[scarabrad]

Hey folks,

Seems like an easy google search, but I simply cannot track down the correct answer.

Does the 2020 530xe all electric range max out at 19 miles:

https://carbuzz.com/news/did-the-bmw...worse-for-2020

https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find...n=sbs&id=42109


Or does it get around 35 miles:

https://www.drivingelectric.com/bmw/...-upgraded-phev


https://www.bmwblog.com/2019/08/02/b...tional-xdrive/

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/specia...ealed-16820259

It's a make or break deal for me, as my commute is somewhere between the two, depending on the office I'm assigned to for the day.

Seems like the quoted range is higher for non-US based articles.

Thanks!!!

SR

[964RS2014]

I have a 2019 car with the new batteries and I’m lucky to get 19 miles on batteries alone
Turn the heater on and you loose 4 miles

[Wivenhoe]

Originally Posted by scarabrad

Hey folks,

Seems like an easy google search, but I simply cannot track down the correct answer.

Does the 2020 530xe all electric range max out at 19 miles

Or does it get around 35 miles:

It's a make or break deal for me, as my commute is somewhere between the two, depending on the office I'm assigned to for the day.

Seems like the quoted range is higher for non-US based articles.

Thanks!!!

SR

There is an excellent independent U.K. review site EV-database. This gives the different ranges according to temperatures and types of driving. Funny enough it confirms 19 to 35 miles but you can see why. I trust this site as they were spot on with the ranges and consumption for my previous E350e.
I got my car Friday - it gave me 25 miles Friday and 22 yesterday - temperatures and heated & massage seats !

https://ev-database.uk/car/1213/BMW-530e-Saloon

[LogicalApex]

I have been driving with normal climate control settings. Which means some AC and some heat since weather in Philly has swung from the 90s to the 30s in the month I've had the MY2020 530e. I don't drive with Climate Control off and I don't like windows down while in a car and both of those impact range since climate control is run purely from the hybrid battery.

I will say I'm getting 15-20 miles of pure electric range but I end up in a lot of bumper to bumper traffic and city traffic where I'm using electric range. If you're able to get up to a stable speed and coast more you'll get a better range reality, but for me this was my primary goal. To kill the horrible MPG I get in bumper to bumper and city driving and improve my environmental footprint.

The car does best in ECO Pro mode IMHO when you want to maximize range.

That being said, you're seeing two separate numbers as, from what I understood doing my research before buying, the way the UK and the US calculates electric range is very different. So the UK numbers will have a lot higher range numbers than the US. Maybe it is due to their gallons being bigger? I don't know the full reason, but the range numbers do differ quite a lot.

I absolutely love my car

[Wivenhoe]

The difference in reported range is down to the different test regimes. The EV Database site reports the maximum range as being 41 miles under NEDC, 35 under the more realistic WLTP and 27 under EVDB (which is their average real world).

I would look at the EV Database, use the type of driving you will be doing and then decide. As above, the mode you use, temperatures and driving conditions significantly effect the range. Examples being if you pre-condition the car without it being plugged in you’ll take about 30% off the range or if your drive enables a lot of coasting / regeneration you’ll achieve a lot more. Eco Pro reduces the power of the climate / heating, seat heating etc and increases the regeneration.

I would say if you work on 25 miles electric / regeneration as an overall yearly average you’ll be on the conservative side.

[HighlandPete]

Yes, Europe's rating under the WLTP test regime is still an optimistic set of figures, as the test is still representing light driving conditions.

As I see it, EV range has to be considered much the same way as ICE. We know if we drive hard, or in heavy urban conditions, we can use twice the fuel as driving light in easy conditions. To see figures like 19 - 35 miles has to be considered as a realistic range.

One area where we do lose with EV in winter, is using valuable EV range to heat the cabin. The ICE does, to a great degree, use 'waste' heat to do so. The comfort factor will show up more under EV use.

[Wivenhoe]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

Yes, Europe's rating under the WLTP test regime is still an optimistic set of figures, as the test is still representing light driving conditions.

As I see it, EV range has to be considered much the same way as ICE. We know if we drive hard, or in heavy urban conditions, we can use twice the fuel as driving light in easy conditions. To see figures like 19 - 35 miles has to be considered as a realistic range.

One area where we do lose with EV in winter, is using valuable EV range to heat the cabin. The ICE does, to a great degree, use 'waste' heat to do so. The comfort factor will show up more under EV use.

