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2019+ BMW 3 AND 4-SERIES FORUMS (G2x Generation) General G20 Sedan / G22 Coupe / G26 Gran Coupe Discussions 330e real world gas mileage

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      10-14-2022, 08:39 PM   #1
Norra Norra
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330e real world gas mileage

Just got back from a round trip to Jacksonville from South Florida. Just over 300 miles each way. The way there I averaged 41.3 mpg pretty much all highway. I started with 16mi of electric range and ended with 11 so a few miles were electric. The way home I averaged 38.8 mpg but started and ended with no electric range so that’s probably a more realistic estimate of the b48’s efficiency. Average speeds were 78-82mph (this is normal in this area), so I wasn’t hypermiling or trying to save fuel. There is only about 700 miles on the gas engine so it may still be breaking in. I can’t really comment on the city fuel economy of the gas engine, nearly all those miles are electric. Florida is pancake flat so that helps a lot but I did have the ac blasting the whole way. I had 91 octane on the way there and 87 on the way back so that might also have created a small difference. Hope that helps, I’m really impressed with the 330e. I topped it off with gas and charge and the combined range is currently showing 395 miles. I’ve had no issues with the small 10.6g gas tank.

Last edited by Norra Norra; 10-14-2022 at 09:44 PM..
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      10-14-2022, 09:07 PM   #2
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Thanks for this!!

Question: were you at all intentional in doing the first runs with ICE only, in order to give the engine a chance to have some break-in cycles? I’m wondering if there’s good reason to avoid EV only for the first few runs so the ICE doesn’t flip on from cold while going 65 mph down the highway.

(I don’t know if my question even makes sense.)
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      10-14-2022, 09:42 PM   #3
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I was in eco pro which usually runs pure EV in town. I had to run to the dry cleaners before I hit the road so a few of the first miles happened to be EV. Wasn’t anything intended. I never really thought about the implications of cold engines firing up at speed, but that seems more like an issue for engines using non synthetic oil at really cold temps. Definitely not an issue in Florida at least.
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      10-15-2022, 05:04 AM   #4
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A 330e only makes sense if you do a lot of city traffic (and charge it). The 330i has a similar fuel consumption on long distance. In september we did 870km on 5.9 l/100 km. (39.8 US MPG). Speed was between 120 and 160 km/h on German autobahn.
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      10-15-2022, 06:54 AM   #5
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I get similar mileage on long trips, usually about 37 mpg. The 330e doesn't do that great in the city on a charge. Stop & go, or low speeds with traffic lights and/or stop signs really eat through a charge quick. I've found its best electric range is on 45-55 mph free-flowing drives.

I've put 6,100 mi on my 330e since June 15th.
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      10-15-2022, 07:02 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StevenDS85 View Post
A 330e only makes sense if you do a lot of city traffic (and charge it). The 330i has a similar fuel consumption on long distance. In september we did 870km on 5.9 l/100 km. (39.8 US MPG). Speed was between 120 and 160 km/h on German autobahn.
This is really true for all PHEVs -- the economics of packing the batteries and electric motor and drivetrain components makes it pretty difficult to excel at everything. Not everyone will be happy with a PHEV. There are so few PHEV sedans on the market, because manufacturers can't make it all fit and provide everything that consumers demand. (This is why nearly all manufacturers have migrated their PHEV efforts toward crossovers and SUVs -- there's just more space to pack the extra components.)

If my 330e mileage can be comparable to the 330i on a long road trip (and it sounds like it can), then I consider it a win for us. The mid-range and around town/city trips will all be significantly better. While some people would be put off by the 10.6 gallon tank -- we would never drive 350-400 miles without stopping for a break anyway.

We both work from home, are a one car family, and often use work-paid rental cars for trips over 400 miles.

We will consider our car to essentially be three cars:
  • An EV for around town/errands/going out to eat. Nearly everything we need is within a 10 mile radius (22 mile round trip) of our home.
  • A super-hybrid for those mid-range trips to the city/airport/ball game/special event (trips between 30-100 miles)
  • A pretty nice (albeit slightly heavy) ICE with pretty good mileage for trips over 250 miles.

We do most of our driving in the first two categories.

We currently drive a 2013 Hyundai Elantra coupe with pretty decent mileage (36-38mpg on long trips). I expect the 330e will match or beat that on long trips, and be a great improvement on the around town and mid-range trips.

