BMW 330e (G20): A strong argument for moderate electrification.

[@MrSchn3ll]

These types of cars are gems and I don't know why more manufacturers don't go PHEV. What I wish is that they didn't hamstring them all with 4 cylinders and give us some 6 cylinders as the gas component, the only company doing that is Porsche and they are not cheap!

[@bmwman67]

The X5 plug in uses the turbo 6

[@MotoManTV]

Governments are pushing them to BEV.

[@aaronryan9387]

We have an x5 phev and it’s fantastic. 90% of my wife’s driving is in town and less than 30 miles/day. On road trips the combined 6 cyl and electrification works great.

[@tblack21]

Agreed. We have a PHEV and it’s hard for me to rationalize not buying another one. My problem is want performance.

[@gunterlauch2264]

The 5 Series, X5 and S-Class are available as Hybrid 6s.

[@sulevmarqueta2611]

Great review! I bought that same car last year when it just came out and I love it. In almost a year of ownership I have filled the tank 4 times, so that is less than $150 in a whole year 😄. One of the features that I love, is all the functionality of the BMW app, I can control different things of the car for example charging times to take advantage of lower rates or the programmable climate control, so my car is at a comfortable temperature every morning before I get into the car. And to make things even better I got a tax credit of almost $6000! I wish there were more options like this from Mercedes or Audi, but since there is no competition my choice was very easy! Cheers from Texas!

[@MotoManTV]

Great real world feedback . . . thanks!

[@jimc5696]

I have had my 330e for about 6 months - and if I didn't take it on any road trips - I would be on your pace of filling the tank only a handful of times in a year. Most people dont understand the range use in the real world. Yesterday - I ran three sets of errands for various reasons throughout the day. This amounted to about 70 miles of driving. It was ALL electric - because when I was home the car quickly topped up its charge. Also, the BMW app is nice as I can use it to run the AC to keep my dog cool when I run in the store. One thing Moto-man didn't mention is that the 330e suspension is a little stiff due to supporting the extra battery weight - but it is an extremely refined suspension. In summary - I can't believe how incredibly good the 3 series has become. Candidly I think we can thank Tesla for this - BMW knows customers will migrate to Tesla if they don't produce a great product. I just hope the lack of reliability with BMW has been addressed with these new vehicles.

[@eoinj3929]

Im in Europe and am lucky enough to have the 330e M Sport Touring ( station wagon) and its just perfect. I also have solar panels on the roof of my house so my electricity to charge the car is FREE !!

[@jayteesgear]

Wow! Im sold

[@Kelveron]

Great review as always. Your comment about the current trend by car makers to needlessly put the most frequently used dash functions on touchscreens is so on point. BMW's previous infotainment was probably the standard for the class, but this 'wanna be like Tesla' approach is a backward step. That said, this is a beautiful looking car inside &out. I really like the color scheme.

[@jonm3255]

This is an appealing car, but so rare most us can't even get a test drive. I just checked the BMW inventory search for areas I travel to and there is one in Atlanta, zero in Chicago, Columbus or Cincinnati. Brother has a 2017 for a company car in England and has zero problems in 80,000 miles. The electric range has started to drop a little.

[@MotoManTV]

Appreciate the real world feedback.

[@rightwingsafetysquad9872]

Not sure about the new market, but there are tons of these listed used all over Cleveland and Columbus.

[@KMan7788]

Fantastic review, I’m waiting on my 2025 330e LCI2 in the EU. Unfortunately no longer in NA but now comes with a 19.5kwh battery giving up to 101km range (62miles)!

[@yankiescards]

Love my 2023 BMW 330e. Got with the M package, Harmon Cardin system and some other options. Great car for a daily driver. Rarely use the gas for just around the area driving

[@jomarrivera7158]

How far do you go on a full charge?

[@yankiescards]

@@jomarrivera7158 25 miles all electric. But in hybrid about about 450 miles on a tank which is 10.5gal

[@yankiescards]

@@jomarrivera7158 just electric is maybe 22-25miles. But in hybrid mode on a tank of gas and electric into 450ish miles

[@DUMBTHINGS100]

Excellent review. Hugely informative, but more importantly (in my view) entertaining. Was leaning toward this car, this review tipped me over the edge. Sensational car, I totally concur with Motoman. Perfect for me, short daily commute, garage at home so easy charging. Done 450km, only used gas for fun. Wonderful drive, totally recommend.

