Hi Robert, I've had a 330e as a company car since July last year. Company car tax was one of the main reasons for looking for a PHEV and the 330e worked out over £200 per month cheaper than the equivalent 320d. But since running it, I'd never go back to a diesel. Couple of points to let you know. Firstly, the MPG gauge is indeed the same as BMW use in all of their "normal" cars so only reads up to 99.9mpg. However, there is a smartphone app that shows you your actual mpg. On my drive in this week to my office, a journey of about 12 miles, the petrol engine kicked in on one short fast stretch of road and it showed 565mpg for the journey. I plugged in at work and it did about the same on the return run. It also works out your fuel saving based upon the electric miles driven, so far I'm up to over 500l of fuel saved over 9000 miles. The other point is to say that this 330e is based on the current model of the 3 series, so they had to retro fit the electric gubbins in to that chassis. The new 3 series model comes out next year and there will be a full EV version, which will compete with the Tesla Model 3. I'd certainly look at the EV version as my next car. Great show, keep up the good work.
J Bishop You can, yes. There are 3 modes, Auto, EV Only and Save. Auto will allow the car to decide what source it uses, EV Only is obvious and Save keeps charge in the battery and if below 93% in Comfort setting will charge up to that point, then hold it. HTH
For people , who are not trusting EVs too much , a plug in hybrid is a fine "bridge" to the path , to understand and learn it. I believe its better for them to exist , as people get knowledge about differences of an electric motor and a petrol engine , on the same car. And its good for those skeptical people , they don't want to fully switch to electric, as they dont know if they will get stranded in the middle of the forest , as well as had never had any experience on them on a larger scale than testing it once or never at all. Then they understand that electric motor is not that boogeyman , and its really useful. I believe you shouldn't be hard on hybrids , they're like the teachers of both worlds. I believe thats still better 1000 plug in hybrids than 1000 diesel drivers who dont really know if electric vehicle is right for them at all. Its like an experimental car , I believe its like a bridge , or that helpful rock in the middle of the river to step on and get to the other side.
yah, sometimes its just not conveniant to stop to charge your vehicle mid journey.... i get about 55mpg out of my auris tourer hybrid quite easily on the motorway, more so in town...much better than my previous car, an insignia tourer cdti..
Yep, especially as a changeover technology. Having said that, make them with a range of at least 80-100km, so that they can genuinely be an 'EV' for the majority of their daily driver use. That will help people appreciate just how often they actually use fuel (not very), and whether it's worth keeping a difficult to maintain engine on hand for those odd occasions when you can't wait 30 minutes for a charge in the middle of a multi-hour road trip. Or, as will be more the case over the next few years, when you are away from convenient charging infrastructure. It's a 3500km drive to my brothers place, and I don't know if I'd like to do it with an EV unless I had plenty of time - even fuel stops can be hundreds of km's apart. I will be looking for a larger car in the next couple of years, and I doubt I'll be able to afford a Model X, so any company that can give me similar size, with near 100km of pure battery range, is going to get my hard earned.
KEvin Allen I ran a 5 Series E39 528i SE (2000/X plate double VANOS engine) for years. Parts were very reasonably priced and the car was outrageously reliable. It was written off in 2014 due to being hit from behind so hard that the floorpan was bent. I bought a 2nd user VW Passat to replace it. In two years it cost me over £5000 in repairs ON TOP OF routine maintenance and consumables. In my experience the BMW parts prices thing is something of an urban myth. Though I am led to believe that USA owners don't do as well as us European owners do.
Normally, BMW has reserved their 330 names for 3-series 3.0 liter engines... but that is no longer the case, so these days those names feel a bit strange. The 30 doesn't mean anything anymore.. this car has a 4 sylinder, 2.0 liter petrol engine. The same that you will find in a 316, 318, 320. So yes, I agree that they have to do something about how they name their cars. However, Mercedes has done the same thing with the C350e. The competitor to the 330e that BMW released before them.
No way will Lexus be able to copyright, patent or reserve a single character in the alphabet. That's not feasible. Any more than Microsoft can copyright the dictionary word 'windows' or Apple the dictionary word 'apple'
My comment was less about any legal action, but more of a satirical comment to do with naming originality, largely from a consumer perspective. Maybe they should have kept the ActiveHybrid nomenclature? Then again, the word "hybrid" has been tainted by less... "thrilling" products...
Just for the record, for those who may be interested, I took my 2019 330e for a drive through Canberra (Australia) suburbs into the country at normal traffic and highway speeds last weekend specifically to test the range on pure electric. I achieved 47.5kms before the petrol engine cut in.
@@sampsalol Yes, it's a G20, and I can assure you the 47kms (or 29 miles if you prefer) is real. With routine usage, in which I endeavour to avoid completely draining the battery, I will force it over to petrol with 10% to 15%, remaining and that is usually at about the 40km mark give or take a bit, terrain dependent.
What is it like going over Speed bumps. I owned a bmwi3 for a while and it was very harsh over rough roads and speed rams , but it had very narrow tyres.
As an owner of an X5 XDrive40e, I love this strategy BMW is taking with the cars. The torque right from zero RPM! I wish the range was slightly better rather than 15-20 miles I would love to see 30-40 miles of range. Other than that these are brilliant cars!
I don't see this channel as a car show. That is one that reviews cars to help buying one (or not of course). I see it as a news type show to keep up to date on the state of the art in tech to stay 'fully charged'; i.e., what's going on in the industry in general. From wind power and solar, to batteries, and of course cars. Maybe I got the wrong impression, but it doesn't make me all that interested in whether there's enough headroom for passengers. I don't mind if you do talk about it, but don't feel you have to on my behalf. :) I would really like to see more videos on broader topics like advances in solar, batteries, grid, and the like.
I'm getting one of these in a month or so. why? 1) I only drive 10 miles to work and can charge at both ends. So in theory I could do my whole commute on electric. 2) Company car tax savings - I currently have an Audi A3. I'll save nearly £2.5k on tax (although the government are changing this to make it less attractive soon) 3) For work i can also travel up to 300 miles a day, so pure electric doesn't work for me yet...... 4) It's a well built car with an amazing door noise! Great video BTW. Love the channel.