Besides -- it was between this and a Prius Prime. I'm pretty sure we can all agree which one will be more fun to drive....
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      10-15-2022, 11:42 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StevenDS85 View Post
A 330e only makes sense if you do a lot of city traffic (and charge it). The 330i has a similar fuel consumption on long distance. In september we did 870km on 5.9 l/100 km. (39.8 US MPG). Speed was between 120 and 160 km/h on German autobahn.
Quote:
Originally Posted by StevenDS85 View Post
A 330e only makes sense if you do a lot of city traffic (and charge it). The 330i has a similar fuel consumption on long distance. In september we did 870km on 5.9 l/100 km. (39.8 US MPG). Speed was between 120 and 160 km/h on German autobahn.
Wow! Nearly 40 MPG w the 330i?! Impressive!
My 2019 330i gets about 35-36 MPG on highways… wonder if there's a difference in models (I'm US California-based) that explains the difference in performance?
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      10-15-2022, 12:23 PM   #8
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Two pictures of long distance travel with 330i (on 19 inch wheels).

In the first picture you can see sport + where we reached up to 235 km/h to have some fun just before entering Austria. That screwed up the excellent fuel consumtion a bit.
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Last edited by StevenDS85; 10-15-2022 at 12:38 PM.. Reason: Extra info
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      10-15-2022, 12:38 PM   #9
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Yeah my 2021 G20 330i iDrive shows 42-46mpg on freeway driving too, real mpg@pump is around 10% less.
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      10-15-2022, 06:58 PM   #10
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I wasn't trying to make this a 330i vs 330e thread but since it was brought up, I really don't see the point of the 330i. From a cost perspective the plug in was only a 1k option in the US, that's insane. Other OEMs charge a 10-15% premium for the plug in model. And if you qualify for the tax incentive it was $4,800 or so less. I'm not exactly sure how the rebates work for 2023 but many will still be eligible. And you get the same engine which can be unlocked with a tune (post warranty of course).

For city use and short trips there is no contest on economy. Even after my recent road trip, 60% of my miles were full EV. My kw/mi cost is about 1/4 expense of burning gas. And they are pretty close on highway consumption. I think the detuned b48 mostly makes up for the added weight of the hybrid system assuming you aren't using the battery charge feature when driving.

Plus there are some extra benefits to plug ins- namely HOV access in some states, reserved parking, often with free charging in many locations. Less wear and tear on the engine components. Oh and you are reducing CO2 emissions.

Are there any downsides? The brake feel is a bit weird. Some extra whirring noise here and there. Slightly smaller trunk. The extra weight is like having two fat friends in the rear seats. But I'm being really picky, it drives very much like a normal 3 series, most people would have no idea. The 330e is a terrific half step towards a full EV.
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      10-15-2022, 10:17 PM   #11
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Hi guys my 330e is coming in and the electric range is 22 miles and my commute will be 16 miles. I am planning to charge this every day. Will I be able to avoid filling gas for a while and when the electric battery mileage is used up, do you guys stay on hybrid to maximize mpg?
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      10-16-2022, 12:33 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Norra Norra View Post
I wasn't trying to make this a 330i vs 330e thread but since it was brought up, I really don't see the point of the 330i. From a cost perspective the plug in was only a 1k option in the US, that's insane. Other OEMs charge a 10-15% premium for the plug in model. And if you qualify for the tax incentive it was $4,800 or so less. I'm not exactly sure how the rebates work for 2023 but many will still be eligible. And you get the same engine which can be unlocked with a tune (post warranty of course).

For city use and short trips there is no contest on economy. Even after my recent road trip, 60% of my miles were full EV. My kw/mi cost is about 1/4 expense of burning gas. And they are pretty close on highway consumption. I think the detuned b48 mostly makes up for the added weight of the hybrid system assuming you aren't using the battery charge feature when driving.

Plus there are some extra benefits to plug ins- namely HOV access in some states, reserved parking, often with free charging in many locations. Less wear and tear on the engine components. Oh and you are reducing CO2 emissions.

Are there any downsides? The brake feel is a bit weird. Some extra whirring noise here and there. Slightly smaller trunk. The extra weight is like having two fat friends in the rear seats. But I'm being really picky, it drives very much like a normal 3 series, most people would have no idea. The 330e is a terrific half step towards a full EV.
You and I are on same page about 330e. Those who constantly nitpicking on few disadvantages of 330e, such as slightly smaller trunk space and smaller gas tank, just don't seeing the full picture.

