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AUTO
REVIEW

2021 BMW 530e

By Stephen Schutz, MD

Electric cars are coming. Like for real. They’re going to hit us from times. The reason for this was its attractive design, but part of it was
all directions, most notably China, and they are going to change our the Phytonic Blue Metallic paint which was eye-catching on its own.
lives. This is an inevitability, and the only question is when it’s going (I would not recommend getting your new 5-Series in white or silver,
to happen. Sandy Munro, a well-regarded automotive industry con- please. You’ll regret it).
sultant, predicts that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hy- It must be said, however, that BMW has regrettably gone back to
brids will begin outselling internal combustion engine (ICE) its 1990s ways with its sedans by making “one sausage in three differ-
powered cars and light trucks in 2028. ent lengths.” It takes a trained eye to tell the 5-Series from the 3 or
I have been and continue to be a BEV skeptic—BEVs comprised even the 7, and I wish that weren’t the case. Having said that, if every-
2% of the U.S. automotive market in 2020, about the same as in one is buying SUVs and crossovers, does it really matter anymore?
2015, so I’m not completely off base with my skepticism—but I’m The interior of the 530e is a very nice place in which to spend
starting to see how things may change quickly. time, as is the case with any new Lexus, Audi or Mercedes. As with
If you’re a true believer, you already have a Tesla, Nissan Leaf, Audi those brands’ interiors, screens have replaced all of the gauges. Every-
e-Tron or Porsche Taycan, but if you’re not, you are probably won- thing you need information-wise is either right in front of you or
dering how this big transformation is going to happen. I think it will just a few taps on a touch screen away. All that tech can be over-
happen gradually at first, and then quickly. whelming at first, but with a little study and practice it becomes easy.
As for the gradual part, consider the BMW 530e. It is a plug-in (Note to Lexus: study BMW and Audi’s user interface and make
car that does everything—an “almost BEV” that gives you most of some changes.)
the pluses of a BEV with few of the minuses. The cabin of the 530e is a quiet and comfortable cocoon that is
Here is what I mean: Fully charged, the 530e will give you about as relaxing as any 1960s Cadillac. No, it is not as involving as its epic
25 miles of all electric driving. For most people, that is enough to 535i predecessor of the 1980s, but after a long day cathing, operating
get you to work and back plus a couple of stops along the way (Star- or sitting down with 24 patients, doesn’t a quiet cocoon sound good?
bucks, the store, soccer practice or yoga). Nevertheless, I miss cars that were “involving.”
If you have a charger at work, which increasingly people do, you As always with vehicles from Germany, many options and option
can do even better on electric power alone. For example, my GI prac- packages are available to help you personalize your ride. My well-
tice just built a new endoscopy center and we installed two charging equipped tester carried a sticker price of just over $70,000, and I
ports in the parking lot. Imagine never (or rarely) going to a gasoline think that’s about where most transaction prices will end up.
station. As BEVs and plug-in hybrids begin to take over the market, I’d
That’s what my week with the plug-in hybrid 530e was like. I make a case for going with the latter over the former, at least for now.
drove to work at 7 every morning, did my doctor thing all day, Plug-in hybrids give you the benefit of using just electricity most of
ran a few errands, drove home, plugged in and then did it all again the time, but won't leave you stranded if you can’t find a charger on
the next day. There was no “driving excitement,” and let’s face it, a long road trip. And the 530e is an excellent plug-in hybrid.
with any car you plug in there rarely is. Nevertheless, it was all
very pleasant. As always, call Phil Hornbeak, the Auto Program Manager at
Road trips with the family or other long drives, which are gener- BCMS (210-301-4367), for your best deal on any new car or truck
ally exercises in range anxiety in BEVs, are no problem with the 530e brand. Phil can also connect you to preferred financing and lease
thanks to its conventional four-cylinder engine and eight speed ZF rates.
automatic transmission. Both are there to back you up when you
can’t charge. Stephen Schutz, MD, is a board-certified gastroenterol-
The exterior design of the 530e is sleek and contemporary, exactly ogist who lived in San Antonio in the 1990s when he was
what you would think the BMW 5-Series would look like in 2021. stationed here in the US Air Force. He has been writing
In fact, I found myself glancing over my shoulder to admire it several auto reviews for San Antonio Medicine since 1995.

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