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2019+ BMW 3 AND 4-SERIES FORUMS (G2x Generation) Photos / Videos / Journals Road trip review of the 330e - Unparalleled efficiency

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      08-03-2020, 03:52 PM   #1
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Last week, I had the opportunity to have a proper road trip over the mountains in Norway, and I thought it'd be interesting to share my experience for those who are considering the 330e as their next ride, or for those who haven't had the opportunity to do so yet.

The crew:

I travelled together with my wife and my kid, plus a friend and his kid. This means the car was totally packed full of people and the trunk full of things and bags (which makes me want even more the 330e Touring, but that's gonna have to wait).

Anyway, the bottom-line is the car was packed full and heavy.

The specs that matter:

Adaptive M suspension: Running on 18's run-flats and the ride was superb. The car was very quite (check the video below, which was filmed at about 80Kms/H) and very comfortable for all passengers. The car absorbs bumps and holes very well, and it's just super comfortable.

Adaptive Drive: The car did a great job at switching between battery and gasoline based on the road, speed limits and so on. Just great.

Adaptive Laser Headlights: A must-have for everyone driving in dark areas where animals can become a hazard. The mountains I was driving on where full of sheep, cows, reindeer, and moose, so laser lights are absolutely a security feature above all.

Here there's a video I captured of the adaptive laser headlights highlighting it's superior and magnificent lightning capabilities. Pay attention at around 1:13, where one can see that the car is illuminating a truck that is way ahead, beyond a curve, parked by the road.




The efficiency

This is what surprised me the most. I charge the batteries every day, and I'm used to driving in electric mode and seeing the car deliver between 40-50 Kms of range when driving in pure electric (summer).

The question is, and what happens when the battery is depleted?

Well, in this trip I learned that what happens is that the car will freaking magically recharge from nothing and everything, and it'll deliver km after km of pure electric driving. More specifically, after starting with 0Kms of battery on the dashboard, and after having driven more than 500 Kms, more than a 180 of those were driven in pure electric mode, for a reported consumption of 17.5Kms/l.

Some of the magic comes from quite a lot of downhill driving (at some point, after a long drive down along Trollstigen, I was at almost 50% battery, even though I started the trip at 0%) . However, there was a lot of uphill as well; and remember, I was driving a fully packed car.

Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of that (sorry!), but I can assure you that was what I saw reported by iDrive. I was totally in awe.


Here you can see a few pics from the trip, including a panoramic view over Geiranger fjord and a close encounter with an M3 on the ferry


UPDATE:

Added some efficiency numbers from a different trip. 900Kms roundtrip. The values in the screenshots correspond to starting the trips with a full battery, and using Dynamic mode all the way. The trip included driving up a mountain, reaching 1250 meters over sea level, and lots of 40-80Km/H zones. On the way back, I also used Sport Mode in some short areas, mostly for overtaking other cars.
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Last edited by eddiehaug; 06-03-2021 at 02:42 PM.. Reason: Added new info on efficiency
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      08-03-2020, 11:52 PM   #2
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Beautiful car, beautiful country... thanks for the great review on the 330e.. I once drove from Bergen to Sunddalsora.. via Geiranger... in a E91.. stunning scenery!! Every corner is a real life post card! A must do on anybody’s lifetime bucket list... Drive Norway!! It’s got to be one of the best road trips in the world!! I’d love to come back again with my new G21... but not sure if Norway will let me in with a diesel car?
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      08-04-2020, 03:01 AM   #3
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Thanks for sharing! cant wait to get my 330e touring! just another 2-3 months more of waiting..
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      08-04-2020, 07:39 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ndroy2006 View Post
Beautiful car, beautiful country... thanks for the great review on the 330e.. I once drove from Bergen to Sunddalsora.. via Geiranger... in a E91.. stunning scenery!! Every corner is a real life post card! A must do on anybody’s lifetime bucket list... Drive Norway!! It’s got to be one of the best road trips in the world!! I’d love to come back again with my new G21... but not sure if Norway will let me in with a diesel car?
Hahaha.. You better hurry up while you still can!


