Any company car drivers of Passat GTE or 330e?
Discussion
Like most company car drivers who are coming to the end of their current lease, combination of company and government incentives the likes of the Passat GTE and 330e are looking attractive on paper, including the yet to be released SKODA Superb iV.
I have a private drive and garage, so charging is not an issue, but my question is to those who already run these cars and do similar mileage to me (22-28k a year), are the figures really stacking up?
Currently drive a Jaguar XF diesel which is sitting at an average of 52mpg but with the tax incentives on these PHEVs it is hard to ignore.
Your thoughts would be appreciated.
I have a private drive and garage, so charging is not an issue, but my question is to those who already run these cars and do similar mileage to me (22-28k a year), are the figures really stacking up?
Currently drive a Jaguar XF diesel which is sitting at an average of 52mpg but with the tax incentives on these PHEVs it is hard to ignore.
Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Exact same situation as me. I have a tdi Passat estate as a company car and looked at the new gte. Its nice and well put together but boring.
The BMW 330e was a nicer place to sit and looked better from behind the steering wheel. There are a couple of really nice touches In the bmw cabin that was lacking in the passat.
The passat is better specced than the bmw as standard. Imo the ergo seats are a must in the passat and added a grand to the price. Which took it over the £40k mark which I wanted to stay under for the bik cost.
The bmw whilst lesser specced was a nicer place to sit and came in under £40k.
I have picked the bmw and have started the ordering process with the company.
I
The BMW 330e was a nicer place to sit and looked better from behind the steering wheel. There are a couple of really nice touches In the bmw cabin that was lacking in the passat.
The passat is better specced than the bmw as standard. Imo the ergo seats are a must in the passat and added a grand to the price. Which took it over the £40k mark which I wanted to stay under for the bik cost.
The bmw whilst lesser specced was a nicer place to sit and came in under £40k.
I have picked the bmw and have started the ordering process with the company.
I
I have a 330e as a company car, cover 20K per year, had it for the last 18months and it works well for me.
The BIK tax saving is useful, but how much you will save in other ways is up to your driving pattern and also how you are paid for company mileage.
If you have a fuel card, then you wont be better off other than the BIK - In fact you will lose any electricity costs incurred when charging.
But, if instead you are reimbursed for fuel used on company journeys, then you may well be much better off if you can do a large part of them on electric alone.
My weekly use is a mix of many shortish trips in London, with one or two longer motorway trips. I'm often able charge at both ends of the London trips, so use very little petrol, but can still claim my usual per mile fuel rate.
If you do mostly motorway trips, then you are likely to see somewhere between 40mpg and 55mpg depending on how fast / slow you drive. You can get 50-55mpg with a gentle right foot, ECO-PRO mode, sticking to about 65mph. But a 2ltr diesel would give better economy on a similar trip.
In the middle of winter, the pre-conditioning is great. Turn the heater on via the app 20mins before you leave (or schedule the departure time the night before on the app) and the car is toasty warm when you unlock it and drive off, with all the ice melted from the windows.
Otherwise, it's a nice place to spend time, decent sized boot and lots of fun in Sport mode !
Hope this helps.
The BIK tax saving is useful, but how much you will save in other ways is up to your driving pattern and also how you are paid for company mileage.
If you have a fuel card, then you wont be better off other than the BIK - In fact you will lose any electricity costs incurred when charging.
But, if instead you are reimbursed for fuel used on company journeys, then you may well be much better off if you can do a large part of them on electric alone.
My weekly use is a mix of many shortish trips in London, with one or two longer motorway trips. I'm often able charge at both ends of the London trips, so use very little petrol, but can still claim my usual per mile fuel rate.
If you do mostly motorway trips, then you are likely to see somewhere between 40mpg and 55mpg depending on how fast / slow you drive. You can get 50-55mpg with a gentle right foot, ECO-PRO mode, sticking to about 65mph. But a 2ltr diesel would give better economy on a similar trip.
In the middle of winter, the pre-conditioning is great. Turn the heater on via the app 20mins before you leave (or schedule the departure time the night before on the app) and the car is toasty warm when you unlock it and drive off, with all the ice melted from the windows.
Otherwise, it's a nice place to spend time, decent sized boot and lots of fun in Sport mode !
Hope this helps.
