The Most Efficient Daily Driver

MotoEV · 08-06-2014, 11:11 AM

How can this be?

Last week I took my 2013 Active Hybrid 3 (8200 miles) in for it's 1st scheduled oil change and some service bulletin work. My loaner was a 2014 528i. During a prior service visit, I was given a 328i base model and found it noisy and unrefined (start/stop).

In the 528i, the car with it's 4 cylinder drove very well, was quiet, and start/stop worked very well. Knowing this is a level above the 3 series, I performed a test to see which vehicle was more was efficient as a daily driver.

THE RESULTS

Using a 14 mile route approximating a mix of city (60%) and highway (40%) the trip computers provided the following results:

Setup: ECO Pro Mode with A/C On, No Hypermiling

BMW 528i
Duration: 30 minutes
Distance: 14 miles
Consumption: 24.4 MPG
Avg Speed: 28.7 MPH
528i is 3,814 lbs
Price: Starting at $49,500

BMW Active Hybrid 3
Duration: 30 minutes
Distance: 14 miles
Consumption: 33.0 MPG
Avg Speed: 30.5 MPH
AH3 weighs 3,860 pounds
Price: Starting at $49,900

Summary: I was expecting the MPG rating to be closer to one other. I can only attribute the difference to the AH3 running on battery during takeoff from stop and the engine shutting down during glide/coast.

Was very surprised by the results

kapkanimd · 08-06-2014, 12:36 PM

24.4 sounds pretty crappy for an N20, especially if you are saying it weighs the same. Not sure how much the 328 weighs, but I can easily average 30mpg or higher, especially in ecopro mode (which I never use). Driving like a maniac and usually in sport + mode I average like 26mpg.

08-06-2014, 11:11 AM	#1
MotoEV Private 8 Rep 87 Posts Drives: BMW Active Hybrid 3 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Atlanta Georgia iTrader: (0)	The Most Efficient Daily Driver How can this be? Last week I took my 2013 Active Hybrid 3 (8200 miles) in for it's 1st scheduled oil change and some service bulletin work. My loaner was a 2014 528i. During a prior service visit, I was given a 328i base model and found it noisy and unrefined (start/stop). In the 528i, the car with it's 4 cylinder drove very well, was quiet, and start/stop worked very well. Knowing this is a level above the 3 series, I performed a test to see which vehicle was more was efficient as a daily driver. THE RESULTS Using a 14 mile route approximating a mix of city (60%) and highway (40%) the trip computers provided the following results: Setup: ECO Pro Mode with A/C On, No Hypermiling BMW 528i Duration: 30 minutes Distance: 14 miles Consumption: 24.4 MPG Avg Speed: 28.7 MPH 528i is 3,814 lbs Price: Starting at $49,500 BMW Active Hybrid 3 Duration: 30 minutes Distance: 14 miles Consumption: 33.0 MPG Avg Speed: 30.5 MPH AH3 weighs 3,860 pounds Price: Starting at $49,900 Summary: I was expecting the MPG rating to be closer to one other. I can only attribute the difference to the AH3 running on battery during takeoff from stop and the engine shutting down during glide/coast. Was very surprised by the results
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08-06-2014, 12:36 PM	#2
kapkanimd First Lieutenant 58 Rep 376 Posts Drives: 2020 M8 Competition Gran Coupe Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Tampa, FL iTrader: (2)	24.4 sounds pretty crappy for an N20, especially if you are saying it weighs the same. Not sure how much the 328 weighs, but I can easily average 30mpg or higher, especially in ecopro mode (which I never use). Driving like a maniac and usually in sport + mode I average like 26mpg.
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