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Originally Posted by Fiskk View Post
Thanks for sharing! cant wait to get my 330e touring! just another 2-3 months more of waiting..
I envy you already! I wanted that one as well, but I would've had to wait for a whole year, so it'll have to be next time
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      08-14-2020, 07:14 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eddiehaug View Post
Well, in this trip I learned that what happens is that the car will freaking magically recharge from nothing and everything, and it'll deliver km after km of pure electric driving. More specifically, after starting with 0Kms of battery on the dashboard, and after having driven more than 500 Kms, more than a 180 of those were driven in pure electric mode, for a reported consumption of 17.5Kms/l.
That's awesome! What mode did you drive in? Hybrid or Hybrid Eco Pro? When you said it regenerated some electric, did you put it into battery control mode at all or you left it in hybrid?

How many kilometres were you able to drive before you had to refuel your petrol tank given you started at 0% battery charge?
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      08-14-2020, 02:34 PM   #6
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Thanks for sharing the Trip and review of your 330e. Norway and Nordics in general definitely are worth á roadtrip vacation telling from your pictures.

Any other feature you enjoy in particular?
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      08-16-2020, 02:30 AM   #7
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Very interesting read! I’ve been using mine a week now and been getting mid 50s MPG. I charge every night and travel varying distances per day between 100 and 200 miles.
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      08-18-2020, 05:03 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ryanm7 View Post
That's awesome! What mode did you drive in? Hybrid or Hybrid Eco Pro? When you said it regenerated some electric, did you put it into battery control mode at all or you left it in hybrid?

How many kilometres were you able to drive before you had to refuel your petrol tank given you started at 0% battery charge?

I drove in adaptive mode and no, I didn't activate the battery control, it didn't make sense since I was anyway using and regenerating all the time. The car would switch to gas by itself depending on the conditions anyway.

I'm not sure how many KMs because I refuelled before I actually needed it, since I was in an area that had very few gas stations, so I tried to keep the tank with enough gas as to feel sure of that I wouldn't be in trouble. The fuel economy was what I posted above though, so that gives you an indication.

Anyway, I was driving in an area with a lot of up and downhills, in the mountains, so that had both positive and negative effects on the overall economy.


Quote:
Originally Posted by [/:\] GP9000 View Post
Thanks for sharing the Trip and review of your 330e. Norway and Nordics in general definitely are worth á roadtrip vacation telling from your pictures.

Any other feature you enjoy in particular?
Well, to be honest, I love everything about this car. Being able to use the cruise control and let the car drive by itself is actually quite nice for long trips, at least for the highway areas. Also the fact that is so quite helps relax a lot, especially when you want to just enjoy some music.

The TTI system is very useful as well, and the map, which is the biggest flaw in iDrive 7, did a good job getting us to the right destinations.

I know this car doesn't have the performance of a 330i or the 340i, but it's responsive and has more than enough power 99% of the time.

One thing I love as well is the heated steering wheel. It really is very nice to be able to turn it on and getting your hands warm in no time.

Honestly, I'm yet to find an option that I'd consider redundant. I think I use every single one of them depending on the occasion.
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Last edited by eddiehaug; 06-03-2021 at 03:04 PM..
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      08-21-2020, 04:05 AM   #9
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Is it blue or is it grey?
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      09-25-2020, 05:01 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by cmrosado1 View Post
Is it blue or is it grey?
Mineral grey
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      10-19-2020, 05:36 AM   #11
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"I drove in adaptive mode and no, I didn't activate the battery control, it didn't make sense since I was anyway using and regenerating all the time. The car would switch to gas by itself depending on the conditions anyway."

+1 For Adaptive Hybrid mode. Pressing the Adaptive button after exhausting the battery makes for a VERY efficient trip.
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      11-03-2020, 03:28 AM   #12
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Thanks for the great trip report.
I'm waiting eagerly (and impatiently) for my 330e touring that's supposed to be delivered on the 20th November, barring any corona issues with delivery.

Going to start with a 5 hour road trip, as I'm picking up the car in a different part of the country from where I live, due to getting a very good price (the road trip is a bonus ).