Edited by S1bs on Monday 18th November 10:34
My experience over 18 months of a 330e as a company car:
BIK saving over my A5 S Line TDI is circa £200 a month (40% tax payer) and fuel card which i have is another £100 so for m it was a no brainier financially wise as now with 3 kids we do most personal mileage in the wife's car.
I would save by not having the fuel card but for the hassle and amount of fuel i would expense then the fuel card just makes sense for me.
I have done nearly 40k since having it, mainly motorway and I never charge at home, if i'm at a place I can charge for free I will but makes no sense with a fuel card for me to pay to charge (unless I'm leaving early and its cold so I can pre heat it).
On a regular trip i do from midlands to Liverpool is see 42 to 45 driving normally, if i really try i can see 48mpg. I have tried after a full charge at it was mid 50's.
I like driving in electric mode when I get the chance to charge fully, something relaxing about it, the car really shifts, the torque is fantastic and is great fun, only let down are the brakes, they don't install the best confidence, not coasting also felt strange at first but now i'm used to that.
For me it was a BIK choice as we are not using it much for home use as such, its my first hybrid and would certainly have another.
BIK saving over my A5 S Line TDI is circa £200 a month (40% tax payer) and fuel card which i have is another £100 so for m it was a no brainier financially wise as now with 3 kids we do most personal mileage in the wife's car.
I would save by not having the fuel card but for the hassle and amount of fuel i would expense then the fuel card just makes sense for me.
I have done nearly 40k since having it, mainly motorway and I never charge at home, if i'm at a place I can charge for free I will but makes no sense with a fuel card for me to pay to charge (unless I'm leaving early and its cold so I can pre heat it).
On a regular trip i do from midlands to Liverpool is see 42 to 45 driving normally, if i really try i can see 48mpg. I have tried after a full charge at it was mid 50's.
I like driving in electric mode when I get the chance to charge fully, something relaxing about it, the car really shifts, the torque is fantastic and is great fun, only let down are the brakes, they don't install the best confidence, not coasting also felt strange at first but now i'm used to that.
For me it was a BIK choice as we are not using it much for home use as such, its my first hybrid and would certainly have another.
Thanks for the replies, really helpful.
I am yet still to decide on what option I take. I have had a good look at the 330e and to be fair the boot size does put me off, so I will wait until I have seen the Touring version.
The Skoda iV also looks a decent proposition although the interior looks quite bland IMO.
The Passat GTE also interesting me at the moment although the 330e makes more sense financially as I get higher fuel allowance with it being a 2.0.
There is a rumour that the Tesla 3 will be making an appearance on our company list shortly, but still not convinced as yet.
I am yet still to decide on what option I take. I have had a good look at the 330e and to be fair the boot size does put me off, so I will wait until I have seen the Touring version.
The Skoda iV also looks a decent proposition although the interior looks quite bland IMO.
The Passat GTE also interesting me at the moment although the 330e makes more sense financially as I get higher fuel allowance with it being a 2.0.
There is a rumour that the Tesla 3 will be making an appearance on our company list shortly, but still not convinced as yet.
just about to hand back my 330e
2017 model doing 25k a year of mixed driving but lots of motorway (field sales)
44mpg average over the first 50k with charging when at home (never bother when away)
recently down to 38mpg as haven't been able to charge at home due to some building work
not sure if the new model will be much better as they have a slightly bigger EV range
biggest annoyances with the 330e:
handles like a boat and feels particularly out of sorts when cold and slippery ( this time of the year) and the brakes inspire ZERO confidence
300 mile fuel tank
plugging in is a just a ballache for 18 miles of extra range or 6mpg especially in the pissing rain
expensive when specified with some desirable options
saying that its great looking and goes like stink
i'm swapping out to a Kia Niro HEV (non PHEV) as:
its £160 cheaper a month to run on my car scheme as i get a wad of cash back as its way below my available budget
it returned 56mpg on my week trial with it so will help me with my ppm on expenses
it doesn't have a pathetic fuel tank and was showing an indicated 460 when full
the highest spec is dripping with every conceivable feature
the trade off of the boring company car being i can put the money towards something more exciting for the weekends
2017 model doing 25k a year of mixed driving but lots of motorway (field sales)
44mpg average over the first 50k with charging when at home (never bother when away)
recently down to 38mpg as haven't been able to charge at home due to some building work
not sure if the new model will be much better as they have a slightly bigger EV range
biggest annoyances with the 330e:
handles like a boat and feels particularly out of sorts when cold and slippery ( this time of the year) and the brakes inspire ZERO confidence
300 mile fuel tank
plugging in is a just a ballache for 18 miles of extra range or 6mpg especially in the pissing rain
expensive when specified with some desirable options
saying that its great looking and goes like stink
i'm swapping out to a Kia Niro HEV (non PHEV) as:
its £160 cheaper a month to run on my car scheme as i get a wad of cash back as its way below my available budget
it returned 56mpg on my week trial with it so will help me with my ppm on expenses
it doesn't have a pathetic fuel tank and was showing an indicated 460 when full
the highest spec is dripping with every conceivable feature
the trade off of the boring company car being i can put the money towards something more exciting for the weekends
Not a 330e, but a 225xe.....
