530e hybrid operation
Discussion
I am two weeks into a new 530e (previously a 2016 330e). I am having trouble figuring out how the hybrid battery charging works. If I drive in auto mode the battery runs down all the way to "---". It does seem to very slowly get back to "0" while driving.
My question is will I lose boost when it gets down to "---" or "0" ? I don't put a lot of miles on my car and I don't especially care about mpg. I got the hybrid for its clean air values, the ability to drive in a car pool lane and the ability to remotely start the AC. But I don't want to be trying to merge on a highway and find my boost missing.
I would think that BMW electronics are smart enough to leave me boost but the printed and electronic materials are very scant on the 530e. Any idea?
My question is will I lose boost when it gets down to "---" or "0" ? I don't put a lot of miles on my car and I don't especially care about mpg. I got the hybrid for its clean air values, the ability to drive in a car pool lane and the ability to remotely start the AC. But I don't want to be trying to merge on a highway and find my boost missing.
I would think that BMW electronics are smart enough to leave me boost but the printed and electronic materials are very scant on the 530e. Any idea?
I'm not sure what happens at "zero" charge and whether it has some reserve but if you keep using the juice more than you're charging at some stage the electric assistance must stop working leaving you with petrol power alone.
A friend at work has just had a 330e delivered, it makes a lot of sense as a company car due to the tax breaks but having seen it in action there seem to be quite a lot of compromises in order to get a piddly 15-20 miles worth of electric range in the car. It's got a smaller fuel tank so only about 250 mile range on petrol, it's got a smaller boot and it seems there's a net drain of battery charge during most types of normal driving meaning you're always running it down.
A friend at work has just had a 330e delivered, it makes a lot of sense as a company car due to the tax breaks but having seen it in action there seem to be quite a lot of compromises in order to get a piddly 15-20 miles worth of electric range in the car. It's got a smaller fuel tank so only about 250 mile range on petrol, it's got a smaller boot and it seems there's a net drain of battery charge during most types of normal driving meaning you're always running it down.
The main benefit of this type of hybrid is surely the avoidance of BIK taxes, unless it’s only used for very short commutes?
Remote pre warming is available on many ICE cars now, for what it’s worth.
I would assume that if the battery is down to no range you’re left with whatever the ICE can provide.
Remote pre warming is available on many ICE cars now, for what it’s worth.
I would assume that if the battery is down to no range you’re left with whatever the ICE can provide.
After a couple of weeks it appears that when running in auto mode, it runs down eventually to _---" but quickly goes back to "0" and seems to stay there so that would leave a little room for boost (I don't really need it but want to make sure that if I am coming up a freeway ramp to merge into traffic I have it if I need it).
I also found that if I throw the shifter to the left, the battery charge seems to stay pretty much where I started.
Along the same line, my 530e in adaptive mode is a comfort setting otherwise and there is no adaptive "I" mode. However, throwing the shifter to the left does change the transmission settings into a more sport mode so that is a way to get a partial individual setting while driving in adaptive mode (I also had my car coded so that adaptive is now my default but it is easy enough to shift into sport or sport i modes if I want to (I have no idea what happens in eco mode and don't intend to ever find out).
I also found that if I throw the shifter to the left, the battery charge seems to stay pretty much where I started.
Along the same line, my 530e in adaptive mode is a comfort setting otherwise and there is no adaptive "I" mode. However, throwing the shifter to the left does change the transmission settings into a more sport mode so that is a way to get a partial individual setting while driving in adaptive mode (I also had my car coded so that adaptive is now my default but it is easy enough to shift into sport or sport i modes if I want to (I have no idea what happens in eco mode and don't intend to ever find out).
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