[rundeyvoo]

Hey all... for all you 330e owners (pre LCI / LCI) -- how do you like the car so far? Any issues? Pros / cons?

Debating on grabbing one for my SO and would like to get everyone's thoughts on the car.

[jcl78]

I absolutely love mine. I feel it is the perfect mix of sport / luxury and efficiency. The drive is very comfortable, and the drivetrain is very smooth. Transition from electric to gas is seamless.

The only cons so far are that the battery depletes quickly. I have the Xdrive version, and I see right around the estimated 20 miles of all electric range. However, keeping the battery charged each day nets amazing efficiency. I have driven 270 miles, and I have used 4 gallons of gas for an average of 67.5mpg.

My estimated energy cost to recharge over those miles has been $9.72

Trunk space has been more than enough.

I would highly recommend one, absolutely.

[rundeyvoo]

Originally Posted by jcl78

I absolutely love mine. I feel it is the perfect mix of sport / luxury and efficiency. The drive is very comfortable, and the drivetrain is very smooth. Transition from electric to gas is seamless.

The only cons so far are that the battery depletes quickly. I have the Xdrive version, and I see right around the estimated 20 miles of all electric range. However, keeping the battery charged each day nets amazing efficiency. I have driven 270 miles, and I have used 4 gallons of gas for an average of 67.5mpg.

My estimated energy cost to recharge over those miles has been $9.72

Trunk space has been more than enough.

I would highly recommend one, absolutely.

Very nice. May I ask how you optioned it out and what you paid for it? Did you have to pay a premium over MSRP?

[SoCalJon]

Since November 2022, I've driven our 2023 330e 8827 miles.

I've put in a total of 163.93 gallons of gasoline and 1388.91 kWh.

If electricity were free, that's 53.85 MPG.

Electricity is not free, so if you use the EPA's MPGe calculation, I have averaged 43.03 MPGe over the life of the car.

I created an MPGh metric which says "hypothetically, how much gasoline would I have bought for the amount I spent on electricity?" That number comes out to 41.1 MPGh over the life of the car. I live in Southern California -- gas and electricity are both quite expensive.

My cost per mile is $0.1212 over the life of the car.

Do take a close look at the trunk space. If you're constantly hauling lots of cargo or taking multiple people to the airport, it may not be for you.

Also, if you generally drive more than 22 miles/day, then consider that your efficiency numbers will be lower, as you'll be using more gasoline. We typically make two or three 75 mile trips each week, and the rest of our driving is <22 miles/day. If we didn't take the 75 mile trips, we'd barely use any gasoline.

If you routinely drive 400+ mile road trips, you may wish for a larger gas tank (and lighter car) instead of a battery.

[Edited to add: We did one longer road trip, and so we have two MPG calculations that were gasoline only (no electricity poured into the battery on these two tanks). For those two tanks, we had 40.41 MPG over 393.4 miles and 39.16 MPG over 356.9 miles. That seems pretty respectable. I suspect a 330i could have beat that, given that the 330i wouldn't be carrying around a 500lb battery.]

The car is smooth, quiet, and very comfortable. We are very happy with our purchase.

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by SoCalJon

Since November 2022, I've driven our 2023 330e 8827 miles.

I've put in a total of 163.93 gallons of gasoline and 1388.91 kWh.

If electricity were free, that's 53.85 MPG.

PG&E rates average around $0.40 cheap in my locale, so 3 miles/kWh costs around $0.13/mile.

AKI91@Costco is around $4.50/gallon, so 30mpg is around $0.15/mile. That is not a big difference in cost of EV-only of 330e vs. ICE of 330i.

For your usage @NorCal electricity plus pump prices, the cost is around $0.1465/mile, which is very close to ICE cost@30mpg.

[SoCalJon]

Originally Posted by bavarianride

PG&E rates average around $0.40 cheap in my locale, so 3 miles/kWh costs around $0.13/mile.

AKI91@Costco is around $4.50/gallon, so 30mpg is around $0.15/mile. That is not a big difference in cost of EV-only of 330e vs. ICE of 330i.