How many times you completely fill up your trunk space on a sedan? And you really want to drive non-stop for over 300 miles without ever stopping for gas/snack break? If 330e is thousands dollars more expensive than 330i, maybe I would reconsider buying 330e. But they have nearly identical price BEFORE the federal tax rebate! To me, it was no brainer and I'm still quite surprised 330e is not such high demand.

Instead they should concentrate on the major advantages of 330e. First, obviously the huge MPG advantages in city driving if you regularly charge your vehicle. Second, $5k~$7k tax break, in fact 330e is one of very few cars that still qualifies under the new law. Third, carpool sticker and free EV-reserved premium parking spots on many busy shopping malls and etc. Fourth, helps reduce CO2 even if it's not a huge amount. Finally, based on my testing driving of both cars, 330e feels much FASTER off the line especially if you use the XtraBoost. I don't care if their official 0-60mph numbers are identical. To me and my wife, 330e definitely feels much faster. And many people do the quick & easy software upgrade to unlock the more HP to 350~400 range, which 330i is not possible with the same money.

I think most people still see PHEV cars as boring Prius-like vehicle while 330e is a genuine German-engineered performance sedan that can do 25~30miles pure EV and achieve ~40 MPG, and still can outperform most other sporty cars, all under ~$40k if you don't go crazy with options and get the federal/state tax breaks.

Also I would NEVER switch 100% to EV cars. I'll always have at least one regular gas car or PHEV such as 330e. I don't have full confidence that our EV infrastructure will be always up and running in case of natural and man-made disasters (such as war or major social unrest). We don't know what will or can happen in near future, but having access to both EV and gasoline is a huge advantage. Just imagine the lines at EV charging stations if majority of populations need to evacuate for whatever reasons...
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      10-17-2022, 02:43 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Norra Norra View Post
I wasn't trying to make this a 330i vs 330e thread but since it was brought up, I really don't see the point of the 330i. From a cost perspective the plug in was only a 1k option in the US, that's insane. Other OEMs charge a 10-15% premium for the plug in model. And if you qualify for the tax incentive it was $4,800 or so less. I'm not exactly sure how the rebates work for 2023 but many will still be eligible. And you get the same engine which can be unlocked with a tune (post warranty of course).
I am surprised by the city/highway mpg's of 330e reported on this thread, those are much better than EPA numbers.

I did test drive the 330e, and it felt heavy at the corner, and its 48.6/51.4 rear bias didn't help. I also played around with electric-only, but 0-60 was like 10+ seconds, so I had to put it in boost to get similar performance to 330i. The reduced trunk space was inconvenient but bearable for our household needs.

Another unknown is how reliable is BMW's hybrid platform, e.g. ICE does kick in when needed without warmup, right? That may not be good for the engine. And an aftermarket tune can further stress the cold engine when the car switches on ICE.
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      10-17-2022, 11:05 AM   #14
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Get 40mpg+ on highway drives, relatively clear central California highways,
25-30 mixed urban driving.
20% better than my previous 328i
Impressive for such a big car.
Would have gotten 330e if they didn't suck up so much of the trunk space with the battery.
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      10-17-2022, 12:58 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Galex999 View Post
How many times you completely fill up your trunk space on a sedan? And you really want to drive non-stop for over 300 miles without ever stopping for gas/snack break? If 330e is thousands dollars more expensive than 330i, maybe I would reconsider buying 330e. But they have nearly identical price BEFORE the federal tax rebate! To me, it was no brainer and I'm still quite surprised 330e is not such high demand.
I do fold-down rear seats on and off to move big screen TVs and misc. stuff, and G20 330i trunk is not that big for 4 passengers + luggage on road trips, and 330e trunk is somewhat inadequate for that task.

And 500-600 miles of range means u don't need to trade off fuel/charge stops vs. scenic stops.
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      10-17-2022, 04:28 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Galex999 View Post
You and I are on same page about 330e. Those who constantly nitpicking on few disadvantages of 330e, such as slightly smaller trunk space and smaller gas tank, just don't seeing the full picture.

