[Nooch]

Last month, I had to make a choice when my lease ended on my 2021 40i xDrive. I was eyeing the 2024 model, but then I found out it didn't have an air suspension option anymore on the 40i, which was a no go for me. So, I checked out the 50e model instead and, honestly, it's pretty awesome. It's got more power, runs smoother, and getting into the whole Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) thing has turned out to be a really cool hobby. I'm really digging the 50e and I don't think I'll go back to a regular gas car again.

[FastMarkA]

Originally Posted by Nooch

Last month, I had to make a choice when my lease ended on my 2021 40i xDrive. I was eyeing the 2024 model, but then I found out it didn't have an air suspension option anymore on the 40i, which was a no go for me. So, I checked out the 50e model instead and, honestly, it's pretty awesome. It's got more power, runs smoother, and getting into the whole Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) thing has turned out to be a really cool hobby. I'm really digging the 50e and I don't think I'll go back to a regular gas car again.

That's awesome, my experience with the PHEV matches up with yours.

I love having 40 miles of range every morning, and the acceleration is very close to ///M models!

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by FastMarkA

That's awesome, my experience with the PHEV matches up with yours.

I love having 40 miles of range every morning, and the acceleration is very close to ///M models!

Does it really feel like a single power plant under that full acceleration? Say 0-60?

[FastMarkA]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

Does it really feel like a single power plant under that full acceleration? Say 0-60?

0-60 is the best part!

When doing a launch like that, it's best to be in Sport, which automatically kicks on the ICE. The acceleration is intoxicating.

But even if you're driving along and step on it, the ICE comes on pretty seamlessly to provide all 483hp. It appears to happen much more quickly than an all-ICE car, which needs to downshift and then spool up to meet the demand of the accelerator input.

And for 0-30...it feels like a BEV, with instant torque.

[Nooch]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

Does it really feel like a single power plant under that full acceleration? Say 0-60?

Yes it does and I agree that it is intoxicating. Sometimes you can’t tell when the engine turns on in hybrid mode. Especially if you have the radio on. It’s definitely the best of both worlds. Also there’s guys getting 4.0s 0-60 (BMW has launch control on the 50e). Performance, comfort, and efficiency all in one. Much much faster than a 40i even given the added weight of the hybrid system.

Also I noticed that in sport mode the exhaust is much louder than my old 2021 40i.

The electric only mode actually still packs a big punch 0-30 and is more than adequate for day to day.

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by Nooch

Yes it does and I agree that it is intoxicating. Sometimes you can’t tell when the engine turns on in hybrid mode. Especially if you have the radio on. It’s definitely the best of both worlds. Also there’s guys getting 4.0s 0-60 (BMW has launch control on the 50e). Performance, comfort, and efficiency all in one. Much much faster than a 40i even given the added weight of the hybrid system.

Also I noticed that in sport mode the exhaust is much louder than my old 2021 40i.

The electric only mode actually still packs a big punch 0-30 and is more than adequate for day to day.

You should be selling these things for bmw. Made me want to head to the dealer!

[cobramite]

Originally Posted by Nooch

Yes it does and I agree that it is intoxicating. Sometimes you can’t tell when the engine turns on in hybrid mode. Especially if you have the radio on. It’s definitely the best of both worlds. Also there’s guys getting 4.0s 0-60 (BMW has launch control on the 50e). Performance, comfort, and efficiency all in one. Much much faster than a 40i even given the added weight of the hybrid system.

Also I noticed that in sport mode the exhaust is much louder than my old 2021 40i.

The electric only mode actually still packs a big punch 0-30 and is more than adequate for day to day.

Good hard acceleration is most intoxicating and downright addictive. I've been an addict for about 40 yrs now.

[jad03060]

The significant, instant torque added by the fairly large EV motor on the PHEV does make a difference. While BMW engines build torque fairly quickly and at lower RPM than many out there, it is not instant like the EV motor's. On the 45e, the power:weight ratio between the 40i and 45e were essentially the same, the 40i to 50e, the 50e has the advantage.

[eluded]

I disabled the iconic sounds and that killed the enhanced engine note in sport mode.

Originally Posted by Nooch

Also I noticed that in sport mode the exhaust is much louder than my old 2021 40i.
.

[Nooch]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

You should be selling these things for bmw. Made me want to head to the dealer!

