[Fish Fingers]

Originally Posted by Pganders

I’ve never really thought about that but good point. I always just drive in the “auto” default mode and let the car decide. I have found that in cold weather, even with a fully charged battery, the engine will cut in randomly so maybe the car electronics are doing some sort of preconditioning in cold weather to protect the engine?

That is great if correct.

[Vervain]

Originally Posted by Fish Fingers

'maintain battery' is an option you can switch on and off.
In this mode it will switch to using the engine - but always maintain enough battery charge to use the electric motor when needed (overtaking etc) even when it shows the battery at zero.

Essentially if you are driving on a long journey at say 20% charge, if you switch this on, it will stay at about 20% as it switches to ICE.
But the battery is still there in the background when needed and will cut in automatically to help with acceleration or AWD if required.

Ahhh okay this makes sense, thanks! Pretty cool.

Originally Posted by Fish Fingers

AFAIK.
Sport Mode uses ice and electric together, so assuming not in Sport.....

You have to think that BMW will have thought about it and will limit power to some extent.
It would only likely happen if you stamped on the accelerator (think about red lining an Ice car) as electric power alone is very quick.

Its my wife's car and she just drives it.

If it was mine, I would be mechanically sympathetic and likely start in Sport for a while if it was very cold, just to make sure the engine warms up.
On the other hand she mostly drives locally at modest speed and would be highly unlikely to need high levels of power (again, think of times when you would actually red line an ICE car).

Haha yeah, I think I’d be sympathetic to the engine in this way too!
I’m pretty sure BMW has thought of this and mitigated any engine issues in these situations. I’m guessing that the engine is likely conditioned at a very low rpm perhaps, that makes it appear that it’s ‘off’ when driving in full EV mode.

[Vervain]

Originally Posted by Pganders

I’ve never really thought about that but good point. I always just drive in the “auto” default mode and let the car decide. I have found that in cold weather, even with a fully charged battery, the engine will cut in randomly so maybe the car electronics are doing some sort of preconditioning in cold weather to protect the engine?

Sounds like you may be right here. We may have solved this now haha.

[Lantirn]

Originally Posted by Pganders

I’ve never really thought about that but good point. I always just drive in the “auto” default mode and let the car decide. I have found that in cold weather, even with a fully charged battery, the engine will cut in randomly so maybe the car electronics are doing some sort of preconditioning in cold weather to protect the engine?

Manual->Controls->Driving->Automatic Start/Stop Function

The combustion engine is not switched off automatically
in the following situations:
▷ The combustion engine is not at operating
temperature.
▷ The selector lever is in M, S or L position.
▷ The high-voltage battery is highly discharged
or there are high loads on the vehicle
electrical system.
▷ High loads on the automatic air conditioning
in the warm-up phase or cooling-down
period.
▷ The hybrid system is faulty.
▷ "SPORT": the drive mode is active and the
drive is set to a sporty setup.
▷ Dynamic Stability Control is restricted or
deactivated.
▷ The bonnet is unlocked.
▷ The vehicle is being optimised for the current
driving style, for example, during running
in.

[Fish Fingers]

Originally Posted by Lantirn

Manual->Controls->Driving->Automatic Start/Stop Function

The combustion engine is not switched off automatically
in the following situations:
▷ The combustion engine is not at operating
temperature.
▷ The selector lever is in M, S or L position.
▷ The high-voltage battery is highly discharged
or there are high loads on the vehicle
electrical system.
▷ High loads on the automatic air conditioning
in the warm-up phase or cooling-down
period.
▷ The hybrid system is faulty.
▷ "SPORT": the drive mode is active and the
drive is set to a sporty setup.
▷ Dynamic Stability Control is restricted or
deactivated.
▷ The bonnet is unlocked.
▷ The vehicle is being optimised for the current
driving style, for example, during running
in.

Very useful post - Thankyou.
Basically, the car has all bases covered.

[Lantirn]

It is worth reading the Driving chapter. Many useful things

[Hartside]

Used the Nav today on a journey and the Digital Premium trial has a great view on the display, with the augmented support. I loved the way the front video was displayed with the icons and chevrons guiding you where to go.

I wouldn’t pay the monthly subscription for this though but would consider it for the odd month I might be somewhere I didn’t know, presuming you can pay for it and then cancel and it isn’t an ongoing payment.

I’m off to China next week and managed to get a Chinese colleague to get hold of a FitcamX for me, which I’ll pay for when I get there - He has bought it already, not sure if it is front only or front and back. Cost is 500 RMB which is a shade over £50 quid!

