BMW Electric Vehicles

If you’re looking to upgrade your daily Normal commute with a new car that’s high-performing and luxurious, consider an electric vehicle from BMW! BMW currently offers six fully-electric and plug-in hybrid models, each with its own unique specs and advantages on the road. However, all of them share high performance, classic BMW luxury, and next-generation technology under the hood.

How many types of electric vehicles are there? Check out the guide below for some helpful information on differentiating the types of electric vehicles, as well as an overview of the most popular BMW EVs and PHEVs that’ll help you take your Decatur drives to the next level. 

Types of Electric Vehicles

Before we get to the BMW lineup, let’s go over the different types of electric vehicles. In general, there are four categories:

• Parallel or Series Hybrid: This is also called a “traditional hybrid.” It runs on a combination of gasoline and electric power, with an internal combustion engine and a small electric motor. The battery recharges itself as you drive on the Urbana roads, and typically can’t run the car on electric power alone.
• Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV): These hybrids have larger and more powerful batteries capable of powering the vehicle for short distances on electric power alone. For this reason, they’re more efficient than traditional hybrids and get excellent gas mileage. However, they need to be plugged in to be recharged since the battery is too large to self-charge.
• Fully Electric Vehicle (EV): An EV is powered solely by an electric motor, and has no internal combustion engine or gasoline-powered machinery. There are a lot of advantages to driving an EV, including close to zero emissions, no money spent on gas, and eligibility for tax incentives. 
• Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle: This is a relatively small subsection of electric vehicles, producing electricity using a hydrogen-powered fuel cell rather than a battery. Fuel cell vehicles are less common than the other three options since they require a unique charging apparatus and tend to be much more expensive.

Popular BMW EV Models

BMW iX

• Fully-electric SUV
• Up to 324 miles of range
• 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds
• 610 hp / 811 lb-ft of torque

BMW i4

• Fully-electric gran coupe
• Up to 301 miles of range
• 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds
• 536 hp / 586 lb-ft of torque

BMW i7

• Fully-electric sedan
• Up to 300 miles of range
• 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds
• 536 maximum horsepower

Popular BMW PHEV Models

BMW X5 xDrive45e:

• Plug-in hybrid variant of the BMW X5 SUV
• 0-60 mph in 5.3 seconds
• 3.0L 6-cylinder turbocharged engine and eDrive electric motor
• 8-speed automatic transmission
• 389 maximum horsepower

BMW 330e

• Plug-in hybrid variant of the BMW 3 Series sedan
• 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds
• BMW 330e xDrive configuration also available
• 2.0L BMW 4-cylinder turbocharged engine and eDrive electric motor
• 8-speed sport automatic transmission
• 288 maximum horsepower

BMW 530e

• Plug-in hybrid variant of the BMW 5 Series sedan
• 0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds
• BMW 530e xDrive configuration also available
• 2.0L BMW 4-cylinder turbocharged engine and eDrive electric motor
• 8-speed sport automatic transmission
• 288 maximum horsepower

Find Your Next Ride at BMW of Bloomington!

Now that we’ve answered the question of “How many types of electric vehicles are there?” you might be interested in seeing a BMW EV or PHEV in person! Contact our office or stop by our Bloomington dealership to set up a test drive, and we’ll get you behind the wheel in no time. You can also reach out with any questions, and a member of our team will be happy to help you. And be sure to keep an eye on our model research for more information about our BMW lineup!