Yeah man if they have one available at the dealer to test drive I’d do it. Different experience.

[cobramite]

Originally Posted by Nooch

Yeah man if they have one available at the dealer to test drive I’d do it. Different experience.

A new 40i or 50e with 0-60 in the low to mid 4s is going to feel like a Z06 to a guy who is driving a slug RX 350 or Genesis that is 2 or 3 seconds slower in a the 60 sprint.

[915M]

Originally Posted by cobramite

A new 40i or 50e with 0-60 in the low to mid 4s is going to feel like a Z06 to a guy who is driving a slug RX 350 or Genesis that is 2 or 3 seconds slower in a the 60 sprint.

Doesn't C5 Z06 has similar 0-60 and qt mile time compare to 50e?

[TexAg91]

Originally Posted by cobramite

"I would have interest in one of the various new ultra high power PHEVs. Some of these are extremely cool.", quoted directly from my post that you are responding to.
What part of this statement leads you to conclude that I am "vehemently anti EV"? Is English a 2nd language for you?

I own a model Y and a X5 50e. The convenience comes from being able to charge them both in my garage. If could not do that, I would not want to own an EV or PHEV either — having to stop at a public charging station for 30-40 minutes every other day would be a real pain. EVs/PHEVs are not for everyone due to infrastructure — doesn’t make someone anti-EV it’s just fact of life.

[cobramite]

Originally Posted by 915M

Doesn't C5 Z06 has similar 0-60 and qt mile time compare to 50e?

Good call and spot on. Yeah, C5 Z06 was my first and it was right about 4 seconds flat 0-60 and low 12s 1/4 mile which was smokin fast 20 years ago. Great no BS 2 seat sports car.
Got my sights now on a C8 Eray non plug in hybrid which is good for mid 2s and mid 10s, a monster and no need to plug it in which works for me in a high rise condo.

[G05_galore]

Originally Posted by Nooch

Yes it does and I agree that it is intoxicating. Sometimes you can’t tell when the engine turns on in hybrid mode. Especially if you have the radio on. It’s definitely the best of both worlds. Also there’s guys getting 4.0s 0-60 (BMW has launch control on the 50e). Performance, comfort, and efficiency all in one. Much much faster than a 40i even given the added weight of the hybrid system.

Also I noticed that in sport mode the exhaust is much louder than my old 2021 40i.

The electric only mode actually still packs a big punch 0-30 and is more than adequate for day to day.

Who are these “guys”? The quickest I’ve seen for the 50e is 4.3-4.4

[eluded]

Waiting for the draggy results or YouTube video's too.

BMW rates 0-60 in 4.6, without runout. So 4.3 should be doable. Carand driver got 4.7 to 60 out of the 45e, and its 7/10ths slower to 60 so four flat might be obtainable in perfect conditions.

Originally Posted by G05_galore

Who are these “guys”? The quickest I’ve seen for the 50e is 4.3-4.4

[SwissBeemer]

Originally Posted by Nooch

Yes it does and I agree that it is intoxicating. Sometimes you can’t tell when the engine turns on in hybrid mode. Especially if you have the radio on. It’s definitely the best of both worlds. Also there’s guys getting 4.0s 0-60 (BMW has launch control on the 50e). Performance, comfort, and efficiency all in one. Much much faster than a 40i even given the added weight of the hybrid system.

Also I noticed that in sport mode the exhaust is much louder than my old 2021 40i.

The electric only mode actually still packs a big punch 0-30 and is more than adequate for day to day.

Totally agree. After 5,000mi I *just* completed the 1,200mi I set myself as a target for the ICE engine before slowly starting to push it so a few days ago turned on the sport mode for the first time and accelerated with maybe 50-60% power and I have to say it was a revelation. At 25mph in 5th gear it's doing something like 1,300rpm which usually means absolutely nothing is going on on a turbocharged BMW I6 if you accelerate out of a roundabout for example but it seems no matter which gear you're in this car will push forward instantly. You can tell immediately that this is no regular ICE car but not because you can tell that two separate engines are working together but because the power is being delivered way too quickly. I can't really compare this type of instant torque to anything I've ever experienced because even the power delivery of a 700hp Bentley Continental W12 feels really sluggish and a Porsche GT3 RS pretty weak at low rpms in comparison. Maybe a big N/A engine on a rather light car like the Ferrari F12 sort of comes close but even on that car there's not a lot going on at low RPM's but the little power it delivers is at least coming on almost instantly. (But even N/A engines take longer to react than an electric drivetrain. It really is something else.) Now I'm not saying that the X5 feels faster than a Continental or F12 but that the engine feels a lot more responsive/powerful in everday situations like switching lanes or accelerating into/out of a roundabout. Of course as soon as the gearbox changed gears and the turbos spool up on that W12 (which surprisingly takes a VERY long time on the older model I used to drive) it's gone.