In regards to your post, I'm considering doing a road trip to Norway, see some Fjords and mountains. What time of year would you recommend for doing that?
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      11-03-2020, 08:20 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Torandi View Post
Thanks for the great trip report.
I'm waiting eagerly (and impatiently) for my 330e touring that's supposed to be delivered on the 20th November, barring any corona issues with delivery.

Going to start with a 5 hour road trip, as I'm picking up the car in a different part of the country from where I live, due to getting a very good price (the road trip is a bonus ).

In regards to your post, I'm considering doing a road trip to Norway, see some Fjords and mountains. What time of year would you recommend for doing that?

Congrats! I'm also changing mine for a Touring being produced this week. I hope to get get in the first half of December

If you have xDrive, you can come anytime You know, in the winter you can enjoy skiing in the mountains, while in the summer you can enjoy the beautiful fjords and nature. Extra bonus if you're up for doing some trekking or taking long walking/hiking tours on the mountains.

Having xDrive in the winter is not a must anyway, but it may help in some situations, basically the same as in Sweeden. You can drive up to the ski resorts with any kind of car, most days at least.
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      11-03-2020, 04:07 PM   #14
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In the winter you’ll need good headlights. I drove Oslo-Trondheim last week with my new 330e and the adaptive LEDs is a minimum requirement with the 330e in case a moose strays onto the road. I have those and am very happy with them. I didn’t spec the lasers. The car is really great on twisting Norwegian roads, and the adaptive susp did a good job.
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      11-04-2020, 06:40 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eddiehaug View Post
Congrats! I'm also changing mine for a Touring being produced this week. I hope to get get in the first half of December

If you have xDrive, you can come anytime You know, in the winter you can enjoy skiing in the mountains, while in the summer you can enjoy the beautiful fjords and nature. Extra bonus if you're up for doing some trekking or taking long walking/hiking tours on the mountains.

Having xDrive in the winter is not a must anyway, but it may help in some situations, basically the same as in Sweeden. You can drive up to the ski resorts with any kind of car, most days at least.
Yeah, went with xDrive for that reason, nice to have for the yearly trip up north.

Probably going for a spring trip to Norway, Trollstigen looks fun to drive, and that seems to be at least partially closed from middle of October to around May from what I can see. For my winter trip I'll probably just go somewhere in Sweden for cross country skiing
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      11-10-2020, 09:42 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ndroy2006 View Post
Beautiful car, beautiful country... thanks for the great review on the 330e.. I once drove from Bergen to Sunddalsora.. via Geiranger... in a E91.. stunning scenery!! Every corner is a real life post card! A must do on anybody's lifetime bucket list... Drive Norway!! It's got to be one of the best road trips in the world!! I'd love to come back again with my new G21... but not sure if Norway will let me in with a diesel car?
Norway banned diesel car alrdy?
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      11-10-2020, 09:43 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jackaleyess View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by ndroy2006 View Post
Beautiful car, beautiful country... thanks for the great review on the 330e.. I once drove from Bergen to Sunddalsora.. via Geiranger... in a E91.. stunning scenery!! Every corner is a real life post card! A must do on anybody's lifetime bucket list... Drive Norway!! It's got to be one of the best road trips in the world!! I'd love to come back again with my new G21... but not sure if Norway will let me in with a diesel car?
Norway banned diesel car alrdy?
If politicians get away with their plan, from 2025 only emission-free new cars will be sold here.
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      11-10-2020, 10:44 AM   #18
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Do you find trunk space adequate or still wish for more vs petrol?
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      11-10-2020, 11:30 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eddiehaug View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by ryanm7 View Post
That's awesome! What mode did you drive in? Hybrid or Hybrid Eco Pro? When you said it regenerated some electric, did you put it into battery control mode at all or you left it in hybrid?

How many kilometres were you able to drive before you had to refuel your petrol tank given you started at 0% battery charge?

I drove in adaptive mode and no, I didn't activate the battery control, it didn't make sense since I was anyway using and regenerating all the time. The car would switch to gas by itself depending on the conditions anyway.

