RE: 2021 BMW 545e | PH Review
Discussion
This is company car territory. Not sure the BIK on a PHEV makes sense now against a BEV. Colleague recently worked out a company car BEV would cost him 25 quid a year in tax, admittedly it was a Leaf and not a 5 series BMW. This car might be a few years too late on from when they were more tax efficient.
Venisonpie said:
PHEV's are dead baby.
All the drawbacks of an EV but very little of the benefit. They end up being driven about like petrol cars with dead motion batteries.
Sounds much more like a wish on your part, rather than the reality, as backed up by the article and that they have made one. All the drawbacks of an EV but very little of the benefit. They end up being driven about like petrol cars with dead motion batteries.
Inverness said:
Casa1862 said:
I’ve got the Volvo S60 T8 which is similar performance, 405 bhp (With the optional polestar map) 0-60 in 4.2 seconds, Im also averaging about 60mpg and I only fill up once a month. Works for me as most of my daily journeys are about 30 miles which is perfect as i use mostly electric and a sip of petrol, not many ice cars can claim that performance and mpg or bev do 600 miles without stopping.
When the battery shows 0% it actually isn’t and you’ll still full power and 4 wheel drive, it’s keeps a healthy reserve.
I would consider this new 5 series but I found it too big for general use, hence went with the S60, I managed to find one with every option ticked, the B&W sound system is rather nice. Hardly any newer S60 available now (4 on auto trader) was about 20 when I got mine in June, seem to have gone in price as well as. must be selling so some demand for this type of car.
There has been an upgrade to the Volvo PHEV's in the last month or 2 so they are even better now, so you have one of the last old ones. They like Jaguar Land Rover have stuck with 4 pot ICE, which in a big car (XC90 / Disco / X5 / F Pace) can sound a bit rough.When the battery shows 0% it actually isn’t and you’ll still full power and 4 wheel drive, it’s keeps a healthy reserve.
I would consider this new 5 series but I found it too big for general use, hence went with the S60, I managed to find one with every option ticked, the B&W sound system is rather nice. Hardly any newer S60 available now (4 on auto trader) was about 20 when I got mine in June, seem to have gone in price as well as. must be selling so some demand for this type of car.
Bispal said:
1984 e24 M635 CSi 286 bhp
1984 e28 M5 286bhp
1988 e34 M5 286 bhp
1992 e36 M3 286 bhp
1994 e39 540 & 740 286 bhp
2006 e90 335d 286 bhp
And now this with a 286 bhp ICE engine.
What is it with BMW and 286 bhp in line sixes and why no progress in 37 years? Even their small V8 was 286 bhp.
286hp is the lowest state of tune they do for the B58 engine it comes in various tunes up to 380hp, the current 3ltr straight six for the M3 (S58 based on the B58) has 510hp I'd say that was progress. 1984 e28 M5 286bhp
1988 e34 M5 286 bhp
1992 e36 M3 286 bhp
1994 e39 540 & 740 286 bhp
2006 e90 335d 286 bhp
And now this with a 286 bhp ICE engine.
What is it with BMW and 286 bhp in line sixes and why no progress in 37 years? Even their small V8 was 286 bhp.
BFleming said:
annodomini2 said:
The 72k for this thing would get you into a base Porsche Taycan or a top spec Tesla model 3 with £12k change.
Or buy the base 545i, save £12k over the Taycan, and spend the same as the top spec Model 3? Or don't buy anything and save it all!No one is buying one of these with cash, it's all about the company car monthlies.
The only situation where a company vehicle would not be a BEV is if they are doing 300+ miles per day (depending on the BEV available), at that mileage you'd probably want a diesel PHEV.
I have a 540i with 20inch wheels. It was originally delivered with run flat tyres. I actually nearly sold it due to the pounding ride (esp over cats eyes). I then changed to Michelin Pilot non RFT. What a total revelation. I have absolutely fallen in love with it.
I simply don't believe that BMW engineers drive cars with runflats that have covered more than 5000 miles. They become hard and noisy. They are the work of the devil and the cynic in me says that BMW calculated the cost of a wheel , tyre and jack against the many millions of cars they make each year and went with this hobbling tech. Mercedes have also now relented.