73000 miles in 30 months in a 225xe. Company car replacing a 150tdi A4 Avent. On call to sites round the midlands, can charge for free at all work sites. Normal commute is just short of 30 miles one way. Frequent long distance (grater than 500miles) trips. Went for the 225xe rather than the 330e as I've young kids who are into boats and camping and needed the space. VW not on our car scheme, but oddly enough Audi is. Now why don't they make a A4 Etron Avent.......
Cons
Small fuel tank - 7 gallons in my case, means its like a dog with lampposts. Its seems you need to stop at every fuel station. Not just a pain on long trips where you fuel every 250 miles, but it also seems to always need fuel almost every day of the week.
Pressurised fuel tank. The fuel tank is also pressurised. This is to keep the fuel from going off, for drivers that don't do much mileage. This means you need to depressurise the fuel tank when you need to fuel. On my 225 that always seems to take for ever, and has failed on numerous occasions, requiring two or three attempts to depressurise the tank. If the tank is still pressurised then you cannot open the fuel filler cap. This is the only hybrid specific issue I've had, when the system finally gave up, the emergency depressurise (a length of sting connected to the valve!) failed leaving me unable to fuel the car before a family trip to Scotland. On the plus side BMW got me a better spec 225xe, and was happy for me to use that on holiday while mine was being fixed.
Weight. Its a heavy old beast and you can really feel that weight at times.
Cold Weather. Kills the battery range. Will take 25-30% off
Noise. On electric the 225 is very very quiet. You have to be so aware of pedestrians who just don't notice you. Car parks are the worst.
Cables. Just a faff. I dot it every day because it makes a big difference in fuel costs. But the cable can be wet, dirty, covered in bird s
t..... In the BMW you even have to pay extra for a type 2 cable. At least BMW give you a pair of gloves.....
Public charging. So many providers, so many different rates, with the exception of the free Scottish network which works very well, I've rarely used it. One hotel I stayed at in Chester had a charging point, which would have cost me £24 for a single charge (best case 25 miles) God alone know how the full electric guys do it.....
Neutrals.
Fuel economy. Pleasant surprise is that I've averaging over 60mpg, so about the same as I was getting from the Audi. Costs slightly more to run than the diesel as each electric charge costs about 70p. Doesn't sound much, but you really notice it on a quarterly electric bill. Long trips usually between 40-50 mpg, usually above 45 mpg.
Pros
Electric drive. Its so instant, and quiet. Its a lovely way of driving. The electric motor is only 90hp but it still feels fast.
Performance. Its very very fast. Mid 6 second 0-60 may not be fast to some readers, but after a diet of mid range diesel cars, and very old Land Rovers its a revelation. On the 225 the electric motor drive is direct, not via the main transmission, so even during gear changes you have 90hp pushing you on. On some quiet twisting roads (did the Scottish 500 in it) you can have some fun.
Cold Weather. Pre heating (and pre air conditioning) is very nice. When called out in the middle of the night its very nice to trigger the car heating from the phone and jump into a warm ice free car.
Tax. Ok so this year is 16% but that is by far the worst its been taxed at. Will drop back to 12% in the next tax year. Main reason for having the car.
Free Fuel. I can charge for free at work, and still quite a few car parks. Particularly in Scotland for some reason. The 2020 model 225xe's will have about 50% greater battery range than mine, which in theory means I should be able to commute to work on a charge, charge for free at work, and then get back home again without using the petrol engine at all.
Reliability. Have had some bad bmw experiences in the past, and didnt have high expectations from such a complicated car, but with the exception of the fuel filler issue above I've had no hybrid related issues at all. It does only have a 60000 miles warranty on the battery, and I know my fleet manager is having sleepless nights worrying about are every expanding fleet of BMW hybrids on a three year lease.