Also I would NEVER switch 100% to EV cars. I'll always have at least one regular gas car or PHEV such as 330e. I don't have full confidence that our EV infrastructure will be always up and running in case of natural and man-made disasters (such as war or major social unrest). We don't know what will or can happen in near future, but having access to both EV and gasoline is a huge advantage. Just imagine the lines at EV charging stations if majority of populations need to evacuate for whatever reasons...
To be fair, those issues with infrastructure still are applicable to gasoline as well. If you had a bunch of jerry cans filled with gas, you'd be better off, but gas can still go bad and would remain in short supply if something significant occurred.

The ranges people are seeing with the 330i/e are great. We ordered the "e" because my commute is short enough to be just electric, and if my wife drives, she would be like half a gallon a day. The overall value proposition is enhanced with the tax credit, making the E cheaper initially and in the long run for our needs. The trunk size wasn't an issue in our decision, but we also have a Jeep GCL for when we need more cargo space.
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      10-17-2022, 08:24 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SLO-Flat4 View Post

The ranges people are seeing with the 330i/e are great. We ordered the "e" because my commute is short enough to be just electric, and if my wife drives, she would be like half a gallon a day. The overall value proposition is enhanced with the tax credit, making the E cheaper initially and in the long run for our needs. The trunk size wasn't an issue in our decision, but we also have a Jeep GCL for when we need more cargo space.
In the same boat with a GCL if we need more room or longer range for long trips. And I have a supercharged Z06 if I need to go fast or really hit the twisty country roads. The 330e fits the bill very nicely as a DD/commuter.
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      10-17-2022, 09:58 PM   #18
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This clip shows that the G20 330e goes 0-30mph in 4 seconds, while the 330i can do the same in 2 seconds.

330e EV-only 110HP is not quite sufficient for DD starting from a stop and/or merging with almost 4100lb, right?

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      10-17-2022, 10:36 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bavarianride View Post

330e EV-only 110HP is not quite sufficient for DD starting from a stop and/or merging with almost 4100lb, right?

I can tell you that video is bogus. The car accelerates much more quickly than that driver does in the video. I drive every day in EV only mode & have no issues accelerating from a stop not merging & getting up to speed. Tbh it's very easy to unknowingly exceed the speed limit when accelerating because in EV mode you have instant torque.

"The electric motor's instant low-end torque can easily overpower the rear wheels, making them spin nonstop." We found the XtraBoost setting (which unleashes the full 288 horses) didn't make a difference in the 0-60 runs, but using the Individual drive mode to select a softer suspension setting did.
Once we had this methodology down pat—hold the revs at 1,700, release the brake, and gradually apply the accelerator while feeling for traction—we got our best launch. With the numbers totted up, the 2021 BMW 330e made it to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds. For those keeping score, that's 0.4 second quicker than the 330i M Sport we tested last year. It's also quite a bit better than BMW's own official claim of 0-62 mph in 5.9 seconds." - https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2...st-review/amp/
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      10-17-2022, 11:19 PM   #20
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Do note the MT article uses hybrid(EV + ICE) instead of pure EV-only mode.

In EV-only mode, G20 330e's electric motor only has 110HP, and the clip in post#18 shows how 330e accelerates while pulling almost 4100lb with 110HP(10+ seconds 0-60 is consistent with my experience too).

Quote:
Originally Posted by JABCAT View Post
I can tell you that video is bogus. The car accelerates much more quickly than that driver does in the video. I drive every day in EV only mode & have no issues accelerating from a stop not merging & getting up to speed. Tbh it's very easy to unknowingly exceed the speed limit when accelerating because in EV mode you have instant torque.

"The electric motor's instant low-end torque can easily overpower the rear wheels, making them spin nonstop." We found the XtraBoost setting (which unleashes the full 288 horses) didn't make a difference in the 0-60 runs, but using the Individual drive mode to select a softer suspension setting did.
Once we had this methodology down pat—hold the revs at 1,700, release the brake, and gradually apply the accelerator while feeling for traction—we got our best launch. With the numbers totted up, the 2021 BMW 330e made it to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds. For those keeping score, that's 0.4 second quicker than the 330i M Sport we tested last year. It's also quite a bit better than BMW's own official claim of 0-62 mph in 5.9 seconds." - https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2...st-review/amp/
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      10-18-2022, 12:32 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Galex999 View Post
You and I are on same page about 330e. Those who constantly nitpicking on few disadvantages of 330e, such as slightly smaller trunk space and smaller gas tank, just don't seeing the full picture.