It's twice the price, isn't it? Also, he can definitely get it before april. Tesla... I doubt you can get one (and get it registered) in march, if you order now. And there is the catch. All cars with listed price higher then £40000 registered on or after 01.04.2017 are subject to additional tax of £310 per year for the first five years. Which means £0+£310 for EV and £140+£310 for non-electric cars (£130+£310 for hybrids).
MS P100DL £132700 with no extras. No way of getting one by April (3-4mth lead time). Good options on New Inventory cars at present though - all currently exempt from VED change in April and free supercharging for the life of the car.
The issue with the 99.9 mpg is exactly because you use mpg , if you use l/100km it makes perfect sense, if you are really into economy use km/l. It gives you a better degree of understanding what it cost you to make a certain journey.
I’ve been looking for a refresh for the 3 series but I gave up. I’m picking up my new 2018 330e i-Performance TODAY. Trading in my 2012 BMW 550i GT & my 2015 Mustang Ecoboost Premium. I wanted to consolidate to one one vehicle because I’m 20 years old and it’s literally just me. No reason to own 2 cars anymore. I maxed this new 330e out for under $60,000. Happy to find something still with a mid-5s 0-60 time and super efficient.
People like to pick on BMWs and say we should all drive light weight Asian cars, well you dont usually get beautiful door action like that on Asian produced cars. Things like that inspire you to feel a bit safer travelling in a car. I like Hyundai etc but you definitely feel its more a light weight. Each to their own preference.
Depending on your way of driving, it seems it is anywhere between 12-20 miles. The good thing is, if you run out of battery, petrol engine just kicks in and you continue your trip. If you have 20 miles( 32km) daily commute, and relatively lightfoot, charge at home (or at the job) , you might end up using only electric for a days before you will use a petrol engine. It seems to me like a good compromise.
You might have a different opinion of Plug in Hybrids if you could get behind the wheel of a 2nd generation Chevy Volt. I went from a pure electric to the Volt. With 53 miles of range (and that's a realistic number, not the exaggerated NEDC test), and having full power available in all electric mode, I literally go months at a time without using any gasoline at all. I've even taken several trips that were over 100 miles miles round-trip and made it 100% on electric because there was charging at my destination.
I'd like to see more cars with like a 100HP 1.0l 3-cylinder turbo engine with a bigger battery support and electric motor rather than a 2.0l 4 cylinder with small battery in this car
Like BMW did in the i3 with their tiny REX. Yes, that´s a great way to overcome the Lack of charging stations. At least here in Germany. Still having a backup ICE to keep the charging state would be great. But the Pricetag on the i3 REX.... All those rubbish pseudo EV´s just use the electric motor to increase the power of their ICE wich is stupid imho..
I don't get the range extender part. If your engine has to be able to sustain a certain charge level, it needs to have the power to move your whole vehicle. What am I getting wrong here?
It just provides enough to keep your batteries at the level you are. Imagine "No ICE Cities". Drive there on ICE switch to electric while in the city and back to ICE on your way home. And if you can´t reach a charging station when out of Wh, just start the ICE to get you there/home. And if you don´t need the REX you are pure electric. Best of both worlds when living in areas where the charging network is rubbish. With more charging stations around the REX obviously is useless. Till then gimme that REX.
In an ICE only car, the full power of the engine is only use a small amount of the time. In a range extender system only the the electrical part needs to deliver the bursts of power using the battery as a reservoir, and a smaller ICE can be used as only average power need to be maintained.
Hi Robert, I have to say despite your misgivings, I thought this was actually one of the best and most enjoyable car reviews I've seen for a long time. Why? Because it feels honest, genuine and unrehearsed! Very refreshing when you see all the other reviews out there, which seem so scripted and robotic, you always seem to enjoy doing these! Really great stuff and keep up the good work! :)
I think plug-in hybrids serve a very good purpose. It puts people into the habit of using a charger, either at home or at a destination. Plug-in hybrids with more than 10 mile range, I think, will ultimately help with the progression of EVs. As Robert said, once people find they rarely use the ICE in their day-to-day commute, it means the change to an EV with 200+ range will be easier and cheaper.
phevs are great.... when your business model requires drivers to use extended mileage as quickly as legally allowed (think sale reps, multidrop drivers, service personnel- like myself)...the only other choice is diesal...
0 to 60 is good for knowing if you can pull out in front of a vehicle and get up to speed in time. Where I live there is a fast road with large trucks using it, being able to sneak in front of them and not have my car covered in muck is nice. Also, pulling into a gap on a roundabout is much easier if you know the car pull away quickly. The lag when you put your foot down is the car changing to a lower gear first, if you set the gears to manual or sport this should not happen.
how does this compare to the c350e? In terms of performance and driving dynamics? And also for the transition from electric to petrol, which one is more refined?
Always enjoy your honest humble opinion when reviewing the car of the day. I haven't made the leap into a e-car yet but will shortly. Logistics with charging at work and home have to be shorted first. All the best.
They will. They have already redesigned the 3xx chassis to accomodate a full electric drivetrain (apparently to compete with the Tesla model 3). The 330e is more like a regular 320 with a bodged in electric motor.
They showed off fully electric 1-series etc. a while ago as well. I am guessing that they won't release one, apart from the already released i3, before they know it will be good enough for their standards. Redesigning a 5-series to compete against the Tesla isn't just the way to do it.. they have to make sure the car is made bottom up to actually fit that drivetrain.
I think PHEV's will be a one generation thing, in a year or two with increasing battery capacity there will be no point in having an internal combustion engine as you'll almost never need to drive beyond your batteries range. I for one will be very glad of that. I drive a Leaf and am increasingly finding that I get to a location needing to charge in order to make it home only to find a PHEV monopolising the charger. I know if they pay for Chargemaster membership then they have as much right as me to charge however if they can't charge they simply use some petrol, if I can't charge I can't get home. I can understand Ecotricity's stance of discouraging PHEV from using their network.
had one of these for work last year, loved it, shame about the mpg was only 40mpg whilst using along the A14 everyday. but I am buying one next week because it is so much fun to drive and yes on short runs the electric only option is great but the engine will kick in if you go over 40mph.