It's intoxicating for sure and I absolutely love that this car can both be a silent and comfortable EV but will also be a lot of fun in a straight line with a quite sporty sounding I6.

AutotopNL on YT tested the 50e @ 4.66 0-100kph, don't know what that is in 0-60mph though. Considering it's 0.14s faster than what BMW stated a 4.3 seems reasonable 0-60 but 4s flat definitely seem too quick. It also did ~13s 100-200kph or 62-124mph, which is quite an important figure in Germany. Both are about as fast as the first X5M. For reference AutotopNL also timed the X3M Comp. LCI @ 3.8s 0-100 and @ 9.5s 100-200 which is more than 900lbs lighter and the pre-LCI was doing 4.1s 0-100 and 10.0s 100-200. So you can tell that the electric motor especially helps at lower speeds and I could imagine that for the elasticity measurements from like 50-70mph in a high gear the 50e would beat quite a lot of cars that are otherwise faster like 0-100 or 100-200.

[cobramite]

The electric assists in these current vehicles has changed their character on numerous levels.
The mild hybrid with its 147 lb ft of torque on the current M60i is very noticeable when it is called upon at lower rpms especially from a standing start compared to the prior M50i which is quite strong even without the stragegically applied hybrid bump.
The 6,000 lb X7 M50i can rip off 0-60 in 4.2-4.3 under good conditions while the new S68 M60i with mild hybrid assist has been shown to drop that metric to 3.8 seconds by Car and Driver. This is a huge improvement when you are already starting from the low 4s which is extremely fast for a 3 ton vehicle.
The 600 lb lighter X5/X6 M60i will obviously roll that same 0-60 in less time.
The line between the 50e and the M60i is not close or blurry in this most commonly reported acceleration metric.

[aaaaaaaaaz]

Originally Posted by cobramite

The electric assists in these current vehicles has changed their character on numerous levels.
The mild hybrid with its 147 lb ft of torque on the current M60i is very noticeable when it is called upon at lower rpms especially from a standing start compared to the prior M50i which is quite strong even without the hybrid bump.
The 6,000 lb X7 M50i could rip out 0-60 in 4.2-4.3 under good conditions while the new S68 M60i with mild hybrid assist has been shown to drop that metric to 3.8 seconds by Car and Driver. This is a huge improvement when you are already starting from the low 4s which is extremely fast for a 3 ton vehicle.
The 600 lb lighter X5/X6 M60i will obviously roll that same 0-60 in less time.
The line between the 50e and the M60i is not close or blurry regardless of what some 50e owners would like to believe.

But who cares?

[cobramite]

Originally Posted by alanzyy

But who cares?

Probably a good number of the people who elect to spend 17 grand more to adopt the M60i.
Quite a number of people on this board discussing this very subject over time if you haven't noticed. Does everyone who owns any of these vehicles care about this stuff, obviously not and it would appear that is true in your case. Some of us don't eat sushi or buckwheat but that doesn't mean there is anything wrong with that stuff.

[TurtleBoy]

Originally Posted by alanzyy

But who cares?

Likely a very small minority of owners but there is nothing wrong with that. We all have something that draws us to the vehicles we obtain, it could be style, color, badge, speed, etc. It is nice to be able to choose what we want even if it is because it has a feature that we will never fully use or just something to have for bragging rights/makes you feel better.

[cobramite]

Originally Posted by TurtleBoy

Likely a very small minority of owners but there is nothing wrong with that. We all have something that draws us to the vehicles we obtain, it could be style, color, badge, speed, etc. It is nice to be able to choose what we want even if it is because it has a feature that we will never fully use or just something to have for bragging rights/makes you feel better.

Bet the farm that a sizeable percentage of those spending nearly 20-50 grand more for an M light or full boat M Comp. care about performance to include acceleration metrics.