I found in my E350e that I could improve the winter range by setting the pre-conditioning (whilst plugged in) really high to thoroughly warm the car and then initially run on E Save (ICE only) whilst the heated rear screen, seat heating etc. did their bit.
On the 530e presumably I would have to go into battery save and change it to 100% and then change that back - but of a faff.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Wivenhoe

I found in my E350e that I could improve the winter range by setting the pre-conditioning (whilst plugged in) really high to thoroughly warm the car and then initially run on E Save (ICE only) whilst the heated rear screen, seat heating etc. did their bit.

As more users go PHEV, I believe the impact of the energy used to heat the cabin (usually ignored with ICE, or at least not critical), will show up even more.

I preheat my car's (F11) cabin on freezing days, with a 2kW electric fan heater. Minimum to defrost and get a bit of warmth is about 30 minutes. Really cold days 45 minutes and still not to a comfortable temperature. Still requires the HVAC system to provide the real heat while driving along.

Say it requires 2 kWh to get a good level of warmth, assume the PHEV drives 3 miles per kWh, that's knocking off about 6 miles range, if not preheated while plugged in. Then you need more energy to keep the cabin warm at cold temperatures.

Plugging in and preconditioning seems essential to me, if you really want to get the best out of the EV range, and overall consumption of a PHEV vehicle.

[MontyP]

As I have noted elsewhere on this forum, I really like my 2018 530e but the all electric range has been somewhat disappointing. Before purchasing I had read reviews suggesting an electric range of 25+ miles (a figure the sales person did not deny) although BMW Canada's claimed range in the dealer specs was only 24 kms. I hoped I'd be able to commute each day on electric power only (22 km round trip) without charging at work (which costs more than the cost if fuel by my rough calculation).

Alas my displayed range has never exceeded 25 kms and my actual all electric range has never exceeded 18 kms (on the warmest summer day, driving in Eco mode). As others have noted, electric range in cold weather is considerably less. My commute is approximately 11 kms each way in city stop and go traffic. When I left the house this morning, the displayed range, after pre-conditioning, was 18 kms. I was showing -- kms left after driving 8 kms.

I understand the newer 530e models have a larger battery which will provide greater electric only range and if you have cheap (or free) electric charging at work that is a bonus.

On a positive note, I can go almost 600 kms of highway driving on a full 40l tank with a full charge and my fuel bill is about 60% lower than my previous all ICE BMW.

[SteveinArizona]

Weather, driving conditions, use of AC, etc. all affect driving range. Equally important, if not more, is how one drives. Does one drive like one hates the car or does one hypermile.

I suspect many phev owners do some variation of hypermiling, although probably less than with mainstream cars. I purchased my 530e for two basic reasons: the environment and the ability to drive in the car pool lanes. I didn't/don't really care about mpg as such. So driving in pure electric mode much of the time (local driving) helps me justify letting the car sing when I can on open roads. But even when doing local driving on pure electric, and with AC always on, I am still fairly quick. Accordingly, my range is well less than someone who is trying to maximize range.

Bottom line, to me, is that one has to decide what one wants from a car and be fairly realistic about how one will drive it before making the decision about purchasing/leasing a phev. It works for me (I work mostly from home, do mostly local driving, have a 240 charging box in my garage, and can recharge during the day) but might not for many others.

[LogicalApex]

Originally Posted by SteveinArizona

Weather, driving conditions, use of AC, etc. all affect driving range. Equally important, if not more, is how one drives. Does one drive like one hates the car or does one hypermile.

I suspect many phev owners do some variation of hypermiling, although probably less than with mainstream cars. I purchased my 530e for two basic reasons: the environment and the ability to drive in the car pool lanes. I didn't/don't really care about mpg as such. So driving in pure electric mode much of the time (local driving) helps me justify letting the car sing when I can on open roads. But even when doing local driving on pure electric, and with AC always on, I am still fairly quick. Accordingly, my range is well less than someone who is trying to maximize range.

Bottom line, to me, is that one has to decide what one wants from a car and be fairly realistic about how one will drive it before making the decision about purchasing/leasing a phev. It works for me (I work mostly from home, do mostly local driving, have a 240 charging box in my garage, and can recharge during the day) but might not for many others.

This is the best write up I feel.

The 530e isn't going to give you the electric range of a Prius Prime, but it will give you the power and driving dynamics of a BMW. Putting it in ECO Pro and cruising on the highway you can get longer range than sport mode and sporty driving, but it isn't designed to be a purely Econo box.

I honestly think the 530e is primarily targeted at tax breaks and EV perks more than anything else. Which is why BMW made sure this car has no performance loss over its ICE-only sibling. And I am happy with that.