My only issue with these is a building near me which has an amazing 8 EV charging bays, but on most days 5 or 6 of those are occupied with BMW plug in hybrids which are charged within an hour or two and just blocking the bays for the rest of the day.
Dave Curran if they are fully charged, they need to be moved asap. Charging should have an app to let you know your car is charged and after 30 minutes, the charger should start taking power back from your car if you don't move it.
I disagree strongly. At a fast charging station on the side of a highway, then definitely you should vacate the charging bay as soon as possible. If you're at work or a shopping centre with a charging station in the car park, then I don't see why you should need to move your car until you are ready to leave. Having an obligation to immediately move your car once it is finished charging would ruin the convenience of charging whilst you're out doing something. Eventually this problem will be fixed by having more charging stations, but in the meantime I don't think it is realistic to expect people to drop what they are doing and move their car just in case someone else needs to charge.
What amazes me is the fact that there is still no better PHEV than a GM Volt/Ampera. It is the only one equally capable in both EV and CS mode, has meaningful EV range and decent acceleration. And it was designed in 2008 and put in sale in early 2011.. Yes, it has arguable exterior look and not very large interior space, but it more than makes up for it.
I even love 3 series, but the counter that only goes to 99 when the car claims to be able to do +130 is a well-spotted flaw - something one should not expect from BMW.
Yeah... I currently own a hybrid, being a 2008 Nissan Altima. The car has been great and worked perfectly for the 110k km we've put on it. It's a nice family car. We have put a deposit down on the new Chevrolet Bolt EV and hope to have it next month. Very excited about getting a full electric car. I've already had a level II charger installed in my garage :) The problem with hybrids is that you don't get any of the benefits of an electric car. You still have to: fill it up with fuel, book oil changes every few months with the dealer, etc. What I've found is that the ICE shows wear even though it actually has far less Kms than the actual car. We had to have work done to the head to clean deposits even at just 70k Km?? This makes me think that the constant starting and stopping of the hybrid design wears the ICE engine in a different way. Of course, I'm not talking about a plug in hybrid here. But for me... full electric!
I honestly think that hybrids or plug in hybrids are a good transition stage for people looking to ease there way into electric vehicles. I don't have the finances to buy a new vehicle, but used hybrids are still in my price point. I believe once more car manufacturers start dishing out all electric vehicles and more people are already driving plug in hybrids, it will be much easier for them to switch to all electric vehicles. The main downside till this point is the cost to purchase all electric vehicles, being only the rich can afford, not enough tax incentives (in most countries, except Norway) and the limited amount of range. People at least where I'm from, want to not be concerned about how far they can drive, because there's always a gas station to get more range on the way. We are hooked on convenience, so until we can install millions on charging stations, that I want running off strictly renewables, and have faster charge time and range, electric vehicles won't be practical for the traditional consumer, sadly.
My plugin does 50+Miles summer 40 miles winter Full ev till u run out of battery till 105mph I believe Best car I've ever owned 10 years old Same 12v Same disks and breaks Also every mot flawless
well said, No hybrid, No plugin hybrid, ONLY PURE ELECTRIC. Disliking because he is now going and praising non pure electric, NO wonder if BMW paid him to do that. Tesla could had made billions with non or partial electric cars, but they placed safer economy and pure electric first, and profits second. These will only linger the Petrol / Diesel and slow the transition towards cleaner / cheaper / purer future, SAY NO TO NON PURE ELECTRIC.
Chandraprakash G I disagree. PHEVs are much the same stepping stone to pure EVs as hybrids were to PHEVs. Many people will still only buy a PHEV out of range anxiety! PHEVs boost demand for electric motors and batteries helping to make pure EVs more affordable!
The delay is intentional. The pedal is not suppose to be very sensitive to slight changes, so it can save electric energy. It should give you the full power though, when you are trying to overtake someone. In that case you have to punch the pedal to the floor and after a short delay you'll get the full power with all it's inefficiency.
It's all about weight ratios for me, a PHEV has a large petrol tank, engine and gearbox. When you compare with a REX (BMW i3) it still has an engine and tank, but significantly smaller than the PHEV. However as some of the comments here show, for people who have unpredictable mileage needs for their work a PHEV could tick the box until we get sufficient choice of 250-300 mile plus EV's. My main concern is that people may be choosing the PHEV out of fear (Range anxiety) rather than necessity and I would be really interested to know what the long term ownership running figures are like for people who often use them on longer trips as these will then be 'dragging around' the electrical gubbins whilst not using them very much. Great video as usual! :)
I've always wondered what's the deal with hybrids that you've driven along like a complete nutter in electric only mode on a brisk winter's day, then when the battery runs low it suddenly dumps itself into petrol only mode and your combustion engine is still completely cold? Are you supposed to stop driving like a nutter for a bit and slow down to let the engine warm up before you floor it like an eeeejit again?
Yes it is. This is why the latest incarnation of the Tesla Model S goes from 0-60mph in 2.28 seconds and people pay a premium for that capability. In any case, even if that's no longer part of the zeitgeist, it doesn't answer my question about the combustion engine being cold.. ;)
I have actually wondered exactly the same thing for years. You go to commit to a swift main road overtake, which requires full torque. In comes the internal combustion engine. Stone cold. And taken right the way round to the red line. Can't be especially good for its longevity.
Sorry Robert, what we should be aiming for, is Hydrogen fuel cell powered cars. Where does the electricity come from for electric cars - many sources, some not as good as others. H2 fuel cell - water and air, returning water and power.
