BMW 530e iPerformance

FIRST UKDRIVE Verdict on plug-in hybrid version of our favourite exec

BMW’s plug-in charge continues with the launch of its latest hybrid 5 Series.

Its electrified car sales are up 86 per cent year-on-year, with the maker on track to shift 100,000 plug-in or EV models in 2017.

It’s easy to see why. Business users will pay just nine per cent in Benefit in Kind (BiK) tax for a new 530e, saving higher-rate earners more than £3,000 a year over an equivalent 530d (or £2,000 against a 520d) – and that’s before you factor in the 29-mile electric range and claimed 141.2mpg fuel economy.

As we confirmed when we drove the 530e in Europe in April (Issue 1,470), you’ll need regular access to a charge point to achieve that figure, but the modest range should be enough for most commutes. Charging from empty takes around three hours from a dedicated wallbox or public fast-charger.