For your usage @NorCal electricity plus pump prices, the cost is around $0.1465/mile, which is very close to ICE cost@30mpg.

To bavarianride -- it would actually be worse for you... as you can't get 3 miles/kWh. With a 11kWh battery and an average range between 20-24, 2 miles/kWh is a better number... or $.20/mile.

The point, to the OP, is that if you're doing this for cost savings, you need to know your local rates. I'm paying $0.15/kwh during my TOU rates. In some parts of the country, you can get much cheaper electricity. (And, in some parts, significantly higher!) Also, I don't charge at public chargers, those rates are too high to be cheaper than gasoline. I only charge overnight at home.

So the importance of all of this math is knowing why you're considering a 330e, knowing the rates in your area, and knowing your driving distances/needs.

We're not the perfect use case, for sure... the perfect use case is a daily round-trip commute of <22 miles, or free charging at work with a <44 mile commute. The further away from that ideal you get, the more you have to consider the other reasons you want the car over a 330i.

[JABCAT]

I've had mine (2022) since June 15, 2022 and have put 20,400 miles on it thus far. I flew in, picked it up having never driven it, and immediately drove it 850 miles home.

I commute to from work 28 miles total, mon-thurs, and drive 500 mi total every weekend from Austin to Dallas & back. During the week I get approx 25 mi of all electric every day, and typically the last 2-3 mi home at the end of the day are in hybrid mode. I plug in when I get home and the car charges overnight. I charge for free at my residence in Austin, and it costs me about $1.30 each night if I charge at my home north of Dallas.

On my weekend trips I get between 36-38 mpg with the cruise control set on 85 mph for the majority of the drive.

I have the MSport, premium pkg, staggered summer performance run flat tires, sensatec interior. The car is very comfortable, quiet, surprisingly quick (will be doing triple digits without knowing it) and you can fit a lot in the trunk if you know how to pack (I have a post on here with pictures of 9 bags in there).

I recently had a 2023 M235i x-drive as a loaner while mine was getting an oil change. I don't know the differences between the two, but the M235 ride was very harsh, worse than my Z06 with Z07 track pkg, the Harman Kardon audio sounded worse than my standard audio, and the leather seats had a poorer appearance than my sensetc seats. That car had only 7k miles on it compared to mine with over 20k.

People also complain about the run flat tires. At 20,400 mi, my Pirelli PZero all measure at 7/32's, they handle great in both the wet & dry, and they aren't overly noisy.

I'm very happy I bought this car for my daily driver.

[gavinwong]

2020 330e m sport here and just shy of 50k km on it. Options include 19” rims, comfort access, laser lights, head up display, sunroof , driving assistant professional, extended shadow line, privacy glass. Actually I think the only things I didn’t spec was the parking assistant pro, electronic boot ( trunk) and full leather interior or any m perf bits outside of the black grill.

Very happy with it as a daily driver.90% of the time it’s just to the office and back.
Do ask yourself if it suits your driving habits, and whether your commute can be done in the electric only distance. Are you able to charge it at your destination etc .Weather can affect the range by up to half between summer and winter depending on the temp.
Boot/trunk space can be limiting depending what your use is. I rarely use it, but I can still fit a stroller (bugaboo chameleon 3) folded down in it and some shopping bags / space for 2 gym bags when I need to.
I came from a F36 4GC and can say it’s a much improved car. Pirelli run flats for me too have been fine, and will only need changing soon.

Only a few issues I’ve had. Sometimes random software issues that requires a reboot and it’s fixed. And the common rattling sunroof.

If it’s about running costs, tax rebates, lower road tax amounts etc etc, then you have to do the maths as others have pointed out.

One of the big positives, pre cabin conditioning whilst it’s plugged in. And the switch between petrol and electric is really smooth when it does it in hybrid mode. Haven’t launched it, but despite the extra weight, the pulling power still allows for some fun

[jcl78]

A lot of great responses in here!

To the OP, mine is fully loaded except for M Adaptive Suspension which was checked, but BMW removed it due to a shortage when mine was being built. Having lived with the standard suspension (330e's even with the M Sport Package like mine still have the sportline suspension), I have no regrets, it rides amazing and is the perfect balance between sport and luxury. It is one of the best riding/driving cars I have ever driven. I paid right at MSRP, $58,170, no less, no more, and it is worth every penny.