You mentioned learning how to appreciate the differences in cars over time and experience of driving multiple kinds of cars. It could be a really interesting side project to do a documentary of something like "Unexpectedly Becoming A Car Reviewer", obviously with the Llewellyn flair ;)
What a refreshing review, nice job. Have one as a company car, 25K miles per year. Usual 'average' mileage per month and get around 39--45 mpg. Could be couple hours a day on A roads / Motorway / city mixed driving within 10% of the limit in most places. think the 200kg of batteries don't help economy, I could get better mpg from a petrol (had engine in Clubman before and was mid 40's without trying to be good. It ain't no diesel but for shorter journeys and school run it uses no petrol or pollutes my town ! MOST Importantly my company car tax bill is half.
This car seems like a quick engineering fix (albeit a solid and reliable one) just to get a hybrid in the product range. That's not the fault of the BMW engineers, they're trying to adapt a current chassis to get this to work. I suspect we will see BMW work their magic for real in the next generation 3'er where they will have had the most up-to-date brief and will be able to integrate a better system into the car properly. i agree though. The points about hybrid use for commutes vs leisure are valid. Imagine everyone running on electric mode between Monday to Friday in built up urban environments...
I understand your comment about PHEV versus full electric. I agree that full electric is definitely the way to go but the prices and availability is currently prohibitive. I am looking to move from a company supplied Diesel to a BEV early in 2020 but the prices are a major disadvantage. The cars that I can afford are not available until later next year so the best that I can realistically do is to get into a PHEV, and the BMW is top of the list, and then move to a BEV once they are available. Great channel.
Rob excellent review as always and you've earned a sub, the way you say, BMW can do doors. You enjoyed that so much I bet you wish you could do their doors 😂😉
![354HP BMW 330e F30 REVIEW on AUTOBAHN [NO SPEED LIMIT] by AutoTopNL](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/spQ-EhZYdYg/mqdefault.jpg)
![354HP BMW 330e F30 REVIEW on AUTOBAHN [NO SPEED LIMIT] by AutoTopNL](/img/tr.png)
![เป็นไปได้ไหม - WanMai [Performance Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Eh5hItD4Mr0/mqdefault.jpg)
Hi Robert, I've had a 330e as a company car since July last year. Company car tax was one of the main reasons for looking for a PHEV and the 330e worked out over £200 per month cheaper than the equivalent 320d. But since running it, I'd never go back to a diesel. Couple of points to let you know. Firstly, the MPG gauge is indeed the same as BMW use in all of their "normal" cars so only reads up to 99.9mpg. However, there is a smartphone app that shows you your actual mpg. On my drive in this week to my office, a journey of about 12 miles, the petrol engine kicked in on one short fast stretch of road and it showed 565mpg for the journey. I plugged in at work and it did about the same on the return run. It also works out your fuel saving based upon the electric miles driven, so far I'm up to over 500l of fuel saved over 9000 miles. The other point is to say that this 330e is based on the current model of the 3 series, so they had to retro fit the electric gubbins in to that chassis. The new 3 series model comes out next year and there will be a full EV version, which will compete with the Tesla Model 3. I'd certainly look at the EV version as my next car. Great show, keep up the good work.
Pete Hampton you've just sold one to me! Looking next week!
Pete Hampton Can you force EV-only mode? Can you selectively engage ICE assist?
Thanks for those interesting additional insights!
J Bishop You can, yes. There are 3 modes, Auto, EV Only and Save. Auto will allow the car to decide what source it uses, EV Only is obvious and Save keeps charge in the battery and if below 93% in Comfort setting will charge up to that point, then hold it. HTH
Rob Smith, good luck. If it's Co car it's a no brainer. You can get it in Luxury and M Sport specs as well
For people , who are not trusting EVs too much , a plug in hybrid is a fine "bridge" to the path , to understand and learn it.
I believe its better for them to exist , as people get knowledge about differences of an electric motor and a petrol engine , on the same car. And its good for those skeptical people , they don't want to fully switch to electric, as they dont know if they will get stranded in the middle of the forest , as well as had never had any experience on them on a larger scale than testing it once or never at all.
Then they understand that electric motor is not that boogeyman , and its really useful. I believe you shouldn't be hard on hybrids , they're like the teachers of both worlds.
I believe thats still better 1000 plug in hybrids than 1000 diesel drivers who dont really know if electric vehicle is right for them at all.
Its like an experimental car , I believe its like a bridge , or that helpful rock in the middle of the river to step on and get to the other side.
yah, sometimes its just not conveniant to stop to charge your vehicle mid journey.... i get about 55mpg out of my auris tourer hybrid quite easily on the motorway, more so in town...much better than my previous car, an insignia tourer cdti..
Yep, especially as a changeover technology. Having said that, make them with a range of at least 80-100km, so that they can genuinely be an 'EV' for the majority of their daily driver use. That will help people appreciate just how often they actually use fuel (not very), and whether it's worth keeping a difficult to maintain engine on hand for those odd occasions when you can't wait 30 minutes for a charge in the middle of a multi-hour road trip.
Or, as will be more the case over the next few years, when you are away from convenient charging infrastructure. It's a 3500km drive to my brothers place, and I don't know if I'd like to do it with an EV unless I had plenty of time - even fuel stops can be hundreds of km's apart.
I will be looking for a larger car in the next couple of years, and I doubt I'll be able to afford a Model X, so any company that can give me similar size, with near 100km of pure battery range, is going to get my hard earned.
Like your logic!
BMW doors are so perfect, I get your point. It is so satisfying to close them over and over again.
BMW knows how to build cars for the long haul. I'd far rather drive (and own) a 300,000 mile 5 Series over a 30,000 mile Vauxhall.
paulanderson79 The cost of parts might change your mind.
KEvin Allen I ran a 5 Series E39 528i SE (2000/X plate double VANOS engine) for years. Parts were very reasonably priced and the car was outrageously reliable.
It was written off in 2014 due to being hit from behind so hard that the floorpan was bent.
I bought a 2nd user VW Passat to replace it. In two years it cost me over £5000 in repairs ON TOP OF routine maintenance and consumables.