I simply don't believe that BMW engineers drive cars with runflats that have covered more than 5000 miles. They become hard and noisy. They are the work of the devil and the cynic in me says that BMW calculated the cost of a wheel , tyre and jack against the many millions of cars they make each year and went with this hobbling tech. Mercedes have also now relented.
Court_S said:
annodomini2 said:
You get the choice to do something else with the 5-10mins you would spend filling up.
What are you filling up that takes 10 minutes?
This is something that often gets trotted out on here as a benefit of EV’s. Are people’s lives that busy that chucking some fuel in is that much if an inconvenience? Mucking around at a charge point before you stop for a piss at the services sounds just as much faf.
I’m not anti EV, they’re here to stay but this really does feel like a realm has far as benefits go (totally get the ability to condition your car before you drive anywhere though).
...
Plugging the car in generally takes a minute tops (unless you are using an uncooperative charger), usually 10-15s with a Supercharger, 15-45 for an alternative quick charger, 30-45 if you need to get a cable out.
The rest of the time you can wander off and have your piss, have a coffee or whatever takes your fancy.
The biggest advantage is day-to-day, plug in at home (if you can), and you're back to your fill in a morning.
annodomini2 said:
gl20 said:
Gad-Westy said:
For our use a PHEV would be perfect. Most days it's 28 miles of school run (7 miles each way) with the odd trip to the shop. Frequent longer journeys for work and to see family of up around 250 miles. There are EV's that would do this but none that do it easily in all weathers at my normal motorway speed. We currently do it with a much older 3.0 petrol 5-series. 20mpg on the school run. So while it would never be cost effective to spend all that money on a new car just to save on fuel, when we do decide to replace it with something newer, a PHEV would make a lot of sense from the current offerings.
Therefore a PHEV appeals massively to us at the moment. I've had several 5-series and do like the current one. I'd want a touring and ideally x-drive if that is coming to this model. I'd guess that would come out at nearer £75k with some options I'd want. Ouch! Mind you I also had a look at the V90 T6 which is very close in terms of power but doesn't have a straight 6. An optioned up one of those is similar money.
This is exactly us - family 250 miles away, but a good chunk of our driving through the year would be within electric range (even more so if we go for the X5 e45 as it has closer to 50 mile range). As there are none available to test I was wondering only this morning when walking the dog if BMW had the same engine in a different car so I could try it out.Therefore a PHEV appeals massively to us at the moment. I've had several 5-series and do like the current one. I'd want a touring and ideally x-drive if that is coming to this model. I'd guess that would come out at nearer £75k with some options I'd want. Ouch! Mind you I also had a look at the V90 T6 which is very close in terms of power but doesn't have a straight 6. An optioned up one of those is similar money.
Biggest problem for me is the grill (on the X5) so looking at XC60 / 90 too.
If PHEV works out for us for next two years and charge infrastructure gets much better in that period (I expect it will) then may well go full EV next time.
Yes, that’s correct
What most people coming from ICE to EV fail to understand is that with an EV you graze rather than fill up.
No, I get it but actually not everyone does what you do (thank god, based on the advice I see is coming next…)
Also you plug in and walk away, do something else while it's charging.
That sounds awesome. Browse shops for stuff I can buy through Amazon, or buy a Costa from one of those crappy vending machines. You really do know how to live.
You don't have to stand next to the car while fuelling as you do with a conventional ICE vehicle. You get the choice to do something else with the 5-10mins you would spend filling up.
I’m going to guess you keep a list of things to fill your 5-10 mins with, don’t you?
So you stop for toilet or food break, plug in, go do your thing and when you're finished come back and unless you specifically need to fill right up, charge a bit and drive on to your next stop and charge a bit more.
That’s great. Anything else I should do to live life to the max? Do you run courses on your life lessons?
The 72k for this thing would get you into a base Porsche Taycan. Fair play or a top spec Tesla model 3 with £12k change.
annodomini2 said:
As stated, BIK savings and company incentives make choosing BEV over PHEV a no brainer.
The only situation where a company vehicle would not be a BEV is if they are doing 300+ miles per day (depending on the BEV available), at that mileage you'd probably want a diesel PHEV.
