BMW 330e Plug-in Hybrid gets 248bhp and (OFFICIALLY) does 140mpg

The BMW 330e plug-in hybrid has been revealed as a 248bhp 3-Series which can get to 62mph in 6.1 seconds and averages around 140mpg. Debuts at Frankfurt.

It won’t be too long before governments realise that car makers are now fully able to game their car taxation based on CO2 by making the most of hybrid powertrains and the broken official economy tests.

But until then, company car buyers, in particular, will be piling in to this – the new BMW 330e plug-in hybrid – which offers performance on a par with a 328i and economy, officially at least, of 140mpg, meaning you’ll pay little BIK with emissions of just 44g/km.

That magical combination is thanks to a mix of the 2.0 litre twin-scroll turbo petrol delivering 181bhp on its own, and an electric motor delivering another 67bhp for a combined output of 248bhp, enough for a 0-62mph sprint in 6.1 seconds and a 140mph top speed.

The 330e can also run on battery power only for up to 25 miles – and at speeds of up to 75mph – and you can make it run just on the petrol engine if you want to save electrical power for use in the city, and it’ll take you two-three hours to recharge the batteries.

You do lose a bit of space in the boot to accommodate the hybrid gubbins (but under 20 per cent loss) and you have to put up with a smaller fuel tank (just 41 litres), but if you’re a company car driver the 330e is a complete no-brainer.