[@beb1527]

After owning my 330e xDrive for 2 years, I have to say, you picked up most of the nuances of this car a lot faster than I did. Agree with just about everything. Too bad they discontinued the 330e here in the US for 2025.

[@JMagic21824]

As an owner of a 2018 530e, I have two "issues" and one "I wish": 1. The adjustable load floor of the trunk is lovely until you have taller or wider items that would typically fit into a "normal" trunk, which force you to have to use the back seat. 2. EV-only range is 12-16 miles. I wish it had the BMW straight-six instead of a four-cylinder. Otherwise a fantastic vehicle with no issues for the past 4 years of ownership. Having said all that, I do like the PHEV compromise instead of full-on EV. But the intrusion of trunk space is a letdown, though I understand that's about the only place, for now, the battery "fits". My broader wishlist for vehicles like these: 1. Better EV-only range (which I've seen improve over the years). 2. A more sporty/powerful/exciting combustion engine combo.

[@MegaRetr]

Love your videos

[@hadytarabay]

Love your videos…. Unfortunately, They are underrated considering all the infos that you mention during and your honest opinion!

[@MotoManTV]

Appreciate you watching on the regular and the great compliment!

[@thread_astaire]

I have one at the moment and I hate the way it drives compared to my Tesla. However I have an i4 coming in December and I think I’m going to love it.

[@ianmason.]

You mentioned the torque converter - there isn't one. The electric motor, as it did in the previous (up to 2019) 330e, takes over and fills in the gaps the way a torque converter would.

[@kristy77a]

I agree. This 330e is a very good proposition. I wish it'd get at least 30 miles of e-driving. Nice car, thanks for another terrific review.

[@beb1527]

You can get close to 30, if the climate control is off or not needed. I’ve gotten 29 a few times. When I picked mine up from the dealer with 6 miles on the odometer, the gauge showed a range of 27 miles on a full charge. Lots of short trips in cold or hot weather will greatly diminish the electric range though.

[@Blondul11]

The most I got was 34 miles, but that was on a day that wasn't too hot or cold, with climate control off and just the sunroof open, and light traffic. On the other hand, on a very cold day (freezing temperatures), I depleted the battery in 15 miles.

[@RobertLeBlancPhoto]

I'm giving my 2023 330e xDrive to my older daughter next year for her 16th birthday and I wish there was a way to put parental control on the Sport mode. LOL

[@hardchemist]

If you live in the city, especially those with zero emission zones, definitely. Is the electric really that handy otherwise? IMO the 500 pound weight savings and the associated joy factor make non-electric a no brainer, especially out in the country.

[@eoinj3929]

Im in Europe and am lucky enough to have the 330e M Sport Touring ( station wagon) and its just perfect. I also have solar panels on the roof of my house so my electricity to charge the car is FREE !!

[@ARentz07]

FWIW, my wife's pre-LCI G20 330i was also made in Mexico. It was great. I think the the "e" wouldn't have made much sense for us since we likely wouldn't have been able to use EV mode a lot. I've driven one, though, as a loaner car, and it was a cool experience.

[@ovidiu5747]

Hello, which did you like more 330e or 330i? I am undecided between these models

[@sambobrooklyn316]

​@@ovidiu5747330e hands down.

[@Blondul11]

@@ovidiu5747 really depends on your use case. If you can charge it at home, a 330e is definitely the way to go. I never use the petrol engine in the city, and for me it's about half the price per mile to use electric compared to petrol in the city. Also one big advantage you will have with a 330e is that you can precondition the car before you get it. Really nice to get into a warm car on a cold winter day, or in a cool car in a hot summer day.

[@kristiandolmer9625]

I drive a 2022 330e as my daily, and eventhough it has the old disply/screens, and still the old climate unit, it is fully controled by voice as well. :) Are you sure its not integrated?