As far as I know there's only one Diesel PHEV on the market, and of all the PHEVs it's possibly the least desirable.The only situation where a company vehicle would not be a BEV is if they are doing 300+ miles per day (depending on the BEV available), at that mileage you'd probably want a diesel PHEV.
annodomini2 said:
gl20 said:
Gad-Westy said:
For our use a PHEV would be perfect. Most days it's 28 miles of school run (7 miles each way) with the odd trip to the shop. Frequent longer journeys for work and to see family of up around 250 miles. There are EV's that would do this but none that do it easily in all weathers at my normal motorway speed. We currently do it with a much older 3.0 petrol 5-series. 20mpg on the school run. So while it would never be cost effective to spend all that money on a new car just to save on fuel, when we do decide to replace it with something newer, a PHEV would make a lot of sense from the current offerings.
Therefore a PHEV appeals massively to us at the moment. I've had several 5-series and do like the current one. I'd want a touring and ideally x-drive if that is coming to this model. I'd guess that would come out at nearer £75k with some options I'd want. Ouch! Mind you I also had a look at the V90 T6 which is very close in terms of power but doesn't have a straight 6. An optioned up one of those is similar money.
This is exactly us - family 250 miles away, but a good chunk of our driving through the year would be within electric range (even more so if we go for the X5 e45 as it has closer to 50 mile range). As there are none available to test I was wondering only this morning when walking the dog if BMW had the same engine in a different car so I could try it out.Therefore a PHEV appeals massively to us at the moment. I've had several 5-series and do like the current one. I'd want a touring and ideally x-drive if that is coming to this model. I'd guess that would come out at nearer £75k with some options I'd want. Ouch! Mind you I also had a look at the V90 T6 which is very close in terms of power but doesn't have a straight 6. An optioned up one of those is similar money.
Biggest problem for me is the grill (on the X5) so looking at XC60 / 90 too.
If PHEV works out for us for next two years and charge infrastructure gets much better in that period (I expect it will) then may well go full EV next time.
What most people coming from ICE to EV fail to understand is that with an EV you graze rather than fill up.
Also you plug in and walk away, do something else while it's charging. You don't have to stand next to the car while fuelling as you do with a conventional ICE vehicle. You get the choice to do something else with the 5-10mins you would spend filling up.
So you stop for toilet or food break, plug in, go do your thing and when you're finished come back and unless you specifically need to fill right up, charge a bit and drive on to your next stop and charge a bit more.
The 72k for this thing would get you into a base Porsche Taycan or a top spec Tesla model 3 with £12k change.
I ran a 530e for 2 years. A dull car slightly puddingish to drive, certainly not a traditional drivers car and miles behind the likes an XF.
However, a very good car, quick enough, balanced, capable and surprisingly comfortable. It wanted for nothing but an extra 2 cylinders will make it more coherent. Hopefully the balance it not effected and that's probably why the battery capacity isn't much bigger on the new 545e
What gets annoying with PHEV's is knowing you best charge them everytime. For example if your driving 30 miles a day, you need to charge constantly for maximum return. With an EV you don't, maybe charge a few times a week.
PHEV's work well, or they're pointless, depending on your usage.
However, a very good car, quick enough, balanced, capable and surprisingly comfortable. It wanted for nothing but an extra 2 cylinders will make it more coherent. Hopefully the balance it not effected and that's probably why the battery capacity isn't much bigger on the new 545e
What gets annoying with PHEV's is knowing you best charge them everytime. For example if your driving 30 miles a day, you need to charge constantly for maximum return. With an EV you don't, maybe charge a few times a week.
PHEV's work well, or they're pointless, depending on your usage.
Another point. If your company has a salary sacrifice car scheme, this falls under the ulev rules, so you still get tax relief, unlike every other 5 series since the rules changed.
According to my man maths calculator, for me a 545e is about £100 less expensive than a 520d, when using that scheme.
It’s a tax efficient car. No one is going to stroll in and hand over 70k for one. But they will still shift a load for business users. Just a shame they don’t do a touring version as far as I can tell, so I’ll probably end up with the 530e.
According to my man maths calculator, for me a 545e is about £100 less expensive than a 520d, when using that scheme.
It’s a tax efficient car. No one is going to stroll in and hand over 70k for one. But they will still shift a load for business users. Just a shame they don’t do a touring version as far as I can tell, so I’ll probably end up with the 530e.
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