Overall it works very well, to the extent that I have just ordered another 225xe as a replacement, however if it wasn't for Company car tax I would, from choice have another 2.0 tdi estate of some description, perhaps a V90....
73000 miles in 30 months in a 225xe. Company car replacing a 150tdi A4 Avent. On call to sites round the midlands, can charge for free at all work sites. Normal commute is just short of 30 miles one way. Frequent long distance (grater than 500miles) trips. Went for the 225xe rather than the 330e as I've young kids who are into boats and camping and needed the space. VW not on our car scheme, but oddly enough Audi is. Now why don't they make a A4 Etron Avent.......
Cons
Small fuel tank - 7 gallons in my case, means its like a dog with lampposts. Its seems you need to stop at every fuel station. Not just a pain on long trips where you fuel every 250 miles, but it also seems to always need fuel almost every day of the week.
Pressurised fuel tank. The fuel tank is also pressurised. This is to keep the fuel from going off, for drivers that don't do much mileage. This means you need to depressurise the fuel tank when you need to fuel. On my 225 that always seems to take for ever, and has failed on numerous occasions, requiring two or three attempts to depressurise the tank. If the tank is still pressurised then you cannot open the fuel filler cap. This is the only hybrid specific issue I've had, when the system finally gave up, the emergency depressurise (a length of sting connected to the valve!) failed leaving me unable to fuel the car before a family trip to Scotland. On the plus side BMW got me a better spec 225xe, and was happy for me to use that on holiday while mine was being fixed.
Weight. Its a heavy old beast and you can really feel that weight at times.
Cold Weather. Kills the battery range. Will take 25-30% off
Noise. On electric the 225 is very very quiet. You have to be so aware of pedestrians who just don't notice you. Car parks are the worst.
Cables. Just a faff. I dot it every day because it makes a big difference in fuel costs. But the cable can be wet, dirty, covered in bird s
t..... In the BMW you even have to pay extra for a type 2 cable. At least BMW give you a pair of gloves..... Public charging. So many providers, so many different rates, with the exception of the free Scottish network which works very well, I've rarely used it. One hotel I stayed at in Chester had a charging point, which would have cost me £24 for a single charge (best case 25 miles) God alone know how the full electric guys do it.....
Neutrals.
Fuel economy. Pleasant surprise is that I've averaging over 60mpg, so about the same as I was getting from the Audi. Costs slightly more to run than the diesel as each electric charge costs about 70p. Doesn't sound much, but you really notice it on a quarterly electric bill. Long trips usually between 40-50 mpg, usually above 45 mpg.
Pros
Electric drive. Its so instant, and quiet. Its a lovely way of driving. The electric motor is only 90hp but it still feels fast.
Performance. Its very very fast. Mid 6 second 0-60 may not be fast to some readers, but after a diet of mid range diesel cars, and very old Land Rovers its a revelation. On the 225 the electric motor drive is direct, not via the main transmission, so even during gear changes you have 90hp pushing you on. On some quiet twisting roads (did the Scottish 500 in it) you can have some fun.
Cold Weather. Pre heating (and pre air conditioning) is very nice. When called out in the middle of the night its very nice to trigger the car heating from the phone and jump into a warm ice free car.
Tax. Ok so this year is 16% but that is by far the worst its been taxed at. Will drop back to 12% in the next tax year. Main reason for having the car.
Free Fuel. I can charge for free at work, and still quite a few car parks. Particularly in Scotland for some reason. The 2020 model 225xe's will have about 50% greater battery range than mine, which in theory means I should be able to commute to work on a charge, charge for free at work, and then get back home again without using the petrol engine at all.
Reliability. Have had some bad bmw experiences in the past, and didnt have high expectations from such a complicated car, but with the exception of the fuel filler issue above I've had no hybrid related issues at all. It does only have a 60000 miles warranty on the battery, and I know my fleet manager is having sleepless nights worrying about are every expanding fleet of BMW hybrids on a three year lease.
Overall it works very well, to the extent that I have just ordered another 225xe as a replacement, however if it wasn't for Company car tax I would, from choice have another 2.0 tdi estate of some description, perhaps a V90....
Edited by HookyBeerMan on Monday 16th December 10:58
Edited by HookyBeerMan on Monday 16th December 11:21
HookyBeerMan said:
Not a 330e, but a 225xe.....
