[mermar]

Long time BMW owner... traded my 2016 X5/50 in as we will be 'empty nesters' in a few months and no longer need the room. Further, that 50i was getting to point where some very expensive maintenance and greater risk of very expenisve repairs.

Hope to capture $7500 tax credit as took delivery in March. Making 330e almost Honda Accord money at net cost.

I did a lot of analysis between 330e and Tesla Model 3 - for my use case the 330e is better as I couldnt get comfortable by the lack of refinement in the Model3 and the lack of display in front of the driver. I am very bullish on Tesla tho and have nothing bad to say about them (love their dealerless model)...just for me now, 330e is better.

I have 775 miles since picking the car up -- dealer was 80 miles away) - yet still have 50% full tank of gas (small 10.6 gal tank that it is) that came with the car at delivery! That includes a college visit to a school 55 miles away but I was able to charge on campus. So despite just 23 or so miles per charge - it works great for my use case. I am actually somewhat concerned I am not running the ice engine enough. Soon the novelty of driving in electric mode will wear off and I will probably see a different blend of ice/edrive.

Build quality is amazing given 3 series. Not a single (not even close) to a rattle or creak) and I would hear it as it is dead quiet driving around town in electric mode. So far, I am a fan of BMW's interpretation of what a EV should be. Mercedes looks a little weird to me and is super expensive, I drove a Rivian...while brutish straight line power the lack of refinement would get old for me. Rattles and wind noise like it was assembled in my garage. Also, the Rivian motor whine was very loud along with harsh regen and no way to reduce it to a more mellow/quiet level of coasting. So for now, I can see sticking with BMW as I transition from PHEV to EV in the future (though the next-gen Tesla Model 3 could be sweet).

As is always true, BMW has packed a lot of intelligence in this car. The mileage estimator for example at 100% charge will show different estimates. I think it considers a lot of info - even ambient temps, status of HVAC setting, etc..

Reviewers that complain about HVAC settings being difficult are somewhat dumb IMHO, I set the hvac up how I want it in auto and then you dont have to touch anything for weeks. Example - It auto turns on heated seats based on my settings. So in that case, there is less button touching not more. Preconditioning the cabin with shore power via the app is a breeze - in cold this heats the steering wheel, seats, heat.

No Msport pkg - but the ride is rather firm (I have 19's that come w Premium pkg). I think that is largely due to firmer suspension to support extra weight of battery, etc..

With $7500 credit it is the steal of the year IMHO. And I am just amazed at how nice the 3 series has become. IDrive 8 is gorgeous - spotify display is stunning.

Oddly I have noticed almost zero vampire drain... curious if others have. Also have never seen the car add miles during regen. Maybe I just dont have long enough downhill around here.

What could be improved:
-Of course a little more range.
- Ability to charge faster. The onboard charger really is limited to snail's pace of 7-8 miles an hour at Level2.
-Interior button to release charging door or software setting to open when park is selected at home. Sort of like the GPS based window down function.
-Headlights are just ok for visibility compared to my old X5 which seemed fit for a commercial airliner.

One big disappointment:
- you need to buy the $1700 Driver plus Pro pkg to get Honda Civic level of driving aids. I dont have it so I am back to 'dumb' cruise control, etc... (Did not get to pick all my options as was in a hurry to take delivery before March 31).

[SoCalJon]

I believe your tax credit is capped at $5836 (or something like that) as long as you took delivery by Apr 17.

https://www.irs.gov/pub/taxpros/fs-2023-08.pdf

[mermar]

Originally Posted by SoCalJon

I believe your tax credit is capped at $5836 (or something like that) as long as you took delivery by Apr 17.

https://www.irs.gov/pub/taxpros/fs-2023-08.pdf

Interesting - so even though at the time I purchased the vehicle it was 100% eligible for the full $7500/credit (triple-checked back in March when I took delivery). The rules have been modified with a lookback at transactions that already took place? Makes it difficult for purchasers when they make decisions based on current/published rules and then are impacted by revisions to those rules. I guess par for the course when it comes to govt/IRS.

[SoCalJon]

I don’t believe the 330e was ever eligible for $7,500. Take a look at the guidance posted in February 2023, specifically Q6, which calculates the amount of the credit. https://www.irs.gov/pub/taxpros/fs-2023-04.pdf

[CGSNJ59]

Without the rebate, it's very hard to see the case for a 330e over a 330i.