In my experience the BMW parts prices thing is something of an urban myth.
Though I am led to believe that USA owners don't do as well as us European owners do.
The complexity of their 7 series 'soft close' doors is daunting.
Yeah, at that level it does become overkill. But if you have the money (I haven't), then why not indulge?
Maybe they should've called this model the 330h and reserved 330e for a pure electric version.
Pretty sure Lexus lawyers would get all up in their grill with their xx300h range there...
Normally, BMW has reserved their 330 names for 3-series 3.0 liter engines... but that is no longer the case, so these days those names feel a bit strange. The 30 doesn't mean anything anymore.. this car has a 4 sylinder, 2.0 liter petrol engine. The same that you will find in a 316, 318, 320. So yes, I agree that they have to do something about how they name their cars.
However, Mercedes has done the same thing with the C350e. The competitor to the 330e that BMW released before them.
No way will Lexus be able to copyright, patent or reserve a single character in the alphabet. That's not feasible. Any more than Microsoft can copyright the dictionary word 'windows' or Apple the dictionary word 'apple'
My comment was less about any legal action, but more of a satirical comment to do with naming originality, largely from a consumer perspective. Maybe they should have kept the ActiveHybrid nomenclature? Then again, the word "hybrid" has been tainted by less... "thrilling" products...
Daniel Park fair enough! Sometimes this happens when things are written rather than spoken. Please accept my apology
nice camera work and colour grading by the way..
Just for the record, for those who may be interested, I took my 2019 330e for a drive through Canberra (Australia) suburbs into the country at normal traffic and highway speeds last weekend specifically to test the range on pure electric. I achieved 47.5kms before the petrol engine cut in.
I assume you have the newer G20 body model 330e that has a bigger battery? If not, that 47km seems way too high since most people claim 25km. :D
@@sampsalol Yes, it's a G20, and I can assure you the 47kms (or 29 miles if you prefer) is real. With routine usage, in which I endeavour to avoid completely draining the battery, I will force it over to petrol with 10% to 15%, remaining and that is usually at about the 40km mark give or take a bit, terrain dependent.
Best car ever. Had this 3 years now and can’t imagine my life without it. 🥰
Excellent to know. I pick mine up at the weekend ☺️
@@shawflygirl ur in for a treat. The 71 plate has so many perks and features. Lucky you ☺️
What is it like going over Speed bumps. I owned a bmwi3 for a while and it was very harsh over rough roads and speed rams , but it had very narrow tyres.
How is the plug in aspect? I do a lot of local driving and think I will hardly be spending on petrol this way
Yep BMW was smart by using Toyota hybrid system and BMWs engines.
As an owner of an X5 XDrive40e, I love this strategy BMW is taking with the cars. The torque right from zero RPM! I wish the range was slightly better rather than 15-20 miles I would love to see 30-40 miles of range. Other than that these are brilliant cars!
These review videos of my little baby make me love it even more.
I don't see this channel as a car show. That is one that reviews cars to help buying one (or not of course). I see it as a news type show to keep up to date on the state of the art in tech to stay 'fully charged'; i.e., what's going on in the industry in general. From wind power and solar, to batteries, and of course cars. Maybe I got the wrong impression, but it doesn't make me all that interested in whether there's enough headroom for passengers. I don't mind if you do talk about it, but don't feel you have to on my behalf. :) I would really like to see more videos on broader topics like advances in solar, batteries, grid, and the like.
drees84 I completely agree!
I'm getting one of these in a month or so. why?
1) I only drive 10 miles to work and can charge at both ends. So in theory I could do my whole commute on electric.
2) Company car tax savings - I currently have an Audi A3. I'll save nearly £2.5k on tax (although the government are changing this to make it less attractive soon)
3) For work i can also travel up to 300 miles a day, so pure electric doesn't work for me yet......
4) It's a well built car with an amazing door noise!
Great video BTW. Love the channel.
Hope you get it before 01.04.2017 :)
How about a Tesla 100 D with super charging. Rated range is 335 miles.
Forgot to mention that it is the Tesla Model S 100 D that gets 335 miles per charge.
It's twice the price, isn't it?
Also, he can definitely get it before april. Tesla... I doubt you can get one (and get it registered) in march, if you order now. And there is the catch. All cars with listed price higher then £40000 registered on or after 01.04.2017 are subject to additional tax of £310 per year for the first five years. Which means £0+£310 for EV and £140+£310 for non-electric cars (£130+£310 for hybrids).
MS P100DL £132700 with no extras. No way of getting one by April (3-4mth lead time). Good options on New Inventory cars at present though - all currently exempt from VED change in April and free supercharging for the life of the car.
finnally! someone who also feels the quality of those doors ahah
Slight door fetish detected at 6:15... phwoar!
"slight"
Need a gif now of rob opening and shutting that rear door lol :)
I guess what we've learned is that Robert is a fan of the Doors?
Well you know Kryten gets a double-polaroid over a vacuum cleaner, so can't blame Robert getting a bit excited over a good door...
Ooh. You can't beat a good "thunk"!
The issue with the 99.9 mpg is exactly because you use mpg , if you use l/100km it makes perfect sense, if you are really into economy use km/l. It gives you a better degree of understanding what it cost you to make a certain journey.
I’ve been looking for a refresh for the 3 series but I gave up. I’m picking up my new 2018 330e i-Performance TODAY. Trading in my 2012 BMW 550i GT & my 2015 Mustang Ecoboost Premium. I wanted to consolidate to one one vehicle because I’m 20 years old and it’s literally just me. No reason to own 2 cars anymore. I maxed this new 330e out for under $60,000. Happy to find something still with a mid-5s 0-60 time and super efficient.
People like to pick on BMWs and say we should all drive light weight Asian cars, well you dont usually get beautiful door action like that on Asian produced cars. Things like that inspire you to feel a bit safer travelling in a car. I like Hyundai etc but you definitely feel its more a light weight. Each to their own preference.
Depending on your way of driving, it seems it is anywhere between 12-20 miles.