73000 miles in 30 months in a 225xe. Company car replacing a 150tdi A4 Avent. On call to sites round the midlands, can charge for free at all work sites. Normal commute is just short of 30 miles one way. Frequent long distance (grater than 500miles) trips. Went for the 225xe rather than the 330e as I've young kids who are into boats and camping and needed the space. VW not on our car scheme, but oddly enough Audi is. Now why don't they make a A4 Etron Avent.......
Cons
Small fuel tank - 7 gallons in my case, means its like a dog with lampposts. Its seems you need to stop at every fuel station. Not just a pain on long trips where you fuel every 250 miles, but it also seems to always need fuel almost every day of the week.
Pressurised fuel tank. The fuel tank is also pressurised. This is to keep the fuel from going off, for drivers that don't do much mileage. This means you need to depressurise the fuel tank when you need to fuel. On my 225 that always seems to take for ever, and has failed on numerous occasions, requiring two or three attempts to depressurise the tank. If the tank is still pressurised then you cannot open the fuel filler cap. This is the only hybrid specific issue I've had, when the system finally gave up, the emergency depressurise (a length of sting connected to the valve!) failed leaving me unable to fuel the car before a family trip to Scotland. On the plus side BMW got me a better spec 225xe, and was happy for me to use that on holiday while mine was being fixed.
Weight. Its a heavy old beast and you can really feel that weight at times.
Cold Weather. Kills the battery range. Will take 25-30% off
Noise. On electric the 225 is very very quiet. You have to be so aware of pedestrians who just don't notice you. Car parks are the worst.
Cables. Just a faff. I dot it every day because it makes a big difference in fuel costs. But the cable can be wet, dirty, covered in bird st..... In the BMW you even have to pay extra for a type 2 cable. At least BMW give you a pair of gloves.....
Public charging. So many providers, so many different rates, with the exception of the free Scottish network which works very well, I've rarely used it. One hotel I stayed at in Chester had a charging point, which would have cost me £24 for a single charge (best case 25 miles) God alone know how the full electric guys do it.....
Neutrals.
Fuel economy. Pleasant surprise is that I've averaging over 60mpg, so about the same as I was getting from the Audi. Costs slightly more to run than the diesel as each electric charge costs about 70p. Doesn't sound much, but you really notice it on a quarterly electric bill. Long trips usually between 40-50 mpg, usually above 45 mpg.
Pros
Electric drive. Its so instant, and quiet. Its a lovely way of driving. The electric motor is only 90hp but it still feels fast.
Performance. Its very very fast. Mid 6 second 0-60 may not be fast to some readers, but after a diet of mid range diesel cars, and very old Land Rovers its a revelation. On the 225 the electric motor drive is direct, not via the main transmission, so even during gear changes you have 90hp pushing you on. On some quiet twisting roads (did the Scottish 500 in it) you can have some fun.
Cold Weather. Pre heating (and pre air conditioning) is very nice. When called out in the middle of the night its very nice to trigger the car heating from the phone and jump into a warm ice free car.
Tax. Ok so this year is 16% but that is by far the worst its been taxed at. Will drop back to 12% in the next tax year. Main reason for having the car.
Free Fuel. I can charge for free at work, and still quite a few car parks. Particularly in Scotland for some reason. The 2020 model 225xe's will have about 50% greater battery range than mine, which in theory means I should be able to commute to work on a charge, charge for free at work, and then get back home again without using the petrol engine at all.
Reliability. Have had some bad bmw experiences in the past, and didnt have high expectations from such a complicated car, but with the exception of the fuel filler issue above I've had no hybrid related issues at all. It does only have a 60000 miles warranty on the battery, and I know my fleet manager is having sleepless nights worrying about are every expanding fleet of BMW hybrids on a three year lease.
Overall it works very well, to the extent that I have just ordered another 225xe as a replacement, however if it wasn't for Company car tax I would, from choice have another 2.0 tdi estate of some description, perhaps a V90....
Great post!73000 miles in 30 months in a 225xe. Company car replacing a 150tdi A4 Avent. On call to sites round the midlands, can charge for free at all work sites. Normal commute is just short of 30 miles one way. Frequent long distance (grater than 500miles) trips. Went for the 225xe rather than the 330e as I've young kids who are into boats and camping and needed the space. VW not on our car scheme, but oddly enough Audi is. Now why don't they make a A4 Etron Avent.......
