Discussion
Please can someone help give some thoughts around the practicality and desire to own the above car. I'm looking at this as Merc seem to have stopped for the time being and whilst the boot is not ideal I can get the M Sport version with all the bells and whistles on my budget. My question is, is it any good?
I've driven the car and whilst the electric drive disappeared quicker than a WBA player in a Barca taxi and the petrol seemed to struggle with a heavy car the car itself is solid, I wanted to know what its like to live with? Please help if you can.
I've driven the car and whilst the electric drive disappeared quicker than a WBA player in a Barca taxi and the petrol seemed to struggle with a heavy car the car itself is solid, I wanted to know what its like to live with? Please help if you can.
I have a 330e, but I'm sure most of the same principles apply.
The fuel tank and hence range is small/tiny (40 litres on the 3, 46 on the 5) - so you'll either need to do mostly short journeys or be prepared to refuel frequently.
The boot is small.
Other than that it drives exactly like a normal 3 Series (I presume the same applies to the 5). Performance on the 330e is pretty good.
Killer blow is BIK though, it makes it a complete no-brainer compared to any petrol or diesel BMW.
The fuel tank and hence range is small/tiny (40 litres on the 3, 46 on the 5) - so you'll either need to do mostly short journeys or be prepared to refuel frequently.
The boot is small.
Other than that it drives exactly like a normal 3 Series (I presume the same applies to the 5). Performance on the 330e is pretty good.
Killer blow is BIK though, it makes it a complete no-brainer compared to any petrol or diesel BMW.
I had a 330e and now have a 530e (4 months now). The 530e is much more refined than the 330e. I only charge at night in my home garage using the provided "occasional use" cable. I drive with a lead foot. My office is 21 miles away, mostly highway driving, but I work mostly from home so most of my driving is local.
I purchased the car for its environmental aspects, and to have the right to get in the car pool lane at any time of day and not for mpg (and I drive with a bit of a lead foot). Despite that, I have been getting a low 35 mpg (out of town trip with only charging before I left) and 40-55 mpg otherwise.
While I would never complain about having too much power, the 530e has had ample power for me whether to pull away from a stop light or to pass a car going up a steep hill pulling a trailer where the speed limit is 65 mph. I personally think the car has more HP than BMW admits to.
My car is loaded, if that makes a difference on perceptions.
Steve
I purchased the car for its environmental aspects, and to have the right to get in the car pool lane at any time of day and not for mpg (and I drive with a bit of a lead foot). Despite that, I have been getting a low 35 mpg (out of town trip with only charging before I left) and 40-55 mpg otherwise.
While I would never complain about having too much power, the 530e has had ample power for me whether to pull away from a stop light or to pass a car going up a steep hill pulling a trailer where the speed limit is 65 mph. I personally think the car has more HP than BMW admits to.
My car is loaded, if that makes a difference on perceptions.
Steve
steveinarizona said:
I had a 330e and now have a 530e (4 months now). The 530e is much more refined than the 330e. I only charge at night in my home garage using the provided "occasional use" cable. I drive with a lead foot. My office is 21 miles away, mostly highway driving, but I work mostly from home so most of my driving is local.
I purchased the car for its environmental aspects, and to have the right to get in the car pool lane at any time of day and not for mpg (and I drive with a bit of a lead foot). Despite that, I have been getting a low 35 mpg (out of town trip with only charging before I left) and 40-55 mpg otherwis
Steve
If your happy driving with a lead foot and didn’t buy it for its mpg, what environmental aspects are you on about? To build the car will be less environmentally friendly as on top of a normal 5 series, you have to account for the battery and electrics that go with it. I purchased the car for its environmental aspects, and to have the right to get in the car pool lane at any time of day and not for mpg (and I drive with a bit of a lead foot). Despite that, I have been getting a low 35 mpg (out of town trip with only charging before I left) and 40-55 mpg otherwis
Steve
The mpg increase is the only environmental improvement, albeit not a massive one.
Elliot2000 said:
If your happy driving with a lead foot and didn’t buy it for its mpg, what environmental aspects are you on about? To build the car will be less environmentally friendly as on top of a normal 5 series, you have to account for the battery and electrics that go with it.
The mpg increase is the only environmental improvement, albeit not a massive one.
I am getting between 800 and 1,000 miles per fuel tank (12.4 gallon tank). I think that is pretty environmentally sound. Yes...I move quickly away from a stop light but that is a pretty massive improvement on fuel usage.The mpg increase is the only environmental improvement, albeit not a massive one.
My best mate had a 530e as a company car before the company he worked for folded; his comments on 'the milk float' as he called it were as follows:
I drove it, and whilst it felt new, drove tight etc, it wasn't fundamentally that much different to my own F11.
Personally I would have a 540i if I were buying a 5 series with my own money, but company car schemes are very different.
- Stunning build quality and the cabin was a gorgeous place to be
- Low BIK as stated above
- He couldn't charge it overnight at home, so drove mostly on petrol
- Boot space not great (worse than a standard G30 just in case you didn't know)
- It didn't like cold weather, often him that electric power was not available (happened often below 3C)
I drove it, and whilst it felt new, drove tight etc, it wasn't fundamentally that much different to my own F11.
Personally I would have a 540i if I were buying a 5 series with my own money, but company car schemes are very different.
steveinarizona said:
Elliot2000 said:
If your happy driving with a lead foot and didn’t buy it for its mpg, what environmental aspects are you on about? To build the car will be less environmentally friendly as on top of a normal 5 series, you have to account for the battery and electrics that go with it.
The mpg increase is the only environmental improvement, albeit not a massive one.
I am getting between 800 and 1,000 miles per fuel tank (12.4 gallon tank). I think that is pretty environmentally sound. Yes...I move quickly away from a stop light but that is a pretty massive improvement on fuel usage.The mpg increase is the only environmental improvement, albeit not a massive one.
rassi said:
Sorry, you are getting between 800-1000 miles on a 46 litres tank?? This is projected use, with a full charge, surely? No way you could go on a (very long) drive and get 800 miles further!
I do a lot of local driving and have the ability to plug in between trips. I work mostly from home (although my real office is 21 miles away) which makes it easy to plug in.I also have found that I can drive in pure electric mode for local driving. The instant torque of the electric motor gets me off quickly and the limitations of local streets keep me from doing much more spirited driving.
On longer trips I will usually use auto mode and, depending upon traffic, I will change to sport mode or throw the shifter to the left.
Currently I have driven 650 miles and my gas gauge shows a little less than half a tank remaining.
steveinarizona said:
I do a lot of local driving and have the ability to plug in between trips. I work mostly from home (although my real office is 21 miles away) which makes it easy to plug in.
I also have found that I can drive in pure electric mode for local driving. The instant torque of the electric motor gets me off quickly and the limitations of local streets keep me from doing much more spirited driving.
On longer trips I will usually use auto mode and, depending upon traffic, I will change to sport mode or throw the shifter to the left.
Currently I have driven 650 miles and my gas gauge shows a little less than half a tank remaining.
You have the perfect driving profile for a hybrid, if I didn't have to do 2 440 miles round trips a month I'd be in a hybrid or pure EV. I also have found that I can drive in pure electric mode for local driving. The instant torque of the electric motor gets me off quickly and the limitations of local streets keep me from doing much more spirited driving.
On longer trips I will usually use auto mode and, depending upon traffic, I will change to sport mode or throw the shifter to the left.
Currently I have driven 650 miles and my gas gauge shows a little less than half a tank remaining.
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