The good thing is, if you run out of battery, petrol engine just kicks in and you continue your trip.
If you have 20 miles( 32km) daily commute, and relatively lightfoot, charge at home (or at the job) , you might end up using only electric for a days before you will use a petrol engine.
It seems to me like a good compromise.
You might have a different opinion of Plug in Hybrids if you could get behind the wheel of a 2nd generation Chevy Volt. I went from a pure electric to the Volt. With 53 miles of range (and that's a realistic number, not the exaggerated NEDC test), and having full power available in all electric mode, I literally go months at a time without using any gasoline at all. I've even taken several trips that were over 100 miles miles round-trip and made it 100% on electric because there was charging at my destination.
The 8-Bit Guy Fully electric didn't work out for you then?
The 8-Bit Guy hahahaha Chevy volt hahaha
but its a chevy...
33w3
Robert, great review, but looking back over past episodes I thinking with all these PHEVs your driving you need a new channel called Half Charged!
I'd like to see more cars with like a 100HP 1.0l 3-cylinder turbo engine with a bigger battery support and electric motor rather than a 2.0l 4 cylinder with small battery in this car
Haja Yes, or maybe just a tiny range extender petrol engine, but not to move the car directly.
Like BMW did in the i3 with their tiny REX. Yes, that´s a great way to overcome the Lack of charging stations. At least here in Germany.
Still having a backup ICE to keep the charging state would be great. But the Pricetag on the i3 REX....
All those rubbish pseudo EV´s just use the electric motor to increase the power of their ICE wich is stupid imho..
I don't get the range extender part. If your engine has to be able to sustain a certain charge level, it needs to have the power to move your whole vehicle. What am I getting wrong here?
It just provides enough to keep your batteries at the level you are.
Imagine "No ICE Cities". Drive there on ICE switch to electric while in the city and back to ICE on your way home.
And if you can´t reach a charging station when out of Wh, just start the ICE to get you there/home.
And if you don´t need the REX you are pure electric. Best of both worlds when living in areas where the charging network is rubbish.
With more charging stations around the REX obviously is useless. Till then gimme that REX.
In an ICE only car, the full power of the engine is only use a small amount of the time. In a range extender system only the the electrical part needs to deliver the bursts of power using the battery as a reservoir, and a smaller ICE can be used as only average power need to be maintained.
charging at work is great cause you dont have to pay for the electric
Until they start charging us for it.
And save 2 quid 😂
Image a complex with thousands of these doors. Stick Rob in there and he will go wild.
Clickbait Turk Armenian Genocide Denier image of image?
Imagine imagination
Hi Robert, I have to say despite your misgivings, I thought this was actually one of the best and most enjoyable car reviews I've seen for a long time. Why? Because it feels honest, genuine and unrehearsed! Very refreshing when you see all the other reviews out there, which seem so scripted and robotic, you always seem to enjoy doing these! Really great stuff and keep up the good work! :)
You deserve the Academy Award for Best Live Sound Design
I'm taking delivery of a 330e tomorrow. I can't be more frikkin excited!
So… how has it been so far?
@@ashamaniq couldn't be happier!
@@fish_bacon thoughs on the car in winter drive? does it effect ur battery?
Just got mine shadow edition fully optioned does wonders
2017 MB C350e vs 2017 BMW 330e ?
Ur verdict will be ?
Best intro Ive ever seen. Laughed a lot and was a breath of fresh air.
I think plug-in hybrids serve a very good purpose. It puts people into the habit of using a charger, either at home or at a destination. Plug-in hybrids with more than 10 mile range, I think, will ultimately help with the progression of EVs. As Robert said, once people find they rarely use the ICE in their day-to-day commute, it means the change to an EV with 200+ range will be easier and cheaper.
phevs are great.... when your business model requires drivers to use extended mileage as quickly as legally allowed (think sale reps, multidrop drivers, service personnel- like myself)...the only other choice is diesal...
0 to 60 is good for knowing if you can pull out in front of a vehicle and get up to speed in time.
Where I live there is a fast road with large trucks using it, being able to sneak in front of them and not have my car covered in muck is nice. Also, pulling into a gap on a roundabout is much easier if you know the car pull away quickly.
The lag when you put your foot down is the car changing to a lower gear first, if you set the gears to manual or sport this should not happen.
Your reaction to the rear doors had me in splits.
I love the way, you make the door noise and the German impersonation.. you are absolutely Gas man!!! Love your shows
how does this compare to the c350e? In terms of performance and driving dynamics? And also for the transition from electric to petrol, which one is more refined?
Always enjoy your honest humble opinion when reviewing the car of the day. I haven't made the leap into a e-car yet but will shortly. Logistics with charging at work and home have to be shorted first. All the best.
You probably don't want any shorts in your charging arrangements :)
I just love how he present about this car, just so entertaining
It's about time that BMW drop the hybrid part and make a proper full electric car. Do it please.
They will. They have already redesigned the 3xx chassis to accomodate a full electric drivetrain (apparently to compete with the Tesla model 3). The 330e is more like a regular 320 with a bodged in electric motor.
What about the i3? :)
They have 1 and a half already, and as I understand it they have more in the works.
They showed off fully electric 1-series etc. a while ago as well.
I am guessing that they won't release one, apart from the already released i3, before they know it will be good enough for their standards. Redesigning a 5-series to compete against the Tesla isn't just the way to do it.. they have to make sure the car is made bottom up to actually fit that drivetrain.
LZ Have you heard of the i3? Google it.
I think PHEV's will be a one generation thing, in a year or two with increasing battery capacity there will be no point in having an internal combustion engine as you'll almost never need to drive beyond your batteries range.
I for one will be very glad of that. I drive a Leaf and am increasingly finding that I get to a location needing to charge in order to make it home only to find a PHEV monopolising the charger. I know if they pay for Chargemaster membership then they have as much right as me to charge however if they can't charge they simply use some petrol, if I can't charge I can't get home. I can understand Ecotricity's stance of discouraging PHEV from using their network.