The trunk loses 1/3 capacity versus the 330i.

The gas tank is much smaller than the 330e gas tank - it is around 10 gallons - similar in size to some motorcycle gas tanks. So there is a huge reduction in range.


The small trunk is evident if a customer compares both. The much smaller gas tank in the 330e can't be seen, but it's a significant difference.

BMW NA needs to have a sign in all showrooms that the capacities of 3 series vehicles are indeed not the same. I mean it's not even close. A 330E loses approx 1/3 of the gas tank and 1/3 of the trunk. The customer has no way of knowing that as it is not evident on the window sticker. The only way anyone would know is by searching for the exact dimensions / capacities online.

Losing 1/3 of a gas tank for a car that only gets about 25 miles of electric range (at most - and on a warm day outside) is significant and so is the loss of 1/3 of the trunk in a sedan vehicle.

I would guess that most people buying a 330E don't even realize how much trunk and gas tank capacity they are giving up for the tax credit (if qualified and if it still exists) and 25 electric miles.

Great car the 330E, esp. with a tax credit, but capacity wise, not close to the 330I.

[SoCalJon]

Originally Posted by CGSNJ59

Without the rebate, it's very hard to see the case for a 330e over a 330i.

The trunk loses 1/3 capacity versus the 330i.

The gas tank is much smaller than the 330e gas tank - it is around 10 gallons - similar in size to some motorcycle gas tanks. So there is a huge reduction in range.

The small trunk is evident if a customer compares both. The much smaller gas tank in the 330e can't be seen, but it's a significant difference.

BMW NA needs to have a sign in all showrooms that the capacities of 3 series vehicles are indeed not the same. I mean it's not even close. A 330E loses approx 1/3 of the gas tank and 1/3 of the trunk. The customer has no way of knowing that as it is not evident on the window sticker. The only way anyone would know is by searching for the exact dimensions / capacities online.

Losing 1/3 of a gas tank for a car that only gets about 25 miles of electric range (at most - and on a warm day outside) is significant and so is the loss of 1/3 of the trunk in a sedan vehicle.

I would guess that most people buying a 330E don't even realize how much trunk and gas tank capacity they are giving up for the tax credit (if qualified and if it still exists) and 25 electric miles.

Great car the 330E, esp. with a tax credit, but capacity wise, not close to the 330I.

Every use case is different. We absolutely love our 330e, and would never have bought a 330i. Over the first 6,000 miles we’ve averaged 43.5 MPGe (Computed mileage based on fuel and KWh consumed.) We can easily go 400-600 miles between fill ups. Many days we don’t use any fuel at all, but drive entirely within the EV range.

We also went in fully understanding the fuel & trunk capacity differences. By the way, while it’s a 32% reduction in the fuel tank, it’s only a 22.4% capacity reduction in the trunk.

I do agree that buyers need to research cars before buying them, but it’s not at all difficult to find that information.

[JABCAT]

Correct, the 330e was not eligible for $7,500, it was $5,800 & change. The debate about it vs the 330i just needs to be put to rest. Depending on your use, you could get much better mileage/range on the 330e, the slightly smaller trunk can still fit plenty. I have a post with pictures showing 3 carry on suitcases, 3 backpack/computer bags, wife's large tote, and my son's large swim equipment and taekwondo equipment bags plus the charger & cleaning supplies, jumper cables, tire inflator all fitting - with the rear seats up. Put the seats down and you can fit even more. If you need more room than that, get an SUV.

[jcl78]

Great post! Thanks for your insights into ownership so far. Not too many of these for the LCI 330e. Mine is currently in production, looks like I will have it by the end of May.

I agree that the comparisons between the 330i and 330e are indeed a bit short sighted. I suppose there are people who never open the trunk or look at specs before they buy. The 330i has a huge class leading trunk, the 330e has a class average trunk, so that comparison doesn't make much sense to me.

The fuel tank is smaller, but as stated, if your use case allows for frequent battery charging, you will absolutely see much better fuel economy than the 330i. If your commute is 100 miles a day with no ability to charge, then that changes things, but the 330i will always be ICE only.