One thing is, I would not have gotten the 330i, a lot of people like to speak about how the 330i in certain cases can achieve better MPG's, etc, however, in my opinion, the 330e has a smoother, quieter power train, and just feels better to me. No offense intended to the 330i owners, this is just my opinion, that these are 2 different animals.

After having the car a short time, I have zero regrets, it is such a fantastic vehicle. Just crested 307 miles, still have 60% fuel remaining. To me, this car is one of the most multi purpose cars out there. You want amazing efficiency, you have it. You want power and handling, there too. Plus the looks are incredible. I have had more questions and comments about this car than any other of my 23 vehicles during my driving career.

Drive one, and I believe it will sell itself.

[rundeyvoo]

Thanks for everyone's responses, really do appreciate it JCL gavinwong JABCAT SoCalJon bavarianride

We are also contemplating the 330i, but then I brought the 330e into the mix since I already have the X5 45e and thought it would be a good addition to have the flexibility of another plug-in. If we go this route, she would want the M-Sport with all options (minus M Adaptive Suspension). She also drives within the 25 mile bubble (roundtrip) for errands / etc, and works from home so could easily rely on electric only. We do go visit the fam every now and then which is outside of the electric range, but can easily plug-in at any of the fam's homes. Do you guys feel like it's heavier with the battery and everything as compared to a normal 330i?

[SoCalJon]

Originally Posted by rundeyvoo

Thanks for everyone's responses, really do appreciate it JCL gavinwong JABCAT SoCalJon bavarianride

We are also contemplating the 330i, but then I brought the 330e into the mix since I already have the X5 45e and thought it would be a good addition to have the flexibility of another plug-in. If we go this route, she would want the M-Sport with all options (minus M Adaptive Suspension). She also drives within the 25 mile bubble (roundtrip) for errands / etc, and works from home so could easily rely on electric only. We do go visit the fam every now and then which is outside of the electric range, but can easily plug-in at any of the fam's homes. Do you guys feel like it's heavier with the battery and everything as compared to a normal 330i?

It IS heavier. I have never really driven a 330i, so I don’t know if it FEELS heavier.

[JABCAT]

I don't think it feels like a 4k lbs vehicle at all. I can't compare it to a 330i as I've never driven one, but it didn't feel that much heavier than the M235i I drove the other day which is comparable in weight to a 330i.

[Galex999]

I think many people are missing the key point of 330e. I don’t really care about MPG/MPGe/cost per mile and etc. If someone really cares about the efficiency and $ saving, they should buy Prius Prime or Tesla.

I would never buy full EV yet because US charging infrastructure is hopelessly far behind the EV demand, even in this high-tech Bay Area.

I bought 330e because it offers 3 very distinctive driving modes and I think it’s a perfect “bridge” vehicle between ICE and full EV. No other PHEV vehicles offers real BMW driving performance while still offering near Prius level efficiency. And it has no “charging anxiety” if I need to drive long distance.

I did direct back-to-back test driving between 330i and 330e, and 330e feels so much faster (in Sport mode) and offers seamless transition between EV/Hybrid/Sport. In full EV mode, this car just glides over the pavement with no noise, and it’s so cool.

And mine still qualifies for the ~$5k federal EV tax credit and ~$1.5k state incentive, I’m paying only ~$40k for my car, which I think is a crazy deal.

Is it perfect? No, and no vehicles are (well, I think 2024 Porsche Cheyenne Turbo GT is very close to being the “one-car-for-all” but at $200k MSRP…).

Some of downsides of 330e (smaller trunk and gas tank) don’t matter to me since I don’t do long distance driving often and I have another SUV for hauling stuffs and camping.

I’ve been driving my 2023 330e for nearly 8 months now and it exceeds all my earlier expectation. I drove ~8k miles so far and I went gas station only 5 times at half-tank full. Total gas I’ve paid so far is only 25 gallons, which is crazy.