I'm not sure how many KMs because I refuelled before I actually needed it, since I was in an area that had very few gas stations, so I tried to keep the tank with enough gas as to feel sure of that I wouldn't be in trouble. The fuel economy was what I posted above though, so that gives you an indication.

Anyway, I was driving in an area with a lot of up and downhills, in the mountains, so that had both positive and negative effects on the overall economy.


Quote:
Originally Posted by '[/:\
GP9000;26564241']Thanks for sharing the Trip and review of your 330e. Norway and Nordics in general definitely are worth á roadtrip vacation telling from your pictures.

Any other feature you enjoy in particular?
Well, to be honest, I love everything about this car. Being able to use the cruise control and let the car drive by itself is actually quite nice for long trips, at least for the highway areas. Also the fact that is so quite, helps relax a lot, especially when you want to just enjoy some music.

The TTI system is very useful as well, and the map, which is the biggest flaw in iDrive 7, did a good job getting us to the right destinations.

I know this car doesn't have the performance of a 330i or the 340i, but it's responsive and has more than enough power 99% of the time.

One thing I love as well is the heated steering wheel. It really is very nice to be able to turn it on and getting your hands warm in no time.

Honestly, I'm yet to find an option that I'd consider redundant. I think I use every single one of them depending on the occasion.
What's the flaw with the map?
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      11-10-2020, 11:41 AM   #20
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Do you find trunk space adequate or still wish for more vs petrol?
It's OK for the most part, at least for me. I almost never need to carry so much stuff. I'm gonna change the car for a Touring one now though, just because the Touring allows to carry taller things in the cargo area, but it's not much bigger than the Sedan version really.
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      11-10-2020, 11:45 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DeeKay View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by eddiehaug View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by ryanm7 View Post
That's awesome! What mode did you drive in? Hybrid or Hybrid Eco Pro? When you said it regenerated some electric, did you put it into battery control mode at all or you left it in hybrid?

How many kilometres were you able to drive before you had to refuel your petrol tank given you started at 0% battery charge?

I drove in adaptive mode and no, I didn't activate the battery control, it didn't make sense since I was anyway using and regenerating all the time. The car would switch to gas by itself depending on the conditions anyway.

I'm not sure how many KMs because I refuelled before I actually needed it, since I was in an area that had very few gas stations, so I tried to keep the tank with enough gas as to feel sure of that I wouldn't be in trouble. The fuel economy was what I posted above though, so that gives you an indication.

Anyway, I was driving in an area with a lot of up and downhills, in the mountains, so that had both positive and negative effects on the overall economy.


Quote:
Originally Posted by '[/:\
GP9000;26564241']Thanks for sharing the Trip and review of your 330e. Norway and Nordics in general definitely are worth á roadtrip vacation telling from your pictures.

Any other feature you enjoy in particular?
Well, to be honest, I love everything about this car. Being able to use the cruise control and let the car drive by itself is actually quite nice for long trips, at least for the highway areas. Also the fact that is so quite, helps relax a lot, especially when you want to just enjoy some music.

The TTI system is very useful as well, and the map, which is the biggest flaw in iDrive 7, did a good job getting us to the right destinations.

I know this car doesn't have the performance of a 330i or the 340i, but it's responsive and has more than enough power 99% of the time.

One thing I love as well is the heated steering wheel. It really is very nice to be able to turn it on and getting your hands warm in no time.

Honestly, I'm yet to find an option that I'd consider redundant. I think I use every single one of them depending on the occasion.
What's the flaw with the map?
I've had a lot of issues with the map/nav being inaccurate, taking me through completely stupid or closed roads. It also takes ages to update the map, even if you update the software every quarter.

I've been waiting more than half a year already for Here to update the map and show that a tunnel nearby where I live is open again. New roads take ages to be added, etc. Google Maps is a lot better.
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      11-10-2020, 12:06 PM   #22
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Love the car, love the scenery. We honeymooned in Norway 20 years ago and I can safely say that it's one of the most beautiful over visited. the picture of Geiranger from uphill is a real classic!

Great thread, pics and review.
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