperienced driver.

His other face, purely electric, is much more cultured, even optimized. The technical data already shows that the 330e can only be driven out of town on electricity. Last but not least, its maximum (electric) speed is 140 kilometers per hour. - only 10 less than, say, the i3 - but at the same time, of course, the electric range suffers greatly. The battery has a capacity of 16,2 kilowatt hours and must comply with the WLTP standard. provided 61 kilometers of electric autonomyhowever, due to the tight schedule and car swapping, I was not able to verify the actual range.

The driver can also contribute to the vehicle's autonomy by effectively restoring the braking force. But miracles cannot be expected, since a car with a release of the accelerator pedal, unlike electric vehicles, allows only light regeneration, which, given that it is just a hybrid (plug-in), is not unusual.

Let me pay attention to the interior of the car. This in no way suggests that the 330e is a hybrid. In the cabin, only digitized counters are adapted for this., on which I was able to track the consumption of electricity or its range. The changes are not noticeable even in the trunk, which has a completely flat bottom, but it is indeed much smaller than the petrol or diesel version - with 375 liters it offers noticeably less space at 105 liters. In fact, this is the biggest drawback that I found when I first met the car.

The 330e Touring is by no means the last plug-in hybrid introduced by BMW in recent times, which we were able to get acquainted with at the presentation in Brdo near Kranj. Namely, they were equipped with this technique in a different size. the smallest crossover offered, namely X2, the full designation of which is X2 xDrive25e... From this data alone, it can be seen that this is a different, much weaker powertrain than the 330e. Under the hood is a half-liter smaller petrol engine with only three cylinders at a time.

However, the driver has 220 system horses or 162 kilowatts, which is more than enough for everyday needs. After all, the X2 doesn't offer any sporty spirit (not least because the drive is on the front wheelset), the only exception being acceleration or starting at a traffic light, where I was, if I wanted to, the fastest of the bunch. time.

Otherwise, the X2 xDrive25e should emphasize the relatively small battery. Its capacity is 10 kilowatt-hours, this provides up to 53 kilometers of electrical autonomy is a number that after the first few kilometers seems to be able to reach or even surpass if you are thinking about city driving.

The result is a relatively small battery pack taking up less luggage space, which at 410 liters is only 60 liters less than the classic X2.

I wrote a little more that the driving position of the 3 Series suits me completely, but as someone who prefers to sit a centimeter lower, I cannot (anymore) claim the X2.... But this is just a matter of personal preference, and I find that many people will even be impressed by a driving position that provides good visibility in front of the vehicle. On the other hand, one cannot fail to note the excellent soundproofing of the cabin. Thus, most of the noise and vibration remains outside of it, so they are at a high level while driving.

The X2 xDrive25e and 330e Touring are not the most expensive cars, but they are by no means cheap. Namely, at least 48.200 € 53.050 will need to be deducted for the first and 2.650 € or XNUMX XNUMX € for the second.if you want four-wheel drive. Both cars can already be ordered in Slovenia.

X2 also lent the powertrain to the updated Countryman hybrid.

The plug-in hybrid powertrain of the BMW X2 was dedicated to another model in the group, namely Mini Cooperio SE Countrymanu Все4... It was completely overhauled in mid-summer, and in the plug-in hybrid version, it borrows quite a few elements from the all-electric Cooper SE, with which it shares most of the driver's workspace.

As stated, with the X2, it shares both the entire drive and the battery assembly, which is located slightly lower than the X2, which on the other hand, at least on paper, provides better driving dynamics and at the same time less stuck. ... trunk. There, instead of 450, there is still a pretty decent 405 liters of free space.... However, driving with it is "just" comfortable, and the greater dynamics is hampered by too much lean in corners. But, last but not least, it is not designed for this, the role of a family car smells much better to it. With favorable consumption and enough space, I could do it with distinction.

Plug-in hybrids are becoming more important for BMW

While BMW is slowly but surely expanding its EV range, the range of plug-in hybrids is already above average; A million electrified BMW vehicles are expected to hit the road around the world by the end of next year. In fact, such a transmission is available in all models of the brand, and 9,7 percent of all BMW car buyers in Slovenia choose it. Among Mini car buyers, this share is even higher, accounting for 15,6% of all cars sold.

At the same time, BMW explains that up to half of the buyers of such cars are companies that increasingly decide to use cars in Slovenia. The majority of trailer buyers, 24%, choose the Active Tourer 2 Series., while Series 3 is in fifth place with a nine percent share of in-brand sales. The introduction of the Touring implementation is likely to significantly increase this share.