BMW 330e ordered...

[humpy999]

Of course the performance benefits are huge but a lot of company car drivers, possibly even most, simply buy off BIK and won't be bothered to plug it in everyday, especially if they are high mileage users when the benefit is marginal.

I used to have an LPG car and the cost per mile was brilliant but it annoyed the hell out of me to have to fill up every 200 miles (every 2 days). Despite the benefits it's going to be boring to have to plug and unplug it every time I drive it.

I hope there a reminder that the car is plugged in, as they have been designed for LHD and the plug is on the opposite side for RHD.I can easily imagine my wife driving off without unplugging it...

[Super Slo Mo]

Happy_Harris1431 said:

I've just ordered the 330e in luxury trim, it saves me £250 a month on company car tax against a comparative diesel.

Are you sure this is right? That's an annual saving of £3,000 just in tax, and is about £600 more than just the tax charge for a 320d sport for a 40% tax payer.
The actual savings, as far as I can make out, are more like £1600 this year (£133/month) assuming again that we are discussing a 40% rate of tax.

Unless you're comparing it to say a 330d (£3800 ish for a 40% tax payer) but I wouldn't have said that's an equivalent car.

[MagicalTrevor]

humpy999 said:

Of course the performance benefits are huge but a lot of company car drivers, possibly even most, simply buy off BIK and won't be bothered to plug it in everyday, especially if they are high mileage users when the benefit is marginal.

I used to have an LPG car and the cost per mile was brilliant but it annoyed the hell out of me to have to fill up every 200 miles (every 2 days). Despite the benefits it's going to be boring to have to plug and unplug it every time I drive it.

I hope there a reminder that the car is plugged in, as they have been designed for LHD and the plug is on the opposite side for RHD.I can easily imagine my wife driving off without unplugging it...

I have an i3, plugging in (whilst essential in this case) is just like plugging my phone in every night. I actually resent going to the petrol station (not that's the same with the 330e) but you just get in the habit and it's not an issue

[Happy_Harris1431]

Hi, follow for the link in the comments of this video for all the info you need on the 330e

https://youtu.be/anZdMgJxOFM

[xjay1337]

MagicalTrevor said:

I don't know why you wouldn't charge it up every night. The extra performance you'll get from the electric motor plus economy is a no-brainer

I would agree, especially with a 3 hour home-charge time!
Even at 30-40 miles of pure electric range, that's what, a fiver of fuel? Most peoples commute either to or from the office.
Imagine driving to work and it costing you absolutely ZERO :-)

I hate electric cars and I think most PHEV's are stupid (because people don't actually plug them in and they're a tax dodge) but give me one of these BMWs and it would be charging every opportunity!

[Emeye]

xjay1337 said:

I would agree, especially with a 3 hour home-charge time!
Even at 30-40 miles of pure electric range, that's what, a fiver of fuel? Most peoples commute either to or from the office.
Imagine driving to work and it costing you absolutely ZERO :-)

I hate electric cars and I think most PHEV's are stupid (because people don't actually plug them in and they're a tax dodge) but give me one of these BMWs and it would be charging every opportunity!

I think the quoted electrickery range is 22 miles.

[Happy_Harris1431]

The guy using one in the Netherlands is getting 34mpg without plugging it in at all and he says he has a heavy right foot so should work out ok once charged every day and driven a little more economically

[Accelebrate]

I've ordered one in M-Sport trim, to replace my M135i. It's £30 cheaper, maintained and nearly as quick (although I'll miss the sound of the straight six).

Hoping to charge at work and home, should be able to cover most of my commute on electricity.

[MagicalTrevor]

Happy_Harris1431 said:

The guy using one in the Netherlands is getting 34mpg without plugging it in at all and he says he has a heavy right foot so should work out ok once charged every day and driven a little more economically

I appreciate the tax benefits but what's the point in getting 34mpg and carrying all that weight around for nothing?

[Accelebrate]

If he constantly drives it in the way that he's driving it in the two videos he's uploaded then that's not really that bad (he claims he does).

I know it's a fairly pointless comparison but my M135i would be sub 20mpg when driven like that.

[Happy_Harris1431]

MagicalTrevor said:

I appreciate the tax benefits but what's the point in getting 34mpg and carrying all that weight around for nothing?

I work 15 mlies away and have a charger at home and work so it works for me, I also have a fuel card from work so even if the mpg is a little high it's not a big deal for me.

[humpy999]

A guy at work ordered his 330e a week after me in December and has been quoted a June delivery versus my March. The build lots are being snapped up quickly!

[evoivboy]

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Edited by evoivboy on Wednesday 13th January 15:51

[Collectingbrass]

Wouldn't not charging it regularly knacker the battery, negate any warranty and kill any second hand value? I appreciate that this probably isn't a concern for the business driver but it must affect the lease companies? They will catch on surely?

[MagicalTrevor]

Which gearbox does the 330e use? Its gearbox is described differently to the other engines in the range. Is the gearbox on a par to the ZF 8 speed?

[xjay1337]

Collectingbrass said:

Wouldn't not charging it regularly knacker the battery, negate any warranty and kill any second hand value? I appreciate that this probably isn't a concern for the business driver but it must affect the lease companies? They will catch on surely?

I think the car can charge the batteries while driving?

[humpy999]

It has the ZF 8 speed, the current BMW materials aren't clear but i think that's just because they were using early info and it's probably a different version to accommodate the electric motor. From YouTube videos you can see the car has 8 speeds and there is reference to it in some of the more obscure international info although i can't remember where i saw it now. It was a question i had to..

[MagicalTrevor]

Since posting that I found out more. The electric motor is built into the gearbox so I wonder whether it's a different gearbox altogether.

[Legacywr]

If people don't charge the car, shirley it will only have the 180 bhp of the petrol engine?

Also, how well spec'd is the 330e?

[Happy_Harris1431]

The petrol engine powers the electric motor when it has no battery left so is always able to achieve the 250bhp, the only issue is fuel economy obviously. When your battery is not charged you will still have as much power but you will use more fuel.

The 330e comes in all specifications, SE, Sport, Luxury and M Sport