I loaded out my 330e, so I don't qualify for the tax credit, (MSRP is capped at $55K to qualify) but I believe it is still worth it. What a lot of folks aren't talking about is the seamless power delivery over the 330i. Please understand, I love the 330i, but the 330e with a charged battery feels like a different machine altogether. Driving it feels so different from any car I have ever driven, it feels like the future vs the past when you compare drivetrains.

As stated, different use cases, but these cars should not be directly compared in my humble opinion.

[SoCalJon]

By the way, those interested in some actual mileage data on the 330e can take a look here: https://g20.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1972635

I've been pretty careful to:
1) track all of my gallons of gasoline,
2) track all of my kWh,
3) fill-up at the same gas station, using battery hold to ensure an essentially full battery at fill-up,
4) compute MPGe using the EPA equivalency numbers (33.7 kWh = 1 gallon of gas),
5) develop a separate MPGh metric which uses the cost of gas and electricity in my area to determine the MPG I would have gotten spending the same amount of money on gasoline only for an ICE vehicle,
6) track cost/mile.

[mermar]

Originally Posted by CGSNJ59

Without the rebate, it's very hard to see the case for a 330e over a 330i.

The trunk loses 1/3 capacity versus the 330i.

The gas tank is much smaller than the 330e gas tank - it is around 10 gallons - similar in size to some motorcycle gas tanks. So there is a huge reduction in range.


The small trunk is evident if a customer compares both. The much smaller gas tank in the 330e can't be seen, but it's a significant difference.

BMW NA needs to have a sign in all showrooms that the capacities of 3 series vehicles are indeed not the same. I mean it's not even close. A 330E loses approx 1/3 of the gas tank and 1/3 of the trunk. The customer has no way of knowing that as it is not evident on the window sticker. The only way anyone would know is by searching for the exact dimensions / capacities online.

Losing 1/3 of a gas tank for a car that only gets about 25 miles of electric range (at most - and on a warm day outside) is significant and so is the loss of 1/3 of the trunk in a sedan vehicle.

I would guess that most people buying a 330E don't even realize how much trunk and gas tank capacity they are giving up for the tax credit (if qualified and if it still exists) and 25 electric miles.

Great car the 330E, esp. with a tax credit, but capacity wise, not close to the 330I.

Very much depends on your use case. I am at 700 miles on the original tank of gas that came with my new 330e... and I still have 50% of that tank left. So I should see 1000+ miles from that tank of gas. MUCH better than any car I have owned - some with 22 gallon fuel tanks. So it is important to look at results vs specs on paper. Again, I knew my use case well and it works for me -- I would not want the 330 instead of the 330e (even though the 330 is awesome and would recommend to people). I have yet to take a long road trip - in that case I suspect a non-e 3 series would perform better if you measure success at miles between fill-up on a 600 mile road trip.
It seems to me there is a pronounced pattern of opinions with actual owners of 330e's reporting positive outcomes where internet browsers are critical.
The powertrain under electric power is of real value to me. But may not matter to others.

[jcl78]

Originally Posted by mermar

It seems to me there is a pronounced pattern of opinions with actual owners of 330e's reporting positive outcomes where internet browsers are critical.
The powertrain under electric power is of real value to me. But may not matter to others.

Completely agree with this sentiment. I believe there may be some 330i owners that feel the need to play the "trunk is smaller as is the fuel tank" card as if those of us that ordered the 330e would cancel our orders and say what a huge mistake we made?

Perhaps to feel better about their 330i purchase? I am unsure, but I drove both and the difference to me was night and day with powertrain linearity, smoothness, quietness, not even factoring in the MPG benefit. The 330i is lighter, and does have a bigger trunk and larger fuel tank, yes. I think it is a great value, and overall the G20 chassis is amazing to me. If you are doing long commutes, and you never plug in the 330e, the 330i would be of benefit. However, if you commute around town, you can plug in the 330e, the milage will be better, (in many cases, vastly better). In addition, the powertrain has many benefits over the 330i in my opinion as I said above. However, make no mistake, I am not putting down the 330i, I love it, but again, 2 different buyers. the 330i is ICE only, and will always be.