My daily commute is only 20 miles and there is even free chargers at my work, so I’ve paid ridiculously low gas/electric bill so far.

I only wish 330e offers bit more EV-only range. Current ~20 miles is not bad but sometimes I wish it has bit more. But I know bigger battery means additional weight and $$.

[rundeyvoo]

Originally Posted by Galex999

I think many people are missing the key point of 330e. I don’t really care about MPG/MPGe/cost per mile and etc. If someone really cares about the efficiency and $ saving, they should buy Prius Prime or Tesla.

I would never buy full EV yet because US charging infrastructure is hopelessly far behind the EV demand, even in this high-tech Bay Area.

I bought 330e because it offers 3 very distinctive driving modes and I think it’s a perfect “bridge” vehicle between ICE and full EV. No other PHEV vehicles offers real BMW driving performance while still offering near Prius level efficiency. And it has no “charging anxiety” if I need to drive long distance.

I did direct back-to-back test driving between 330i and 330e, and 330e feels so much faster (in Sport mode) and offers seamless transition between EV/Hybrid/Sport. In full EV mode, this car just glides over the pavement with no noise, and it’s so cool.

And mine still qualifies for the ~$5k federal EV tax credit and ~$1.5k state incentive, I’m paying only ~$40k for my car, which I think is a crazy deal.

Is it perfect? No, and no vehicles are (well, I think 2024 Porsche Cheyenne Turbo GT is very close to being the “one-car-for-all” but at $200k MSRP…).

Some of downsides of 330e (smaller trunk and gas tank) don’t matter to me since I don’t do long distance driving often and I have another SUV for hauling stuffs and camping.

I’ve been driving my 2023 330e for nearly 8 months now and it exceeds all my earlier expectation. I drove ~8k miles so far and I went gas station only 5 times at half-tank full. Total gas I’ve paid so far is only 25 gallons, which is crazy.

My daily commute is only 20 miles and there is even free chargers at my work, so I’ve paid ridiculously low gas/electric bill so far.

I only wish 330e offers bit more EV-only range. Current ~20 miles is not bad but sometimes I wish it has bit more. But I know bigger battery means additional weight and $$.

Thanks for your input Galex999 ... I didn't know the 330e still qualifies for the EV federal tax credit. Eligible for $5k? What are the requirements?

[toolerb50]

[QUOTE= I didn't know the 330e still qualifies for the EV federal tax credit. Eligible for $5k? What are the requirements?[/QUOTE]

You can get all the rebate details here

https://fueleconomy.gov/feg/tax2023.shtml

[jcl78]

It feels very light in spite of it's weight for sure. I agree with Galex999 on all points, in my opinion, the 330e is a better package than the 330i.

I did receive a $2,000 state credit from Colorado for the EV purchase. Mine didn't qualify for the Federal tax credit because the MSRP is above $55k

[Galex999]

Originally Posted by rundeyvoo

Thanks for your input Galex999 ... I didn't know the 330e still qualifies for the EV federal tax credit. Eligible for $5k? What are the requirements?

https://afdc.energy.gov/laws/electri...edit#/tab-2022

Not sure if 2023 330e still qualifies for ~$5k federal EV tax credit as the law constantly changing. I think it now largely depends on "when" you actually bought the vehicle and/or "when" the final assembly was done.

330e is still being fully assembled in Mexico, which is part of North America, so it has better chance than other EV/PHEV cars that are made in Asia or Europe to be qualified.

To me, this federal/state EV tax credit was another key factor for going with 330e. A similarly equipped 2023 330i would cost me ~$50k which is at least $10k more than my 330e if I include all the saving from federal/state EV credit, fuel saving and not to mention my daily commute time saving by able to drive alone on the carpool lanes (time is money, you know). I had to add the stupid looking yellow CA carpool lane stickers but don't mind it too much since I save at least 10~15 min every day.

I'm a tech geek and it truly amazes me how BMW was able to package all the new motor, batteries and etc into the same 330i body for seamless transition between EV/Hybrid/Sport driving modes. And all that for $10k less than 330i, at least in my case.

Good luck!