Cons
Small fuel tank - 7 gallons in my case, means its like a dog with lampposts. Its seems you need to stop at every fuel station. Not just a pain on long trips where you fuel every 250 miles, but it also seems to always need fuel almost every day of the week.
Pressurised fuel tank. The fuel tank is also pressurised. This is to keep the fuel from going off, for drivers that don't do much mileage. This means you need to depressurise the fuel tank when you need to fuel. On my 225 that always seems to take for ever, and has failed on numerous occasions, requiring two or three attempts to depressurise the tank. If the tank is still pressurised then you cannot open the fuel filler cap. This is the only hybrid specific issue I've had, when the system finally gave up, the emergency depressurise (a length of sting connected to the valve!) failed leaving me unable to fuel the car before a family trip to Scotland. On the plus side BMW got me a better spec 225xe, and was happy for me to use that on holiday while mine was being fixed.
Weight. Its a heavy old beast and you can really feel that weight at times.
Cold Weather. Kills the battery range. Will take 25-30% off
Noise. On electric the 225 is very very quiet. You have to be so aware of pedestrians who just don't notice you. Car parks are the worst.
Cables. Just a faff. I dot it every day because it makes a big difference in fuel costs. But the cable can be wet, dirty, covered in bird s
t..... In the BMW you even have to pay extra for a type 2 cable. At least BMW give you a pair of gloves..... Public charging. So many providers, so many different rates, with the exception of the free Scottish network which works very well, I've rarely used it. One hotel I stayed at in Chester had a charging point, which would have cost me £24 for a single charge (best case 25 miles) God alone know how the full electric guys do it.....
Neutrals.
Fuel economy. Pleasant surprise is that I've averaging over 60mpg, so about the same as I was getting from the Audi. Costs slightly more to run than the diesel as each electric charge costs about 70p. Doesn't sound much, but you really notice it on a quarterly electric bill. Long trips usually between 40-50 mpg, usually above 45 mpg.
Pros
Electric drive. Its so instant, and quiet. Its a lovely way of driving. The electric motor is only 90hp but it still feels fast.
Performance. Its very very fast. Mid 6 second 0-60 may not be fast to some readers, but after a diet of mid range diesel cars, and very old Land Rovers its a revelation. On the 225 the electric motor drive is direct, not via the main transmission, so even during gear changes you have 90hp pushing you on. On some quiet twisting roads (did the Scottish 500 in it) you can have some fun.
Cold Weather. Pre heating (and pre air conditioning) is very nice. When called out in the middle of the night its very nice to trigger the car heating from the phone and jump into a warm ice free car.
Tax. Ok so this year is 16% but that is by far the worst its been taxed at. Will drop back to 12% in the next tax year. Main reason for having the car.
Free Fuel. I can charge for free at work, and still quite a few car parks. Particularly in Scotland for some reason. The 2020 model 225xe's will have about 50% greater battery range than mine, which in theory means I should be able to commute to work on a charge, charge for free at work, and then get back home again without using the petrol engine at all.
Reliability. Have had some bad bmw experiences in the past, and didnt have high expectations from such a complicated car, but with the exception of the fuel filler issue above I've had no hybrid related issues at all. It does only have a 60000 miles warranty on the battery, and I know my fleet manager is having sleepless nights worrying about are every expanding fleet of BMW hybrids on a three year lease.
Overall it works very well, to the extent that I have just ordered another 225xe as a replacement, however if it wasn't for Company car tax I would, from choice have another 2.0 tdi estate of some description, perhaps a V90....
Edited by HookyBeerMan on Monday 16th December 10:58
Edited by HookyBeerMan on Monday 16th December 11:21
Here's another view. I think what this proves is that it depends alot on your useage profile.
I came from a Jag XF in 2015 paying circa £270/m in company car tax to the 330e that cost me £125/m (40%). That was enough to swing it already. The Jag averaged 52mpg, the 330e averaged 59mpg over 18kpa. I have an 18 mile commute, charge at home, rarely at work.
I always plug in at home, it takes seconds to do and is now part of my routine. I could shave 5 seconds off if my cable was tethered but then for the odd occasion you can charge somewhere else you would still need a cable. Charging elsewhere is very hit and miss to be honest. No point whatsoever on a motorway. Because of my useage profile, I never found the small fuel tank an issue as i would regularly achieve over 500 miles per fill up. The range is constantly extended by electric useage for me. Even on a long run, I would get 360 miles, which is really the most you can do in a day. So for some on higher mileages this would be a pain. I would get max 18 miles range in the summer, 12 in winter. And yes, nearly ran people over in car parks! I never had an issue with the pressurised tank. Push the button, wait for the message, pop the flap. Simples.