How many times you completely fill up your trunk space on a sedan? And you really want to drive non-stop for over 300 miles without ever stopping for gas/snack break? If 330e is thousands dollars more expensive than 330i, maybe I would reconsider buying 330e. But they have nearly identical price BEFORE the federal tax rebate! To me, it was no brainer and I'm still quite surprised 330e is not such high demand.

Instead they should concentrate on the major advantages of 330e. First, obviously the huge MPG advantages in city driving if you regularly charge your vehicle. Second, $5k~$7k tax break, in fact 330e is one of very few cars that still qualifies under the new law. Third, carpool sticker and free EV-reserved premium parking spots on many busy shopping malls and etc. Fourth, helps reduce CO2 even if it's not a huge amount. Finally, based on my testing driving of both cars, 330e feels much FASTER off the line especially if you use the XtraBoost. I don't care if their official 0-60mph numbers are identical. To me and my wife, 330e definitely feels much faster. And many people do the quick & easy software upgrade to unlock the more HP to 350~400 range, which 330i is not possible with the same money.

I think most people still see PHEV cars as boring Prius-like vehicle while 330e is a genuine German-engineered performance sedan that can do 25~30miles pure EV and achieve ~40 MPG, and still can outperform most other sporty cars, all under ~$40k if you don't go crazy with options and get the federal/state tax breaks.

Also I would NEVER switch 100% to EV cars. I'll always have at least one regular gas car or PHEV such as 330e. I don't have full confidence that our EV infrastructure will be always up and running in case of natural and man-made disasters (such as war or major social unrest). We don't know what will or can happen in near future, but having access to both EV and gasoline is a huge advantage. Just imagine the lines at EV charging stations if majority of populations need to evacuate for whatever reasons...
I specifically picked the 330i over the 330e because it does not have hybrid drive. I'm averaging 28k miles a year driving to/from work. Most hybrid batteries have a lifespan of 120-150k miles. That means I'd have a high chance of doing a battery change within the next 4-5 years, which is not acceptable for me. If I was putting 10K miles a year on my car, it would be a different story....... but I'm not.

As for my 330i, I average 36-37mpg driving 80% highway / 20% city. I'm a pretty aggressive driver too, so this mpg has far exceeded my expectations. I'm not surprised the 330e exceeds it's EPA data too given how my BMW drives.
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      10-18-2022, 09:34 AM   #22
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What you say about the lifespan of the battery was not something I considered.

I really wanted to get a 330e because of the tax credit.

But For me, the gas tank in the 330e was just way too small. I can overlook the trunk being tiny, but I can't overlook a 10 gallon gas tank on a car that only has about a 20 mile electric range (which is kind of meaningless to me unless I only drive local and remember to plug it in every time I get home, which I wouldn't.)

Here in the Northeast, there are still not many chargers on the road. Probably won't be for several years. The 330E will require many more gas station stops during the life of the car as I travel long distance.

There are not many cars produced in this world with only a 10 gallon gas tank. Even the small Toyota Prius has a bigger gas tank! BMW should have figured out a way to make the tank close to the standard 16 gallons like the regular 3 series or the Volvo S60 recharge.

I mean 10 gallons of gas is not a lot, and it's not like 20-25 miles of electric range on a long trip is very significant. On a long trip the 20-25 miles of electric range is maybe equivalent to a 1/2 gallon of gas. Still, the 330/340 has several hundred more miles of range.

If the 330e car had say 75-100 miles of range, maybe I (based on my needs) could overlook a 10 gallon tank.

So for me, given that the 330 and 340 already have decent mileage, I did not think the 330e made sense because of all the trunk space lost and the 10 gallon gas tank. I drive family to the airport a lot, and that trunk will not take more than 2 small pieces and I would be left with the back seat passengers with luggage on their laps. The 330e trunk is not "slightly" smaller, it is much smaller. 4 cubic feet more of trunk space in the 330/340 is a huge amount of space.

even if you don't need a regular sized trunk often, for those few times you do, the 330e will leave you stuffing your back seat with stuff.

I guess if I only did short local driving and didn't need a decent sized trunk, and wanted the tax credit (if it is still available on foreign cars) then maybe the 330e works. but on a long drive, the extra few hundred miles of range of the regular 330/340 is a huge, huge factor, unless I enjoyed pulling into gas stations much more often, which I don't.

so for me, even with the tax credit, and even if the 330e was the same price as the 330/340, it does not work. anyway, it's all a matter of personal needs.
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