Busy charging to only 60% at the moment as the car will be laid up for the 2.5 weeks I’m out there and it has been recommended before not to charge the car highly if it’s going to stand

[Vervain]

Finally test drove the 30e yesterday! Pretty much blown away on all fronts
I did not expect it to handle like that, have such a resolved suspension that’s comfortable and sporty at the same time (not sure if it had the adaptive m-sport suspension), and also just have a generally great on-the-road feel.
The electric-only drive experience was pretty shocking as power from the rear motor is potent. I expected something nimble but slow, so I was pleasantly surprised.
I was a little disappointed while poterring along in electric driving and then flooring the throttle for full power, and getting quite a delay for the engine to kick in? Not sure what went wrong, but combined power is still awesome. I popped it into sport mode and sport shifting and floored the throttle from a standstill. My goodness! What ridiculous performance! I drove the full EV Volvo EX30 twin performance (not in performance mode though), and I did not experience such a violent launch from prodding the pedal like that!

Overall I think it’s one of BMW’s hidden gems in the line up and would love to get into one soon Wait times however seem to be around 6 months and I really wanted one right now

On a side note, I test drove the sdrive18d version right after the 30e and was very surprised at the performance too! It would be my best-value pick for sure and wouldn’t mind driving it either as my daily.

[MontyB1]

Yeah it’s a great motor, get the order in it’s worth the wait.

[Fish Fingers]

Originally Posted by MontyB1

Yeah it’s a great motor, get the order in it’s worth the wait.

I was just looking on BMW Approved used site.
It seems the hybrids are becoming very popular.
Only 11 cars nationally (of which two 30e models) available.

As well as being in short supply, the asking prices are definitely higher than they were 6 months ago as well.

[fili92]

Originally Posted by Fish Fingers

The 30e is working really, really well for us (wife's car). She adapted to phev life just fine.

Fast, cheap to run (lots of local miles on battery and occasional long drives) and very practical. On the long journeys it will happily use mostly petrol using 'maintain battery' if needed. All local journeys are on electric.

Never charged it in the wild, always at home.

Had it 8 months and would buy exact same car again if we went back in time.
Always the acid test of car ownership for me.

Driving is a pleasure which in one word I would describe as 'refined'.
Light years ahead of her previous X2 2l petrol MSport in all aspects, especially driving dynamics and refinement.
Grip is excellent in winter.
Seats and interior are very good.

Also great as we are having to ferry ageing parents round a bit now and the extra height is useful.

Makes me want to get back in a BMW (EV) for my next car.
Finally, it also looks great in Portimau Blue with MSport gloss black detail.

No negatives I can think of.....
Very strong 'highly recommemded' from me.

Same here.
Very happy, car is good, looks good and drives good!
I was ready to phev life thanks to my mum's evoke p300e, but X1 is 10 years ahead to Range Rover.
Sometimes id9 needs to get a restart, but nothing dramatic
BTW, a question for those who recharge using the time window.
I set it so that the machine charges from 11.30pm to 8.00am, since I leave the house at 8.00am.
I arrive home at 7pm, I connect the machine to the wallbox and the charge starts automatically until it reaches 16/18%, then it stops and starts again correctly at 11.30pm.
I also get the notification from the app "charging has stopped and will resume during the time window". As if the machine was "forced" to load for a certain % before activating the pause.

It does this to me whether I charge with the wallbox or with the fast charger with the Shuko socket.

[Pganders]

Originally Posted by fili92

Same here.
Very happy, car is good, looks good and drives good!
I was ready to phev life thanks to my mum's evoke p300e, but X1 is 10 years ahead to Range Rover.
Sometimes id9 needs to get a restart, but nothing dramatic
BTW, a question for those who recharge using the time window.
I set it so that the machine charges from 11.30pm to 8.00am, since I leave the house at 8.00am.
I arrive home at 7pm, I connect the machine to the wallbox and the charge starts automatically until it reaches 16/18%, then it stops and starts again correctly at 11.30pm.
I also get the notification from the app "charging has stopped and will resume during the time window". As if the machine was "forced" to load for a certain % before activating the pause.

It does this to me whether I charge with the wallbox or with the fast charger with the Shuko socket.

Mine would do that too if I plug in which fully depleted battery. It charges only for a very short period, though not sure what the %age is as I’ve never given it much attention. I assume it’s to protect the battery.

I have my wall box set to 24 hour charging and set the timer on the BMW app.

[Lantirn]

I am trying to understand the electric hybrid system by looking at the car settings and also digging in the manual. Please correct me if I am wrong.

