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      03-03-2020, 10:41 AM   #1
Ggluck3
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2020 BMW 530e M SPORT Battery charge

We received our new 530e 2 weeks ago and we absolutely love it. The wife's commute is roughly 23 miles per day for work so she can almost make it in electric only mode most of the time. She keeps asking me why the battery mileage on the dash display sometimes reads 17 ish miles and sometimes 22 ish miles after the car has been plugged into our level 2 charger all night and is "full". I would think it would read the same electric only miles until empty range every time the battery was indeed fully charged. Unless it takes into account the previous driving style prior to being plugged in, for instance very aggressive driving in electric mode etc obviously would lessen the range. The i3 we had would always read the same mileage until empty once fully charged. Thx for the answers.

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      03-03-2020, 10:49 AM   #2
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Great looking car!

You're correct it is taking recent driving style into account to determine range. The same is true for its overall range calculation that is used to calculate fuel range as well.
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      03-03-2020, 11:31 AM   #3
SteveinArizona
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I find the range estimate very inaccurate. I used to show 16 or 17 on my 2018 530e estimates. After a software upgrade I am showing 13 or 14. But the actual real miles per charge doesn't seem any different.

I suggest using miles per gas tank. My tank is 12.1 gallons. I get between 700-1,000 miles per tank. That is a combination of relatively fast urban driving (lots of driving on city streets between 40 and 55 mph) in pure electric mode and fast driving in auto mode on highways and twisty country type roads.

For her commute, simply check the odometer when she starts and when she runs out of usable electricity (BMW saves some battery capacity) and you will get her range.
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      03-03-2020, 11:51 AM   #4
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In addition to driving style, I find temperature can have a significant impact on the displayed range. In the summer months my 530e has shown as high as 28 kms range. In the winter months the displayed range is never higher than 21 kms (and actual range significantly less). Whether or not the car is set to pre-condition can also be a factor.
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      03-03-2020, 12:22 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by LogicalApex View Post
Great looking car!

