I’ve just read the review of the 330e, sounds good.

Does though seem to me that the co2 figure is a bit of a con (and not just the Beemer), ‘cos if they did the economy test once the battery had run out of power it’d actually be worse than the equivalent 320i (as it’s heavier). So really it’s only representative of a car that does less than 25-50 mile journeys, and where they can be ‘topped’ back up.

Well, there’s almost 200bhp difference and almost 2secs difference in 0-60 time…I think you’d be surprised at just how fast an M3/M4 really is, especially after the initial 0-62 sprint.

I wasn’t talking about straight line sprints, I’m talking about useable power when you want it out of a corner. It is just there instantly, so a series of bends are just a delight to drive.

Yes an M3 will out power this car as the speeds increase, but I am talking about within legal road speeds.

Be interested to know what your real-world electric-powered range figures are

People appear to be getting about 10-20 miles on electric, but all are probably noticing at least a 5 mile dip form their summer mileage.

But there are so many variables that can affect it ie preconditioning the car before setting off, driving with air con on/off, braking too hard so it uses the brakes rather than regenerating.

Just checking the internet, I did 22.4 miles this morning. Half of that was electric only, and I still have 20% charge left in the battery. The half of the journey was driven quite quickly 😯 still did an average of 41mpg

So really it’s only representative of a car that does less than 25-50 mile journeys

Depends how smart they/you are, and on the journey. If for example you are on a cross country trip that takes you through towns, you could switch to leccy as you trundle through town stopping at lights and whatnot, then back to petrol on the open road; this would see a significant improvement over petrol.

Or if it just uses the electric motor at low speeds/torque then this will happen automatically, like it does in the Prius.

Depends how smart they/you are, and on the journey. If for example you are on a cross country trip that takes you through towns, you could switch to leccy as you trundle through town stopping at lights and whatnot, then back to petrol on the open road; this would see a significant improvement over petrol

Smug mode – The BMW does all that for you. It continually sees where you are on the road and adapts battery usage to that. At the bottom of a steep hill the engine kicks in. Its amazing that when you get to the top, it just switches off. If it sees you are leaving a town it will kick the engine in, and again switch it off when you enter the next built up area.

I’ve loaded my commute in to the SatNav, which then goes one step further, and it does then save the battery for the built up areas.

Its a very impressive bit of kit.

The only other thing to add is that it is also dangerous in pedestrian areas. People really don’t hear you coming. One women even saw me coming, but I assume because she couldn’t hear anything she assumed I wasn’t moving, and she still walked out in to the road in front of me.

FunkyDunc – Member
I wasn’t talking about straight line sprints, I’m talking about useable power when you want it out of a corner. It is just there instantly, so a series of bends are just a delight to drive.

Yes an M3 will out power this car as the speeds increase, but I am talking about within legal road speeds.

you will find an M3/4 will corner far quicker with far more grip than a standard M Sport, its not just more powerful, it has far more grip & balance.

Good that they’ve done that, because I had that idea ten years ago when I got mine 🙂

I’ve not noticed a problem with peds not hearing unless going at walking pace anyway. At 30mph the tyres make more noise than the engine on a normal car anyway.

I’ve not noticed a problem with peds not hearing unless going at walking pace anyway.

Yep tends to be in car parks or narrow side roads where speed is very low.

you will find an M3/4 will corner far quicker with far more grip than a standard M Sport, its not just more powerful, it has far more grip & balance.

Again I am sure it does, I am just saying the way the power just instantly is there and launches you forward, from being out in my friends M3, I am just saying that the power delivery is very similar, and potentially more immediate than the M3.

I was talking about straight line sprints, I’m talking about useable power when you want it out of a corner. It is just there instantly.

Yes an M3 will out power this car as the speeds increase, but I am talking about within legal road speeds.

What modern hybrids do really well is something called “torque fill”

Basically an electric motor has instant torque from zero rpm so they can use this power to fill in the gaps in the power delivery of the internal combustion engine at low engine speeds. This makes them feel really punchy out of bends. Its a bit like if you are used to a petrol car and you jump in a diesel. The diesel feels quite punchy because of all the low down power – then you change up because its got nothing above 3,500rpm!

Anyway with around 250bhp the 330e will be pretty quick

But an M3 has more power / more torque and less weight. It will be faster everywhere. Into bends, out of bends, down the straight bits. Subjectively it might not feel as instantly pucnhy as a hybrid but in the reality it will be a lot faster everywhere

Thanks. The BMW was just a wee bit too pricey, and the winter range too low for me in comparison to the Golf. The Golf appears to be less contentious in our company car status war, as well as out on the roads.

Nice update.

I’m a fan of hybrids, you can keep your all electric vehicles for the city but in the real world the benefits of hybrids are best suited.

The best car ever is clearly the Passat GTE. Why?

A thin illuminated blue line on the door trim. Woah!

Also have a 330e on order due for delivery any day, Due to the BIK i went all out and selected pretty much every option.
Anyway the good news is you can fit an MTB in the back just make sure you spec the folding seats, I had one on lone for two weeks. Tested my cyclocross and Cube (E bike! Apologise I know most think they are the work of the devil)

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