The 330e gives you (in my humble opinion) a futuristic driving experience. It gives you the best of two worlds. The PHEV experience completely sold me over the 330i. Again, everything is subjective, but these are 2 different cars built on the same chassis. The 330i has some pros over the 330e, and vice versa, they are for two different buyers. I would not consider the 330i over the 330e (hence why I ordered the e) as others would say the opposite about the i over e.

I would love to see this sort of discussion of different use cases and buyers play out over the "330i is better in every way, you spent more for extra weight, less trunk and smaller fuel tank" spam. Let's all agree these are 2 excellent machines for 2 different buyers

[SoCalJon]

Originally Posted by jcl78

Completely agree with this sentiment. I believe there may be some 330i owners that feel the need to play the "trunk is smaller as is the fuel tank" card as if those of us that ordered the 330e would cancel our orders and say what a huge mistake we made?

Perhaps to feel better about their 330i purchase? I am unsure, but I drove both and the difference to me was night and day with powertrain linearity, smoothness, quietness, not even factoring in the MPG benefit. The 330i is lighter, and does have a bigger trunk and larger fuel tank, yes. I think it is a great value, and overall the G20 chassis is amazing to me. If you are doing long commutes, and you never plug in the 330e, the 330i would be of benefit. However, if you commute around town, you can plug in the 330e, the milage will be better, (in many cases, vastly better). In addition, the powertrain has many benefits over the 330i in my opinion as I said above. However, make no mistake, I am not putting down the 330i, I love it, but again, 2 different buyers. the 330i is ICE only, and will always be.

The 330e gives you (in my humble opinion) a futuristic driving experience. It gives you the best of two worlds. The PHEV experience completely sold me over the 330i. Again, everything is subjective, but these are 2 different cars built on the same chassis. The 330i has some pros over the 330e, and vice versa, they are for two different buyers. I would not consider the 330i over the 330e (hence why I ordered the e) as others would say the opposite about the i over e.

I would love to see this sort of discussion of different use cases and buyers play out over the "330i is better in every way, you spent more for extra weight, less trunk and smaller fuel tank" spam. Let's all agree these are 2 excellent machines for 2 different buyers

Agreed. It would be interesting to figure out some sort of a calculator that would allow someone to enter information about their fuel cost, kWh cost, and driving patterns -- to help them determine which vehicle might work better for them.

In some parts of the country, electricity is not necessarily cheaper than fuel. There are a couple of inflection points to consider -- one related to cost, and the other related to % EV usage.

The point is that the two vehicles are different -- and will fit different drivers better. For me, it wasn't about choosing between a 330e and a 330i, it was about choosing between a 330e and a Prius Prime or other hybrid/phev. BMW came up with a great entry into the PHEV space.

(And yes... I know... if you routinely need to carry 2-3 medium/large suitcases, then the 330e may not be for you. But I travel a lot (100+ nights/year), and routinely travel with a large suitcase, a carry-on suitcase, and a briefcase. I have no problem fitting what I need in the trunk. Additionally, if you routinely travel 400+ miles in a single stretch, and don't like to stop for restroom/drink/refueling breaks -- then the extra range in the 330i might be important to you.)

[jcl78]

A calculator for MPGe / PHEV usage would definitely be a great tool. There is one located here:

https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find...on=phev1Prompt

the 330e is listed under 2022, they don't have the LCI in there yet, but should be very similar. It may not have all the features, but could be a good tool to figure this out a bit. There is an advanced mode to it as well.

Like you, I was looking for PHEVs, I drove the 330i more out of curiosity than anything. My requirement was AWD, and that is fairly limiting, as the Prius Prime is currently FWD only. That put me in the Volvo S60 / Volvo PHEV SUVs / RAV4 Prime / Mitsu Outlander / Kia, Hyundai PHEVs / and the new Mazda CX90 category. The RAV4 is commanding ridiculous markups still, and are impossible to find, the Mitsu / Kia / Hyundai's are not my bag, and the CX90 is too new, and fairly ugly to my eyes.

We drove an S60 recharge, and wow that car is disjointed in many ways. The driving experience is jerky / the fit and finish is sub par, and it would have been pricier. I have always loved sedans, my wife has always been a BMW fan, but I became a believer after the test drive. The 330e definitely spoiled all other options for us, and we custom ordered after a few days of deliberation.