As far as I understand:

A) "Deactivate Electric" selection means the car will run in automatic hybrid mode and not exclusively electric (Select "Activate Electric" in that case)

B) "Electric Automatically" activation will use the electric motor wherever the trip computer decides to maximize efficiency (is that correct?)

C) "Maintain Battery Charge" once, means what exactly the title says, and I guess will be a hybrid mode with the ICE kicking more often to charge a bit and then maintain the battery charge.

[Hartside]

Just back from a spell away and Octopus Intelligent is being less than intelligent. When I plug the car in it creates a charging schedule ok, then after about 20 minutes it sends a message saying it “cannot control the device”

I just updated the Octopus app and it has changed my car from a 30e to an iX1. It now shows smart charging in the Octopus app, so should I just leave it, cannot see it doing any harm or am I wrong?

I should add, this is using a granny charger

[papaj]

Loved X1 25e for the first month. Then my daughter was travelling 3 hours to a job interview and lost all drive. Engine revved but had no drive. Rescued by the police. BMW recovered the vehicle and now told a new gearbox is on order.
I now have serious concerns as to its fit for purpose.
Based on experience to date I can’t recommend the X1

[papaj]

Originally Posted by Fish Fingers

I would go as far as to say the car is as close to 'all things to all men' as you can get for some people. Particularly if you charge at home.

It's practical, refined and fast - yet economical.

No charging concerns for longer journeys, but cheap to run if the majority of journeys are under 40-50 miles per day.

I used to think PHEVs were possibly the worst of both worlds, but the X1 has made me flip that to thinking it's possibly the best of both worlds, for the right person.

Based on fact my car broke down after a month I have to question whether it does it’s primary job of getting from a to b

[fili92]

Originally Posted by Lantirn

I am trying to understand the electric hybrid system by looking at the car settings and also digging in the manual. Please correct me if I am wrong.

As far as I understand:

A) "Deactivate Electric" selection means the car will run in automatic hybrid mode and not exclusively electric (Select "Activate Electric" in that case)

B) "Electric Automatically" activation will use the electric motor wherever the trip computer decides to maximize efficiency (is that correct?)

C) "Maintain Battery Charge" once, means what exactly the title says, and I guess will be a hybrid mode with the ICE kicking more often to charge a bit and then maintain the battery charge.

Yes, but for B I think that is "car will automatically turn on electric mode every start up".

[Lantirn]

Originally Posted by fili92

Yes, but for B I think that is "car will automatically turn on electric mode every start up".

That makes a lot of sense.

So, is it possible to drive purely on engine with "Deactivate electric" and "Electric automatically" off? Becase in the manual it says that the car can be run either in hybrid mode either full electrically.

I am in "running in" period and the instructions are up to 2000km to drive max 4500/min and 160km and also the manual says "use hybrid operation (i.e drive using the combustion engine or electric motor alternately)"

Bit confused a bit on how I accurately do that.

Do I just drive with "Deactivate electric" and run in hybrid mode? Or I have to use "Maintain battery charge" to use "alternately ICE and electric motor"

Love the car but the documentation is so frustrating to accurately understand the power system.

[fili92]

Originally Posted by Lantirn

That makes a lot of sense.

So, is it possible to drive purely on engine with "Deactivate electric" and "Electric automatically" off? Becase in the manual it says that the car can be run either in hybrid mode either full electrically.

I am in "running in" period and the instructions are up to 2000km to drive max 4500/min and 160km and also the manual says "use hybrid operation (i.e drive using the combustion engine or electric motor alternately)"

Bit confused a bit on how I accurately do that.

Do I just drive with "Deactivate electric" and run in hybrid mode? Or I have to use "Maintain battery charge" to use "alternately ICE and electric motor"

Love the car but the documentation is so frustrating to accurately understand the power system.

Sorry for late answer.
Yes, you can, but to be honest in my "running in" period I used to put the car in S (pushing down the gear after putting in D) and using only ICE.
But this was just me, I'm a little paranoic on break in period, so I preferred to make ICE running all the time.

[Lantirn]

Thanks.

In "Deactivate electric" I guess the car is using ICE and electric as a hybrid mode.
Does it work the opposite way? What I Mean:

In "Activate electric" is the car using ICE when you kickdown the accelerator for demand? Or its only electric?

[Gaffer_H]

Originally Posted by Lantirn

Thanks.

In "Deactivate electric" I guess the car is using ICE and electric as a hybrid mode.
Does it work the opposite way? What I Mean:

In "Activate electric" is the car using ICE when you kickdown the accelerator for demand? Or its only electric?

If you’re in pure electric mode and use kick down the ICE will fire up.