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BMW 330e is an electrified Bavarian cream puff (pictures)

BMW's ever-popular 3 Series gets a new model announced at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. It borrows learnings from BMW i to create a compact plug-in hybrid sedan.

Chris Paukert
Following stints in TV news production and as a record company publicist, Chris spent most of his career in automotive publishing. Mentored by Automobile Magazine founder David E. Davis Jr., Paukert succeeded Davis as editor-in-chief of Winding Road, a pioneering e-mag, before serving as Autoblog's executive editor from 2008 to 2015. Chris is a Webby and Telly award-winning video producer and has served on the jury of the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards. He joined the CNET team in 2015, bringing a small cache of odd, underappreciated cars with him.
Chris Paukert
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You could be forgiven for missing the 330e on BMW's stand if it weren't for the eDrive door cling.

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BMW claims ideal 50:50 weight distribution, even with the plug-in hybrid hardware.

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If this filled up your rear-view mirror, you could be forgiven for thinking it's "just another" 3 Series.

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The 330e receives a restrained single-side exhaust outlet.

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BMW could've easily substituted a set of flashy hybrid-only alloys, but instead it opted for rather conservative multispoke wheels.

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LED "Corona" headlamps not only look good, they're more efficient than other kinds of illumination, too.

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BMW has done a lot with light pipes in head- and tail lamps in the past few years, and this lightly retouched 3 Series is no different.

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The 330e's most obvious e-powered giveaway is this unsubtle fender-mounted charger door.

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BMW's cabin may have evolved organically, but it appears to be a nice place to do business.

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After many years of being less than intuitive, BMW's iDrive infotainment system has come into its own.

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A handful of e-related iDrive screens point out that the 300E is no ordinary sedan.

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Want to keep tabs on your efficiency? The 330e will be happy to take you on a guided tour on its infotainment screen.

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