[@drstevej2527]

The question is why? We keep talking about the additional power that we can access without asking why. I have a BMW M550 and it’s entirely too fast for daily driving. Given this is not as much power but I’d argue that we are adding power for the sake of the numbers on paper. Usable power is in the rear view mirror long ago. I’m betting that it’s faster than the listed time. You can make the case for the added power in this car but I have started to ask why when it comes to other more powerful BMW models.

[@variator7466]

Is it regenerative braking that helps with mpg on this type of car?

[@VladRadu-tq1pg]

that what i don t get about this car, how long does the hybrid power last ? I had a f30 320 d and now a 530d g30 and I will change it next year, I d like this 3 series(kind of not a fan of elctric stuff) but how long can it last on a highway when I accelerate and decelerate and accelerate again ?

[@Trojan0304]

My son got 2024 model. His short work commute is on battery only. Recharge in his garage.

[@lawrencebraul9722]

I have a 2015 328D Touring that gives me 900-1000 kms of range and 5.8 l/100 kms. It will deliver all of this with diesel torque and MSport adjustable suspension. It's not as quick, but where do you go to check out 1/4 mile times? In sports mode it moves along nicely with 280 ft/lbs of torque.

[@Patrick-bu5vy]

I love this car. PHEVs should be all about optimization, not maximization. Nobody really needs 800hp. This car ticks all the boxes in terms of daily drivability (although I would definitely opt for the x-drive).

[@ramalhoalex]

There is the 3.0, 6 cylinder with electrification in the 545e! 394hp, 600Nm

[@beb1527]

Unfortunately, they don’t bring that model to the USA. We do get the X5 50e though

[@SAlmeleh119]

The B58 PHEV is only in the X5, but man, it would be great in a 3-series or 5er

[@Blondul11]

The 545e is a B58 PHEV

[@michaelsnow3643]

So close, yet so far away... Not enough EV range for the price. Should be at least 40. Why just the 3er? Put in it the 4er with two less doors and you'll get my attention.

[@zoner__]

Drove this and the I4 M50 back to back and prefer the M50 by far.

[@jimmyjankey4495]

M340i ❤

[@Jason.W.]

They should have this power train in the Z4.

[@igorpetrasovic203]

Great review Mr. Motoman🙏 Longer time ago,I had an VW Jetta 2002 made in Mexico with VR6 engine,at the time,probably best possible engine from VW,but that car gave me aaaaall kinds of troubles. Hopefully,BMW does a much better job in this country than VW did. BTW,it's a very heavy vehicle for it's class,only 150 lbs lighter than my 2015 panamera GTS with half of the engine,power and space probably too.

[@MotoManTV]

I did enjoy driving those but every person I knew that had one had tons of trouble.

[@UnapologeticGeek]

there is no torque converter in this PHEV ( it's a regular AT but TC is deleted ) and the thing in the trunk is the fuel tank. the battery is under rear seats. caricos has renderings that show location of fuel tank and battery. you can also see it from factory assembly videos. the fuel tank inside the car ( as opposed to under the car ) is why i won't be getting this car - it's a safety hazard. battery is heavier than fuel tank that's why BMW prioritized the battery to go lower but i would rather not have a fuel tank that can explode INSIDE the passenger compartment ! the X5 and even XM share this design flaw. it has been rectified for the new 7 series in 750e and 760e where the battery is now under the floor and fuel tank in usual spot under rear seats. upcoming 5 series will be good as well - caricos has the renderings.

[@Blondul11]

I doubt that it's any more dangerous than a normal car, but hey a random guy on the internet knows better than the BMW engineers and all the institutions around the world that test car safety.

[@UnapologeticGeek]

regulators tend to be more forgiving with "green" cars. this is how Tesla keeps getting away with slaughterpilot killing people. on other hand VW got crucified for cheating on emissions because the elites in charge want a clean planet to live on but don't really care if you die. besides, if VW Dieselgate should have taught you anything it's that clever engineers can easily defeat a standardized test without offering a system that works in the real world. and finally there is no such thing as "any normal car" - every car is different and some solutions are better than others. this one is more a hack than solution, but i'm sure it passes relevant tests.@@Blondul11​

[@IceDree]

I must give BMW credit for the LCI 3-series design, it's a very handsome car, it's a shame they went full retard with the new stuff. A counterpoint for picking the 330i over the 330e is battery replacement cost if you're planning to keep the bimmer for the long term, as opposed to leasing it or whatever. Excellent work, M.