I have just received the new 330e as a replacement. This new one is a significant upgrade over the previous gen. Winter range is 21 miles, so it will only get better in the summer. So far I have filled it with petrol once (when delivered) covered 670 miles thus far and I still have half a tank of petrol left and a range indicating 197 miles. Normal commuting and short journeys require even less fuel than before, so the additional range is having a huge impact. More than I considered it would. It will be interesting to see where it ends up when I fill it eventually as it's currently indicating 99.9mpg
Mine is M Sport specced with 19" wheels to get it with run flat tyres. The ride is smooth and not overly harsh, even for my old and dodgy back. The also added lumbar support is great!
I came from a Jag XF in 2015 paying circa £270/m in company car tax to the 330e that cost me £125/m (40%). That was enough to swing it already. The Jag averaged 52mpg, the 330e averaged 59mpg over 18kpa. I have an 18 mile commute, charge at home, rarely at work.
I always plug in at home, it takes seconds to do and is now part of my routine. I could shave 5 seconds off if my cable was tethered but then for the odd occasion you can charge somewhere else you would still need a cable. Charging elsewhere is very hit and miss to be honest. No point whatsoever on a motorway. Because of my useage profile, I never found the small fuel tank an issue as i would regularly achieve over 500 miles per fill up. The range is constantly extended by electric useage for me. Even on a long run, I would get 360 miles, which is really the most you can do in a day. So for some on higher mileages this would be a pain. I would get max 18 miles range in the summer, 12 in winter. And yes, nearly ran people over in car parks! I never had an issue with the pressurised tank. Push the button, wait for the message, pop the flap. Simples.
I have just received the new 330e as a replacement. This new one is a significant upgrade over the previous gen. Winter range is 21 miles, so it will only get better in the summer. So far I have filled it with petrol once (when delivered) covered 670 miles thus far and I still have half a tank of petrol left and a range indicating 197 miles. Normal commuting and short journeys require even less fuel than before, so the additional range is having a huge impact. More than I considered it would. It will be interesting to see where it ends up when I fill it eventually as it's currently indicating 99.9mpg
Mine is M Sport specced with 19" wheels to get it with run flat tyres. The ride is smooth and not overly harsh, even for my old and dodgy back. The also added lumbar support is great!
Edited by Orion917 on Tuesday 17th December 16:01
With a profile like that you must have been close to going full electric.
I had an I-pace for a couple of days, loved it to bits, but the range was just over 200 miles. Just too low for me. There is something very seductive about the power and quietness of running on electricity, it makes an ICE seem very old fashioned. In my head a reliable 300 mile range will be enough to make me switch.
Also tried the new 330e for a day. Liked it, but until the 330e tourer is out, its just too small on luggage space for my needs. Also I live about 5 miles of windy hilly cotswoldy road from the nearest "B" road so the 4x4 system in the 225xe has been useful. Our hedgerows are full of 3 series sized holes......
Had a go in a E300de as well. Liked that, but the battery is just plonked into the boot space, in a transverse box, higher than the level of the folded seats.
Looked lovingly at Volvo range of twin engine's but even the XC40 hybrid is more expensive than an E300de estate on our scheme, which didnt seem worth the extra money over the 225
So although the 225xe is an old design now and due for replacement, for my needs it ticked most boxes. In 3 years time full electric?
I had an I-pace for a couple of days, loved it to bits, but the range was just over 200 miles. Just too low for me. There is something very seductive about the power and quietness of running on electricity, it makes an ICE seem very old fashioned. In my head a reliable 300 mile range will be enough to make me switch.
Also tried the new 330e for a day. Liked it, but until the 330e tourer is out, its just too small on luggage space for my needs. Also I live about 5 miles of windy hilly cotswoldy road from the nearest "B" road so the 4x4 system in the 225xe has been useful. Our hedgerows are full of 3 series sized holes......
Had a go in a E300de as well. Liked that, but the battery is just plonked into the boot space, in a transverse box, higher than the level of the folded seats.
Looked lovingly at Volvo range of twin engine's but even the XC40 hybrid is more expensive than an E300de estate on our scheme, which didnt seem worth the extra money over the 225
So although the 225xe is an old design now and due for replacement, for my needs it ticked most boxes. In 3 years time full electric?