Especially as most of those don't have fast charging - might be different if they only needed to be there for 5 mins or so.
Maybe two more years
Very nice one episode! Cheers from the continent 😉
Glad to be a subscriber. Love the insight all the way from Arizona and Utah in the US.
I'd really like to give you 100 likes just for the Doorgasms but i can only give one. Nice reviews, really good for people interested in EVs.
had one of these for work last year, loved it, shame about the mpg was only 40mpg whilst using along the A14 everyday. but I am buying one next week because it is so much fun to drive and yes on short runs the electric only option is great but the engine will kick in if you go over 40mph.
The engine does not kick in when the car's on electric mode if you go over 40mph.
Can you drive in congestion charge zone with this car ?
My only issue with these is a building near me which has an amazing 8 EV charging bays, but on most days 5 or 6 of those are occupied with BMW plug in hybrids which are charged within an hour or two and just blocking the bays for the rest of the day.
If the BMW drivers had pure electric cars and still commuted the same distance, then the amount of charging required would be exactly the same.
At some point in the future every parking space will have a charge point.
Maybe 20 or so years but it will come.
Good point, but a pure electric would have a larger range and wouldn't need to be charged everyday, so could leave bays free part of the week.
Dave Curran if they are fully charged, they need to be moved asap. Charging should have an app to let you know your car is charged and after 30 minutes, the charger should start taking power back from your car if you don't move it.
I disagree strongly. At a fast charging station on the side of a highway, then definitely you should vacate the charging bay as soon as possible. If you're at work or a shopping centre with a charging station in the car park, then I don't see why you should need to move your car until you are ready to leave.
Having an obligation to immediately move your car once it is finished charging would ruin the convenience of charging whilst you're out doing something. Eventually this problem will be fixed by having more charging stations, but in the meantime I don't think it is realistic to expect people to drop what they are doing and move their car just in case someone else needs to charge.
A really good review, and I've seen dozens lately.
Well done. Very informative.
What amazes me is the fact that there is still no better PHEV than a GM Volt/Ampera. It is the only one equally capable in both EV and CS mode, has meaningful EV range and decent acceleration. And it was designed in 2008 and put in sale in early 2011..
Yes, it has arguable exterior look and not very large interior space, but it more than makes up for it.
I like the little jab at Top Gear
There were two on the charge points at Bicester Village car park in the last week ! I had never ever seen one then two appear at once !
New camera? This is top tier video quality
I even love 3 series, but the counter that only goes to 99 when the car claims to be able to do +130 is a well-spotted flaw - something one should not expect from BMW.
Interesting to see lots of people in the comments who own or are soon to own this car, not usually the case fully charged.
It was really funny watching you enjoy the doors! Thank you for making me smile as I go to sleep
Liked the. 330e very much when I tested it. So much so I've ordered a 530e this morning. Same drivetrain but with 9kWh.
Good review. Nice camera work and colour grading.
I really like car reviews that actually shows me the car most of the time, instead of some guy sitting in it, babbling on about it.. Hint hint.
Yeah... I currently own a hybrid, being a 2008 Nissan Altima. The car has been great and worked perfectly for the 110k km we've put on it. It's a nice family car. We have put a deposit down on the new Chevrolet Bolt EV and hope to have it next month. Very excited about getting a full electric car. I've already had a level II charger installed in my garage :)
The problem with hybrids is that you don't get any of the benefits of an electric car. You still have to: fill it up with fuel, book oil changes every few months with the dealer, etc. What I've found is that the ICE shows wear even though it actually has far less Kms than the actual car. We had to have work done to the head to clean deposits even at just 70k Km?? This makes me think that the constant starting and stopping of the hybrid design wears the ICE engine in a different way.
Of course, I'm not talking about a plug in hybrid here. But for me... full electric!
I honestly think that hybrids or plug in hybrids are a good transition stage for people looking to ease there way into electric vehicles. I don't have the finances to buy a new vehicle, but used hybrids are still in my price point. I believe once more car manufacturers start dishing out all electric vehicles and more people are already driving plug in hybrids, it will be much easier for them to switch to all electric vehicles. The main downside till this point is the cost to purchase all electric vehicles, being only the rich can afford, not enough tax incentives (in most countries, except Norway) and the limited amount of range. People at least where I'm from, want to not be concerned about how far they can drive, because there's always a gas station to get more range on the way. We are hooked on convenience, so until we can install millions on charging stations, that I want running off strictly renewables, and have faster charge time and range, electric vehicles won't be practical for the traditional consumer, sadly.
I have a 335i and I agree with him about the doors. They are such a pleasure to shut, especially the rear doors.
My plugin does
50+Miles summer
40 miles winter
Full ev till u run out of battery till 105mph I believe
Best car I've ever owned
10 years old
Same 12v
Same disks and breaks
Also every mot flawless
Test drove the i3 and 330e on a couple of three day test drives. Loved both but ordered the 330e as a company car as it was so much more practical.
Why no one talking about ,how long the battery will last .Is it reliable ?
Great video as usual, but please no more plug hybrids please. What we all want are pure EV's.
Speak for yourself
well said,
No hybrid, No plugin hybrid, ONLY PURE ELECTRIC.
Disliking because he is now going and praising non pure electric,
NO wonder if BMW paid him to do that.
Tesla could had made billions with non or partial electric cars,
but they placed safer economy and pure electric first, and profits second.
These will only linger the Petrol / Diesel and slow the transition towards cleaner / cheaper / purer future,
SAY NO TO NON PURE ELECTRIC.
Chandraprakash G I disagree. PHEVs are much the same stepping stone to pure EVs as hybrids were to PHEVs. Many people will still only buy a PHEV out of range anxiety! PHEVs boost demand for electric motors and batteries helping to make pure EVs more affordable!
Some places need to use plug-ins, we don't all live in tiny countries. If he wants to grow his audience then cater for all.
I highly doubt BMW paid him, I'm sure there's regulations about sponsored content.
It's staggering how much engineering goes into making doors sound good.