You're correct it is taking recent driving style into account to determine range. The same is true for its overall range calculation that is used to calculate fuel range as well.
Thank you!
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      03-03-2020, 01:31 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ggluck3 View Post
We received our new 530e 2 weeks ago and we absolutely love it. The wife's commute is roughly 23 miles per day for work so she can almost make it in electric only mode most of the time. She keeps asking me why the battery mileage on the dash display sometimes reads 17 ish miles and sometimes 22 ish miles after the car has been plugged into our level 2 charger all night and is "full". I would think it would read the same electric only miles until empty range every time the battery was indeed fully charged. Unless it takes into account the previous driving style prior to being plugged in, for instance very aggressive driving in electric mode etc obviously would lessen the range. The i3 we had would always read the same mileage until empty once fully charged. Thx for the answers.
The biggest effect on the battery is the changes in temperature. The range will also take into account the drain through ac / heating, heated / cooled seats, rear de-mist, etc. I had 2 plug in Merc’s previously and the advice was if you are definitely going to exceed the range then force the engine to be used initially to warm / cool the seats and rear screen etc (on the Merc they didn’t come on if you pre-cooled or heated the car whilst plugged in).
I have noticed that the actual ‘engine free’ miles is always greater than the the early range due to brake regeneration and freewheel charging. I am in the U.K. and weather where I am is mild so I am always getting over 20 miles and mostly over 25 miles
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      03-03-2020, 01:41 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wivenhoe View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ggluck3 View Post
We received our new 530e 2 weeks ago and we absolutely love it. The wife's commute is roughly 23 miles per day for work so she can almost make it in electric only mode most of the time. She keeps asking me why the battery mileage on the dash display sometimes reads 17 ish miles and sometimes 22 ish miles after the car has been plugged into our level 2 charger all night and is "full". I would think it would read the same electric only miles until empty range every time the battery was indeed fully charged. Unless it takes into account the previous driving style prior to being plugged in, for instance very aggressive driving in electric mode etc obviously would lessen the range. The i3 we had would always read the same mileage until empty once fully charged. Thx for the answers.
The biggest effect on the battery is the changes in temperature. The range will also take into account the drain through ac / heating, heated / cooled seats, rear de-mist, etc. I had 2 plug in Merc’s previously and the advice was if you are definitely going to exceed the range then force the engine to be used initially to warm / cool the seats and rear screen etc (on the Merc they didn’t come on if you pre-cooled or heated the car whilst plugged in).
I have noticed that the actual ‘engine free’ miles is always greater than the the early range due to brake regeneration and freewheel charging. I am in the U.K. and weather where I am is mild so I am always getting over 20 miles and mostly over 25 miles
I see this too. It's about the only positive about driving in stop and go traffic is that I get to regen a lot and my top speed never makes it over 30mph so the battery seems to last a few miles longer.
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      03-04-2020, 10:25 AM   #8
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Same variability for me with two 2020 530e cars. Range at start does not seem to have any relationship to actual miles--we call them "E's", not miles. Both cars have almost the same (individual) road use, so variability is more temp related or traffic from the previous day. Agree with the comment that if you KNOW you are going to need ICE, do it early. Trouble is, if you have a regular use that is just on the cusp of needing some ICE; what to do. We started by running the ICE for about 10 min in hi-speed part of route, but that was too much ICE. Now just let the car run in EV and if the ICE starts at the end, so be it. It usually does not start, despite the variability of the initial range estimation. Four months and gas gauge has yet to leave the"full" mark. And gasoline is hovering around $2/gal--lol.
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      03-04-2020, 11:39 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ted99 View Post
Same variability for me with two 2020 530e cars. Range at start does not seem to have any relationship to actual miles--we call them "E's", not miles. Both cars have almost the same (individual) road use, so variability is more temp related or traffic from the previous day. Agree with the comment that if you KNOW you are going to need ICE, do it early. Trouble is, if you have a regular use that is just on the cusp of needing some ICE; what to do. We started by running the ICE for about 10 min in hi-speed part of route, but that was too much ICE. Now just let the car run in EV and if the ICE starts at the end, so be it. It usually does not start, despite the variability of the initial range estimation. Four months and gas gauge has yet to leave the"full" mark. And gasoline is hovering around $2/gal--lol.
$2/gallon? Wow. If I know that I will be driving more than the miles that I can drive in pure electric mode, then I normally just leave it in auto mode. But if, for example, I know I am going to want to use the remote AC feature, then I want to make sure I have miles left on the battery so I can do it. In that case, I may use battery control to make sure I have the battery capacity. The car seems smart enough to know that if I am driving on the interstate, it should generally be with the ICE.
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      03-07-2020, 01:02 PM   #10
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Nice ride, trying to get same one for my wife but not many m package 530e available in SoCal.
Did you special order?
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      03-07-2020, 01:21 PM   #11
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I'm guessing not many people put M sport on the 530... perhaps more reasonable on 530e?
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      03-07-2020, 01:50 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by Starbot1 View Post
I'm guessing not many people put M sport on the 530... perhaps more reasonable on 530e?
Today I was at a golf course in Phoenix and when I got back to my car there was another 530e parked next to me. Only the third 530e I have seen.

Mine is an MSport but the one that was parked next to me was a much more basic one.
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      03-08-2020, 12:43 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by Wonks20 View Post
Nice ride, trying to get same one for my wife but not many m package 530e available in SoCal.
Did you special order?
Yes Wonk we ordered it. RUSNAK Westlake Village. Thx
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      03-08-2020, 11:37 AM   #14
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Which mode is best for preserving fuel?

Quote:
Originally Posted by ted99 View Post
Same variability for me with two 2020 530e cars. Range at start does not seem to have any relationship to actual miles--we call them "E's", not miles. Both cars have almost the same (individual) road use, so variability is more temp related or traffic from the previous day. Agree with the comment that if you KNOW you are going to need ICE, do it early. Trouble is, if you have a regular use that is just on the cusp of needing some ICE; what to do. We started by running the ICE for about 10 min in hi-speed part of route, but that was too much ICE. Now just let the car run in EV and if the ICE starts at the end, so be it. It usually does not start, despite the variability of the initial range estimation. Four months and gas gauge has yet to leave the"full" mark. And gasoline is hovering around $2/gal--lol.
I have had a 530e for about 10 days now. I charge overnight on a standard 110v plug. So far, I have driven 336 miles and the gas tank is a little less than half. How can you keep it nearly full? The main reason I bought this car was that I was sick and tired of California gas gouging. I have tried to coast down hills to re-charge and that works most of the time, but I really would like to have a consistent game plan to maximize the plug-in hybrid aspect of the car...which I love so far.

Any advice?
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      03-08-2020, 12:28 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tm_rome View Post
I have had a 530e for about 10 days now. I charge overnight on a standard 110v plug. So far, I have driven 336 miles and the gas tank is a little less than half. How can you keep it nearly full? The main reason I bought this car was that I was sick and tired of California gas gouging. I have tried to coast down hills to re-charge and that works most of the time, but I really would like to have a consistent game plan to maximize the plug-in hybrid aspect of the car...which I love so far.

