The BMW 545e xDrive is a plug-in hybrid, but not as you know it.

Whether you like it or not, if you want to keep driving new cars in the future, it will mean some electrification in some form. Understandably not all petrolheads are so keen on the idea since electric vehicles aren’t exactly what you’d call soulful driving experiences. A distant whirr from the electric motor is no match for a thumping V8. Hybrids haven’t fared much better thus far either. The mere mention of the ‘h’ word can stir up mental images involving screaming CVTs with no correlation to actual vehicle speed, possibly being driven by a ride-hailing driver with a strong belief in there being an afterlife. 

Then there are plug-in hybrids which offer something of a middle ground, relying on good old-fashioned combustion with a side order of electrons to produce more environmentally friendly numbers. Lately, this setup has become popular with crossovers and SUVs as it creates an easy way around lowering the average CO2 emissions and can make them more affordable depending on where in the world you live. 

BMW is no different, and it now offers a plug-in hybrid version across almost its entire model portfolio. They account for around a tenth of all of its sales and that number is growing. So too is the public interest in plug-ins, and BMW is eager to capitalise on that, which is why it’s adding a more appealing version of its hugely successful 5 Series. 

It’s called the 545e xDrive, and it builds on what is already available with the 530e. It’s also our first experience of the updated 5 Series LCI (Life Cycle Impulse). While the 545e I’m driving is strictly speaking a pre-production prototype, hence the light camouflage, it is near enough to the finished article save for some software calibration. Changes to the 5 Series’ exterior include new bumper designs at either end, and the double ‘L’ daytime running light signature denotes the optional Laser Light headlights. Inside, the 5 Series remains exquisitely made, with the 12.3-inch instrument display joined by a new infotainment touchscreen optionally of the same size, with a 10.1-inch display as standard. 

The 530e version already has respectable performance thanks to a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine and a 94bhp electric power that’s fed by a 12kWh battery. An economical alternative to the 520d some would say. What’s different with the 545e is that it still manages to be a very frugal car, but delivers performance that’s nothing to be sniffed at. 

Residing beneath the rear seats is the same 12kWh battery as the 530e, but under the bonnet is a larger and more powerful 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine. In combination with the electric motor, the 545e gets a combined system output of 389bhp dispatched to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. The other figures read even better: maximum torque from the hybrid system is 600Nm, top speed is capped at 155mph, and the plug-in BMW will run a 0-62mph sprint in 4.7 seconds. For comparison, the legendary BMW E39 M5 produced 395bhp and 500Nm and took 5.3 seconds to reach 62mph from a standing start. What shows the rate of technological advancement the most is that E39 M5 had emissions of 336g/km, the 545e emits between 38 and 54g/km. Suddenly we don’t have to feel so guilty about enjoying performance. 

At 3.7kW it charges the battery in around 3.5 hours. You can tap into your 545e through a BMW smartphone app to do things like remotely setting the climate control, and doing this while it’s still plugged into a charger can boost the electrical driving range by ten per cent. Once you unplug it from the charge port on the front left wing the BMW is capable of 34 miles of battery range and the electric motor, with its 108bhp and 265Nm, provides ample performance for typical everyday driving. It’s quiet, refined and comfortable with a well-sorted suspension soaking up imperfections with ease. In the fully electric e-mode, the 545 can travel at up to 87mph so even motorway journeys are covered in near-silence. 

If you input your destination into the car’s navigation, as well as finding the most time and fuel efficiency way, the BMW maximises its energy use and recuperation by using topographical data to spot where the descents are to decide when it can recovery more energy to the battery. BMW is one of the first OEMs to introduce geofencing for its plug-in hybrids, meaning the car uses its navigation software to detect when it is entering a low emission zone and switches to battery power automatically. It can plan its route to ensure that there is sufficient charge for it to get to its destination electrically once inside the ‘eZone’. 

As you drive along in the hybrid mode, you notice that it can spend a considerable amount of time running without the combustion engine being active. When the car knows the route you’re taking it can prompt you to lift off the accelerator pedal if it knows it’s heading for a downhill section for example. Not only does this save fuel, but the car also increases its energy recovery to the battery by using the car’s momentum or kinetic energy on the descent. 

There is another side to the BMW 545e though, which comes when you activate the car’s Sport mode. This setting runs both the straight-six and the electric motor simultaneously to deliver the full beans. It’s a surprisingly fast car too. Alright, it’s no M5, but it’s plenty quick for a 5 Series and perfectly showcases its beguiling nature. It doesn’t suffer significantly from the increased weight of the battery pack and associated electrical hardware, while the xDrive transmission adds to the stability. You can carry much more speed than you might expect through a corner with this car, and with that six-cylinder engine singing away in front you sometimes have to remind yourself that you’re driving a plug-in hybrid. 

As plug-in hybrids go, the 545e sets a new standard, rewriting what many may have thought of them in the past. Its ability to operate as a part-time EV and do so with such refinement in itself is appealing, but how it turns that powertrain into something so entertaining to drive makes it a hugely attractive car. If this is the direction of plug-in hybrids, I’m on board for it. 

Model: BMW 545e xDrive

Price: TBC

Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder petrol with electric motor

Power: 394bhp at 5,000-6,500rpm

Torque: 600Nm combined output

0-62mph: 4.7 seconds

Max speed: 155mph

WLTP fuel consumption:166.1mpg

WLTP CO2: 38g/km

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