Quoting mpg in isolation means nothing when referring to PHEVs because you need to factor in number of charges, distance travelled, is the mpg per tank or per journey etc etc. Someone with a 3 mile commute may boast of 100+miles per gallon because they can run entirely off battery but that's of no comparative use to someone who does regular journeys beyond the range of the battery.
If you don't charge a PHEV then there isn't much point in having one as the BIK savings will be lost in higher fuel costs. Mpg of a PHEV run entirely on its ICE will be significantly worse than a diesel equivalent. Unless you have a fuel card of course and then mpg will be of little concern.
If you don't charge a PHEV then there isn't much point in having one as the BIK savings will be lost in higher fuel costs. Mpg of a PHEV run entirely on its ICE will be significantly worse than a diesel equivalent. Unless you have a fuel card of course and then mpg will be of little concern.
xx99xx said:
Quoting mpg in isolation means nothing when referring to PHEVs because you need to factor in number of charges, distance travelled, is the mpg per tank or per journey etc etc. Someone with a 3 mile commute may boast of 100+miles per gallon because they can run entirely off battery but that's of no comparative use to someone who does regular journeys beyond the range of the battery.
If you don't charge a PHEV then there isn't much point in having one as the BIK savings will be lost in higher fuel costs. Mpg of a PHEV run entirely on its ICE will be significantly worse than a diesel equivalent. Unless you have a fuel card of course and then mpg will be of little concern.
For high mileage company car users, the only sensible PHEV is the Merc or Peugeot 508 Diesels. For low mileage users, surely its better to opt out of any company car scheme!If you don't charge a PHEV then there isn't much point in having one as the BIK savings will be lost in higher fuel costs. Mpg of a PHEV run entirely on its ICE will be significantly worse than a diesel equivalent. Unless you have a fuel card of course and then mpg will be of little concern.
dmsims said:
xx99xx said:
Mpg of a PHEV run entirely on its ICE will be significantly worse than a diesel equivalent.
GTE does 55mpg on ICE My GTE would struggle to get 55mpg with an empty battery, over a softly driven hour or 2 motorway journey. Definitely would struggle on non motorway equivalent.
wassap said:
For high mileage company car users, the only sensible PHEV is the Merc or Peugeot 508 Diesels. For low mileage users, surely its better to opt out of any company car scheme!
No for me the combination of short trip commuting costs and low BIK of my PHEV offsets the higher long distance costs. And remember that there is not a massive cost difference between 500 miles at 45 mpg with my petrol PHEV and 55 mpg for a typical 2.0 tdi diesel. If I was all day every day on the motorway then yes I agree, but for my mixed (but still high millage) driving I'm better off with a PHEV than a 2.0 TDI generic diesel company car. However had the e300 de estate had better battery packaging I would have got one. Best of both worlds.
45 mpg (or a bit more) will be what I get on a long trip, I did from my home in oxfordshire to inverness a couple of months ago, and got 47.2. Started with a full charge but that soon went. Car will charge battery when you brake, or dependent upon the drive mode, when you coast.
I'll be the first to admit that on long trips I have a light foot, but the car will be sat on the speed limit(ish)
The worst I have ever seen was a 3 day drip to Switerland and back. 4 adults and the car stuffed with luggage. Drivers were rotated and the car was driven fast, that trip I got it down to 36 mpg. That will be about the worst that most owners should see.
Again what I loose mpg wise on long trips, I make up with the much better economy on my daily commute. Overall my full life mpg is about the same as I was getting with the previous 2.0 tdi A4.
But yes in general to get the best out of one of these PHEV's you must be willing to plug in as much as you can, and with the bmw to be switching between drive modes to maximise the fuel efficiency.
I'll be the first to admit that on long trips I have a light foot, but the car will be sat on the speed limit(ish)
The worst I have ever seen was a 3 day drip to Switerland and back. 4 adults and the car stuffed with luggage. Drivers were rotated and the car was driven fast, that trip I got it down to 36 mpg. That will be about the worst that most owners should see.
Again what I loose mpg wise on long trips, I make up with the much better economy on my daily commute. Overall my full life mpg is about the same as I was getting with the previous 2.0 tdi A4.
But yes in general to get the best out of one of these PHEV's you must be willing to plug in as much as you can, and with the bmw to be switching between drive modes to maximise the fuel efficiency.
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