How good are BMW Plug-in Hybrid cars?

TestLink

I am looking to change my car from Toyota Auris Hybrid to a Plug-in Hybrid model. My mileage would be max 50kms per week. Dont want a fully electric model as of yet. Might look at that option after 2 or 3 years.

May I know how good are the BMW Plug-in Hybrid cars? Any known issues?

Thanks...

bazz26

Only 50km per week? Based on that I'd say your car is sitting at home unused most of the time. Your existing Auris hybrid has been doing that, a 530e will just do the same. It makes very little sense to change cars given the little usage the current one gets.

BTW there a few threads over in the EV/hybrid forum about the 530e.

TestLink

bazz26 wrote: »

Only 50km per week? Based on that I'd say your car is sitting at home unused most of the time. Your existing Auris hybrid has been doing that, a 530e will just do the same. It makes very little sense to change cars given the little usage the current one gets.

BTW there a few threads over in the EV/hybrid forum about the 530e.

I am only looking for a 2 series or 3 series Plug-in Hybrid models. Are they good and trouble free?

TestLink

Also is it possible to just plug in the fast charger to a power socket at home? Or does it need a different wiring etc?

Heres Johnny

50 kms is about 3 euro in petrol, 5 euro in a serious guzzler. Just bear that in mind when spending extra on a hybrid.

PaulRyan97

Out of curiosity why are you looking to change? At 50kms a weeks you barely drive at all. Certainly not worth shelling out for a BMW.

If you are looking to change and you can charge at home (which I assume you can if you're looking for a PHEV), just buy a used eGolf or something.

kirving

PaulRyan97 wrote: »

Out of curiosity why are you looking to change? At 50kms a weeks you barely drive at all. Certainly not worth shelling out for a BMW.

If you are looking to change and you can charge at home (which I assume you can if you're looking for a PHEV), just buy a used eGolf or something.

Just bought a '16 330e. There was very little price difference between it and the Golf GTE.

I don't use it to it's maximum potential to be honest. You need to plug in at every opportunity to get the most benefit and I sometimes don't bother as I haven't yet got a charger installed.

Every second you're running on petrol and not electric, you're making a loss relative to a standard petrol, in terms of MPG as the battery and motor are about 300kg.

....and also in terms of cost. For ease of use, you really need a dedicated charger and not just the 220V Plug.

I'm on a 24hr rate, which will cost approximately €1 to charge, and get up to 20km on this. Approximately €5/100km.

Night rate will be about 50c, but a night rate meter will cost you an extra €50 per year. You would need to charge fully 100 times per year to make this work it.

These cars make the most sense for a specific type of commuter - doing 15km to work, and 15km home, who can charge in work. That 150km/week would cost them under €3.50 on a night rate (including meter cost), whereas a petrol would cost maybe €18 give or take.


Running cost aside though - the 330e is decently specced, quiet, comfortable, 250bhp car. Not a bad place to sit by any means. But check out the Merc C350e too.

Elephant in the room though, in terms of cost, is the €800 VRT, vs a few grand for a diesel or petrol model.

kirving

Heres Johnny wrote: »

50 kms is about 3 euro in petrol, 5 euro in a serious guzzler. Just bear that in mind when spending extra on a hybrid.

On the open road, but in town, or during warm up on a short commute, you'll be lucky to get half that.

Del2005

TestLink wrote: »

Also is it possible to just plug in the fast charger to a power socket at home? Or does it need a different wiring etc?

The fast charger requires separate wiring and setup and costs several hundred Euro even with the grant. The power socket is a granny cable and will take a long time to charge, but if you only do 50km a week then you have no need for fast charging.

Del2005

Kevin Irving wrote: »

On the open road, but in town, or during warm up on a short commute, you'll be lucky to get half that.

Even if they double the consumption its still cheaper than spending several thousand Euro for a PHEV.

kirving

Del2005 wrote: »

Even if they double the consumption its still cheaper than spending several thousand Euro for a PHEV.

Agreed, I don't the fuel choice will have any significant bearing on the OP's motoring costs, and as above you really need to be diligent to make a PHEV actually give any savings at all.

You're constantly fighting the weight of the battery, and any charger costs.

Heres Johnny

Kevin Irving wrote: »

On the open road, but in town, or during warm up on a short commute, you'll be lucky to get half that.

3 euro is about half a gallon. 50 kms is 30 miles.
5 euro is almost a gallon, let's call it a gallon at 6 euro.

A 30mpg car will cost 6 euro a week. I easily get this figure on my commute. In my old 6 cylinder BMW guzzler petrol 3 litre engine, the OP would be paying about 8 euro a week on fuel if only did a short commute with cold engine.

Just putting things in perspective for them. PHEV or bev will cost more than petrol, no doubt.

bazz26

@ 50km per week, fuel should not even be a discussion or influence as your not using the car enough for it to matter. The most expensive thing will be the depreciation of the car sitting on the driveway for most of the week unused irrespective of what propels it.

Leonard Hofstadter

Well said. At 50 km a week you could have a 5 litre V8 and other than the car tax you'd barely be spending any more on fuel than you are now. You might save a tenner... a month. Spending thousands to save €100 in fuel every year seems mad to me.

kanuseeme

OP how much are you going to spend?

I see a new yaris @ 23000 euro, this car https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202008212754346?maximum-mileage=125000&postcode=ls298jn&include-delivery-option=on&make=BMW&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&radius=1500&year-from=2020&fuel-type=Hybrid%20%E2%80%93%20Petrol%2FElectric%20Plug-in&sort=price-asc&model=2%20SERIES%20ACTIVE%20TOURER&advertising-location=at_cars&page=1 only 10 months old with 9000 miles.

Allowing 600 euro for transport and including vrt it comes to 26100 euro.

Reliability of BMW, I have no idea, but you can get extended warranty with them, after the 2 years and 3 months of warranty is up on that car.

There is a thread on a new BMW x5 which cannot be charged now because of a risk of fire. I cannot say if all BMW phev's are affected.

You will not get same value comparing Toyota with BMW, you will have to pay more for a BMW or accept higher miles or an older car.

Doing only 50 km a week, would paying for a taxi not be the cheapest option?

Best of luck.

eggy81

Can the 330e be used to make a 70m commute to work and back with no charging facility at work. I mean in hybrid mode dosent the sat nav have a route planner and can balance the use of the battery across a journey?

Is it possible it could be worth it over a diesel.

PaulRyan97

eggy81 wrote: »

Can the 330e be used to make a 70m commute to work and back with no charging facility at work. I mean in hybrid mode dosent the sat nav have a route planner and can balance the use of the battery across a journey?

Is it possible it could be worth it over a diesel.

70m? Most definitely.

70km on the other hand, you're definitely going to end up using some petrol. I think the latest model is rated at up to 60km range so I would guess you'd actually get 45-50km.

Lantus

The cost of a new 3 series phev is vastly more than an auris.

If you were going to spend 10 to 15k more anyway irrespective then fine but your fuel costs are so low unless you suffer from emission anxiety I would just get the car you want.

Lots of really good cars about and your low mileage is already environmentally conscious enough at 50km a week. Say 10 a day.

No need to guilt yourself into a battery.

TestLink

Dropped my plan to go for a PlugIn Hybrid for now. May be at a later stage ! Thanks for the advice.

trellheim

what are phev resale values like or does the battery need replacing every few years.

kanuseeme

trellheim wrote: »

what are phev resale values like or does the battery need replacing every few years.

Some you can replace yourself:D