Any advice?
Depends upon your driving needs. I am semi-retired and work mostly from home. When I go to the office, it is 20 miles away, 1/2 highway, 1/2 city. Most of my driving is local except for an occasional longer trip to stores or golf courses and an occasional out of town trip as well.

I installed a 240 charger in my garage and I charge in between uses (except for the 3 PM to 8 PM high cost charge time). I do not charge except at home and very occasionally at a whole foods. When I am doing urban driving, I usually do so in pure EV mode. I still am the fastest away from a stop light. But when I am able to, I exercise the car and do so in auto mode. I only use the save battery feature if it is summer and I am going to be at the golf course for 5-6 hours and want to make sure I have battery capacity to remotely turn on the AC using my phone app. That works great, by the way.

But that is me with my driving needs. You don't say if you work, if you do how far you drive and how often, what other driving you do, how vigorously you like to drive. I have seen some on this forum who try to hypermile with their BMW phev; if that is you fine; personally I didn't purchase a BMW to hypermile. But my reasons are not necessarily yours (for me: protecting the environment and driving in the car pool lane).

My compromise is designed to meet MY needs. If you can state your needs, we can perhaps give you some advice.

Driving this way, and charging this way, I get between 700-1,000 miles on a 12.1 gallon tank, usually north of 800.
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      03-08-2020, 10:20 PM   #16
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My drive consists of to/from the airport 1x per week (20 miles each way), plus to the gym (18 miles r/t) 3x per week, so, basically a few 4-6 miles trips per day for school pick up/kids practices/errands. I do go to San Diego and/or LA 1-2 times per month (100-140 miles r/t). I am not a “hard driver” into speed, so I am pretty conservative on the roads. I really just want to fill up gas as infrequently as possible.
Does this help?
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      03-09-2020, 09:49 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by Tm_rome View Post
My drive consists of to/from the airport 1x per week (20 miles each way), plus to the gym (18 miles r/t) 3x per week, so, basically a few 4-6 miles trips per day for school pick up/kids practices/errands. I do go to San Diego and/or LA 1-2 times per month (100-140 miles r/t). I am not a “hard driver” into speed, so I am pretty conservative on the roads. I really just want to fill up gas as infrequently as possible.
Does this help?
Yes. The 530e should be able to just about do the gym round trip on electric. You will be lucky to get one way on electric to the airport and forget bout the San Diego and LA trips. Once you deplete the available battery capacity, you are driving a regular hybrid but with several hundred extra pounds because of the batteries.

Using the 110 pretty much limits you to charging overnight. Without charging between trips, you will find that you are going to be using the ICE a lot. If you really want to limit that, you need to install a 240 charger where you can go from "0" or "---" to a full charge in about two hours. But that will not help you on the LA/San Diego trips.

I did a trip from Phoenix to Las Vegas and back over Thanksgiving. I checked my mpg on just the highway portion. I charged the car before I left but not again until I returned and I didn't include the local miles in Las Vegas. I averaged about 32 mpg. But I had all the electrics running (AC, radio, etc.) and most of the driving was at 75 to 85 mph. That is just a bit better than a 330i would get without the electric motor but with considerably less weight. I am sure I could have done a lot better if I drove 55 mph, turned off the AC, etc. But I did not buy a BMW to do that.

One thing you can do is use 89 octane fuel (if you are not already doing that). The BMW manual says that 91 is recommended but 89 is acceptable. I have been following the 91 recommendation but I don't use very much fuel. If you use the 89 octane fuel, and the car is about to knock, the BMW will automatically reduce your performance to prevent the knock. A small hit but it will reduce your fuel cost (but not your refuel frequency).

I hope this helps.
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      03-09-2020, 08:31 PM   #18
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Thanks SteveInAZ! This helps for sure.
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      03-10-2020, 12:49 AM   #19
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Thanks SteveInAZ! This helps for sure.
Did you buy a new car or a pre August 2019 ? The August upgraded battery gives a greater range in all conditions.
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      03-10-2020, 11:18 AM   #20
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Did you buy a new car or a pre August 2019 ? The August upgraded battery gives a greater range in all conditions.
It’s a 2020, put into service in December 2019. But, it sometimes charges “full” at 18% and sometimes 16%. Never seen higher than 18%.
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