In a lead up to the launch of the BMW X1 Plug-In Hybrid (most likely in the X1 25e trim) this month, BMW Philippines has managed to score a win by having their 5 Series midsize luxury sedan and 7 Series large luxury sedan officially classified as a Hybrid Electric Vehicles by the Department of Energy (DOE).
Both appearing in the DOE’s official list of recognized HEVs, both BMW models use a 48-volt Hybrid System.
In the case of the 520i, now known as the BMW 520i Hybrid, it offers a combined output of 208 horsepower (155 kW) and 330 Nm of torque—190 horsepower (140 kW) from the 2.0-liter TwinPower Turbo 4-cylinder engine and 17.67 horsepower (13 kW) from the electric motor generator.
On the other hand, the BMW 735i pairs a 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo inline-6 engine producing 286 horsepower and 425 Nm of torque (272 horsepower from the combustion engine and 17.67 horsepower from the electric motor).
In both cases, SMC Asia Car Distributors Corporation, BMW’s official distributor in the Philippines, was able to prove that the 520i Hybrid’s B48B20P engine and the 735i’s B58B30P engine can run on electric power, feeding off the lithium-ion battery (0.96 kWh for the 520i and 0.92 kWh for the 735i) during coasting (maintaining speed with the combustion engine switched off)—a DOE requirement to gain recognition as an HEV.
What this means is that the BMW 520i Hybrid and 735i gains the perks enjoyed by other HEVs including number coding exemption (it gets a green plate) among others. For BMW Philippines, it also reduced tariffs which is reflected in their affordable price tag: P 3,990,000 for the 520i Hybrid and P 8,990,000 for the 735i Pure Excellence. In both cases, it helps BMW put pressure on its chief rivals from Lexus with the 5 Series and 7 Series becoming more affordable than some variants of the Lexus ES and LS.
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