[@MotoManTV]

Good point . . . There is a longer discussion to have in a future episode about segmenting cars by those you keep under 5 years (or only during the warranty period) and those you keep 5 years or longer.

[@beb1527]

They do warranty the electric drivetrain for 8yr/80k in the US. I would expect at least 1 battery replacement in that time

[@brandononbrand]

People don’t tend to keep BMW’s beyond their leases… so this is moot for most

[@kresimirmilisa5560]

very good class of a car from bmw.

[@talkingwithcars]

Great review! Can't wait to get my 330e! Brooklyn Gray with Cognac interior :)

[@brandonchism6960]

I’m not interested in more range on this car. Instead, give me more boost/power to perhaps 280-300hp. Make this the superior option to an Integra Type S in every way minus the manual gearbox by giving a hybrid powertrain, AWD availability, and great driving dynamics in a package that’s under 55k

[@sambobrooklyn316]

It's got 300bhp on overbooost

[@brandonchism6960]

@@sambobrooklyn316 that’s nice. But the Honda twins are at that level ALL the time.

[@dhaferalqarni9291]

What would you choose between 330i or C300 or A5 45tfsi

[@MotoManTV]

Ask me that question after you see our upcoming new C43 episode.

[@stevemartegani]

So Motoman... Is this a Plug In Hybrid actually worth doing track days with?

[@MotoManTV]

That is probably a bridge too far . . . The car would need to be set up like an M340i - at least in dampers and rubber.

[@stevemartegani]

@@MotoManTV I don't know anyone who runs factory rubber for their track days so thats a given... But you don't think the M Sport with the Dynamic Handling package is enough for track work? Hmm, good to know.

[@goodmusic210]

That m adaptive suspension is no longer an option in the uk. It’s annoying

[@M1911jln]

4,000 lbs for a compact sedan? No thank you very much. I’d take the 330i instead.

[@michaelfrancis-vb7tp]

Good stuff

[@jayteesgear]

F***ing sick😎💯

[@rcp2bTube]

Are the seats crap? I have a 2018 330iX and I can’t stand the seats after 30 minutes. 5 series much better seats.

[@tomiwaayandibu6138]

I love you man

[@glennleslie6127]

I had the unfortunate experience of renting a BMW 530e PHEV in February; the trunk space was ridiculously small for such a large vehicle as was the size of the gas tank. Of course, Enterprise had not charged the car, so it was just stupid. Horrible "environmentally friendly" ( sarcasm) rolling tax scam

[@rcp2bTube]

I had the exact same experience with a Sixt 530e. Not charged. But seats were super comfy.

[@peterdirection4608]

The biggest problem with this car is once the battery is depleted, the engine is not strong enough for all that weight.

[@rycuddles]

Speaking of the gym, are you back to running?

[@MotoManTV]

Yes . . . have been for a while now, but added in some crossfit to work on range of motion and gain my speed back which was severely impacted by the accident. Thanks for asking!

[@ericschmidt1987]

Eh added complexity and cost for 22 miles of range. No thanks. Love the bmw i4. I totally getting one and ditching the model 3.

[@derbagger22]

And completely ignoring the hybrid aspect with better mpg all the time and more power. And even if just half your commute is on electric, that's still a bonus.

[@michaelstanley3961]

Just the 25 k for a replacement battery, and that's at today's price, no thanks.. 330D all the way

[@fareedwermeli3331]

❤

[@mattoneill7803]

All that money for vinyl seats.

[@kevin84lee]

It doesn't look different from an Infiniti

[@marchello8216]

Only the Infinity handles like a sitting room couch

[@brandononbrand]

But made in Mexico?… For Coca-Cola, yes… For cars? Nope

[@msalvag]

Im currently in Greece on vacation and noticed EVs and hybrids barely exist. Lots of Diesel and everything, even MB passenger vans, are manual (hallelujah). I hate how our US and Canadian governments are ramming electric down our throats.

[@MotoManTV]

Jealous you are there!