[JABCAT]

Here's my trip today. Cruise control set at 85 mph for the majority of the trip.

App shows 5.7 gallons used. 230 mi on 5.7 gallons = 40.4 mpg

[dkulp]

I've had my 330e for almost 6 months now and have about 3200 miles it. It's a fantastic car. As others have stated, it really has a great balance of electric and gas use with nearly seamless transitions between the two. The power/acceleration is great.

As you can see, I don't put a lot of miles on my car. Most of my driving is shuttling my kids to various things around town, maybe 10 miles/day which would be completely within the electric range. That said, a bunch of the miles have been on longer (100+ mile) trips where the gas engine kicks in. In the 3200 miles, I've filled the tank 5 times for a total of 45.3 gallons.

I did some calculations based on data from the BMW app. It's stating I've done 1937 miles on Electric and 1200 on gas. According to my JuiceBox, I've used 1400kWh. Using all of that with the average cost of 93 octane gas and my current electric rate, it's costing me 22cents /mile on electric and 19cents/mile on gas. From that data, it would appear the electric use costs more, but the electric use is all "around town" stop and go whereas the gas use is more highway miles. Thus, it's likely about even. However, not having to stop and fill the tank for 900 miles is great. My 17yo son drives my old 2012 F10 528i and it annoys him that I never have to fill my tank (and when I do, it's only $40) and he has to spend a lot more.

[SoCalJon]

Originally Posted by JABCAT

Here's my trip today. Cruise control set at 85 mph for the majority of the trip.

App shows 5.7 gallons used. 230 mi on 5.7 gallons = 40.4 mpg

I don’t tend to trust the computer when it comes to consumption or efficiency numbers (preferring instead to use the pump and the charger for my data). But that MPG is pretty consistent with what I calculated on my San Diego to Phoenix trip last month (no electric charging across two tanks).

[ZeE46]

Originally Posted by rundeyvoo

Hey all... for all you 330e owners (pre LCI / LCI) -- how do you like the car so far? Any issues? Pros / cons?

Debating on grabbing one for my SO and would like to get everyone's thoughts on the car.

Pre LCI 2022 M sport Pro

By far and large the best all rounder there is. In terms of driveability this car is faultless. For me, my commute to the office is 11 miles each way - no chargers at work unfortunately but no bother as all year round im able to get to work and back (and some) on 1 charge. In winter it does tend to drop to about 24-26 miles of range but right now in the summer im seeing 36 miles of range. I even managed to do my commute and get to work the next day (33miles) on 1 charge with a few to spare.

I have the 19in rims which whilst they look amazing, can be a little rough over bumpy roads etc but not too bad for my 28yr old body. Elders may struggle!

The car is heavy...there's no doubt you feel it but once you understand this you learn how to drive it accordingly and you know what it can and cant do.

The petrol engine itself is pretty good - fairly economical on the motorways (50-60 MPG)and for long distance is very comfortable. The only drawback is the smaller fuel tank which can get a bit annoying when I am up and down the UK. E.G on a 400 mile round trip I will need to refuel.


The power is more than enough (for UK roads anyway), by the time i've put my foot down im at the national speed limit haha but it is enjoyable with xtraboost overtaking slow moving cars etc so you can have some fun also!

In terms of drawbacks, it would be the fuel tank, boot space and im finding the interior to start to become a little creaky now. The steering wheel surround around the buttons is a bit flimsy and the buttons around the idrive controller are terrible but those are minor things.

All in all I would highly recommend a 330e!

[JABCAT]

Originally Posted by ZeE46

Pre LCI 2022 M sport Pro

By far and large the best all rounder there is. In terms of driveability this car is faultless. For me, my commute to the office is 11 miles each way - no chargers at work unfortunately but no bother as all year round im able to get to work and back (and some) on 1 charge. In winter it does tend to drop to about 24-26 miles of range but right now in the summer im seeing 36 miles of range. I even managed to do my commute and get to work the next day (33miles) on 1 charge with a few to spare.

Does the European version get greater range than the U.S. version? Ours is rated at 22 mi all electric, I avg 25 mi all electric every day tho.