The delay is intentional. The pedal is not suppose to be very sensitive to slight changes, so it can save electric energy. It should give you the full power though, when you are trying to overtake someone. In that case you have to punch the pedal to the floor and after a short delay you'll get the full power with all it's inefficiency.
I leave petrol in my boat over winter and fire it up in the spring 6 months later and its fine. You can add preservative, if youre worried....
Sir could you please mention the camera gear used in this episode..
love your style...keep up the good work!
Nice light hearted review
So glad to hear you say it out loud: plug-ins are a mixed bag! I am sure it is a great drive tho! :D
The sealed / pressurised fuel tank is actually because it can’t burn of the fuel vapour from the tank while the petrol engine is off.
I've never seen anyone get quite so excited by door sounds. That made me LOL!
The video is so cinematic
The door enthusiasm has me in stitches 😂
Oh what I would give for one more Carpool episode. Still love Fully Charged tho.
You got a sub after u said cling-ling-ling 👊🏻👍🏻
"It's a beautiful dor" :)))))) I also love the feel of those dors 👍👍
Love the channel!
I LOVE the door bit - lol! you are brill - please do more eps :P
It's all about weight ratios for me, a PHEV has a large petrol tank, engine and gearbox. When you compare with a REX (BMW i3) it still has an engine and tank, but significantly smaller than the PHEV. However as some of the comments here show, for people who have unpredictable mileage needs for their work a PHEV could tick the box until we get sufficient choice of 250-300 mile plus EV's.
My main concern is that people may be choosing the PHEV out of fear (Range anxiety) rather than necessity and I would be really interested to know what the long term ownership running figures are like for people who often use them on longer trips as these will then be 'dragging around' the electrical gubbins whilst not using them very much.
Great video as usual! :)
I've always wondered what's the deal with hybrids that you've driven along like a complete nutter in electric only mode on a brisk winter's day, then when the battery runs low it suddenly dumps itself into petrol only mode and your combustion engine is still completely cold? Are you supposed to stop driving like a nutter for a bit and slow down to let the engine warm up before you floor it like an eeeejit again?
Maybe just skip the 'flooring it' part? That's no longer part of the zeitgeist.
Yes it is. This is why the latest incarnation of the Tesla Model S goes from 0-60mph in 2.28 seconds and people pay a premium for that capability. In any case, even if that's no longer part of the zeitgeist, it doesn't answer my question about the combustion engine being cold.. ;)
I have actually wondered exactly the same thing for years. You go to commit to a swift main road overtake, which requires full torque. In comes the internal combustion engine. Stone cold. And taken right the way round to the red line. Can't be especially good for its longevity.
Sorry Robert, what we should be aiming for, is Hydrogen fuel cell powered cars. Where does the electricity come from for electric cars - many sources, some not as good as others. H2 fuel cell - water and air, returning water and power.
Where does the hydrogen for hydrogen cars comes from?
Once BMW starts making fully electric 5 and 7-series, Tesla going to have severe competition. Same applies to Mercedes, IMHO :)
You mentioned learning how to appreciate the differences in cars over time and experience of driving multiple kinds of cars. It could be a really interesting side project to do a documentary of something like "Unexpectedly Becoming A Car Reviewer", obviously with the Llewellyn flair ;)
What a refreshing review, nice job. Have one as a company car, 25K miles per year. Usual 'average' mileage per month and get around 39--45 mpg. Could be couple hours a day on A roads / Motorway / city mixed driving within 10% of the limit in most places. think the 200kg of batteries don't help economy, I could get better mpg from a petrol (had engine in Clubman before and was mid 40's without trying to be good. It ain't no diesel but for shorter journeys and school run it uses no petrol or pollutes my town ! MOST Importantly my company car tax bill is half.
this BM has one of nicest seating adjustment options and you chose the worst possible.
This car seems like a quick engineering fix (albeit a solid and reliable one) just to get a hybrid in the product range. That's not the fault of the BMW engineers, they're trying to adapt a current chassis to get this to work.
I suspect we will see BMW work their magic for real in the next generation 3'er where they will have had the most up-to-date brief and will be able to integrate a better system into the car properly.
i agree though. The points about hybrid use for commutes vs leisure are valid. Imagine everyone running on electric mode between Monday to Friday in built up urban environments...
E92 M3 @ 6:25 ❤️
I understand your comment about PHEV versus full electric. I agree that full electric is definitely the way to go but the prices and availability is currently prohibitive. I am looking to move from a company supplied Diesel to a BEV early in 2020 but the prices are a major disadvantage. The cars that I can afford are not available until later next year so the best that I can realistically do is to get into a PHEV, and the BMW is top of the list, and then move to a BEV once they are available.
Great channel.
If I did car reviews you'd get the same "silly/happy" overly-enthusiastic attitude. You're awesome dude!! :)))
Best intro ever
you deserve more subscribers 😜
The door reaction made my day, thank you for being the car reviewer that you are!
does it come with orange flashing lights telling other road users BEFORE you turn a corner? or switch lanes?
bmw "indicators" are notorious for breaking,and thats why they tend not to use them bless...fact.
Hi sur
Really enjoyed the review. Really fun, thumbs up from me! :)
A full electric version with a range of 450-500kms would be a hit.
Sir do you have any idea of how many years will the batteries live and how much will approximately cost to replace them?
Great video, need to get that beard sorted, starting to look like a homeless person.
Darren Murphy Will have to disagree. The beard has charm.
C0deH0wler not every beard is made equal. just give it a proper shape.
Funky Dunky Proper is subjective. And here in New Zealand, scruffy beards are quite cool.
I guess he is, he is living in cars.
There is a need for barbour shops adjacent to charging points
I like the grading. What LUT do you use?
Best car reviewer
There's no Tolulululul, no klinnggggggg its just Tschouelllllllll.
Got you buddy
Rob excellent review as always and you've earned a sub, the way you say, BMW can do doors. You enjoyed that so much I bet you wish you could do their doors 😂😉