[CarFan78]

Hi All,

I am new to this forum and have never owned a BMW but have always admired the brand and styling. I am looking to get my wife an X5 and would like to get some thoughts from enthusiasts like all of you. For starters, my wife does mainly city driving and around 25 to 35 miles a day which makes the 45e seem appealing. With that said, here are my questions.

1. Besides cost and fuel efficiency, are there any noticeable differences between the 40i and 45e?

2. Has anyone noticed more quality or reliability issues with one model over the other?

3. From what I have researched, it is not possible to do remote start with the 45e. I do know my wife would like the option to warm up or cool down her car during the middle of summer and winter. Is there anyway to do this with the 45e?

4. What does BMW provide for charging the 45e, and would you recommend paying for a Level 2 charger? If so, from what I have read, the chargepoint home flex may be one of the best options to get???

5. Is there a way to calculate the fuel savings comparing the cost of electricity with the cost of gas?

6. Does the 45e offer wireless charging inside?

Thanks!

[Hedz_Up]

The 45e does have Remote Start, but it’s called Preconditioning. As long as there is battery left it works better than Remote Start because it lasts 30 minutes instead of 15 and doesn’t actually turn on the engine. It’s really great in the heat when you can run into a store and leave the AC on.

I would definitely recommend a Level 2 charger. I have the Chargepoint and love it.

[nZtiZia]

there are multiple threads on this subject. have you done a search? still, my replies below in bold

Originally Posted by CarFan78

Hi All,

I am new to this forum and have never owned a BMW but have always admired the brand and styling. I am looking to get my wife an X5 and would like to get some thoughts from enthusiasts like all of you. For starters, my wife does mainly city driving and around 25 to 35 miles a day which makes the 45e seem appealing. With that said, here are my questions.

1. Besides cost and fuel efficiency, are there any noticeable differences between the 40i and 45e?
the 45e had a distinct price advantage when it qualified for federal tax credit, but the with IRA, that will go away, and the 45e will cost more than the 40i. other than the obvious differences (ICE vs PHEV), the 45e comes standard with air suspension and run flat tires. you currently can't option air suspension in the 40i due to the parts shortages. you can't order the space saver spare tire with the 45e because there's no space to store it under the cargo floor due to the relocation of the fuel tank. you can't order 22" tires/wheels on the 45e in the US or third row seating (all countries). you currently can't order third row on the 40i also due to the parts shortages. from a strict view point on fuel efficiency, the 45e is more efficient despite being heavier than the 40i because the electric motor assists the ICE whenever possible. this in turn makes the ICE work less hard, so it's more fuel efficient. the drawback for the 45e though is its fuel tank is smaller than the 40i's (18.2 vs 21.9). despite increased fuel efficiency, the 45e can't travel as far on a single tank of fuel than the 40i

2. Has anyone noticed more quality or reliability issues with one model over the other?
both models have their share of issues. some are reported more than others. some are specific to one model vs another, i.e., the 45e's high voltage battery. if the issues occur within the warranty period, so be it. that's what a warranty is for. in two years, i've only had two issues: a failed lower tailgate motor and one defective HV battery module found during a recall.

3. From what I have researched, it is not possible to do remote start with the 45e. I do know my wife would like the option to warm up or cool down her car during the middle of summer and winter. Is there anyway to do this with the 45e?
remote start is replaced by preconditioning in the 45e that utilizes the HV battery. some advantages over traditional remote start of the ICE are:
- quiet. there's no idling engine.
- legal in countries where idling engines isn't allowed
- no CO fumes so can be activated in enclosed spaces
- it runs for 30 mins versus remote start's 15 mins

4. What does BMW provide for charging the 45e, and would you recommend paying for a Level 2 charger? If so, from what I have read, the chargepoint home flex may be one of the best options to get???
a level 1 EVSE (max 10A) is included. everyone's use case is different. some are retired, so they don't need an overnight charge. i work M-F and utilize most of the electric battery capacity for my round trip work commute, so i need a full charge every morning which can only be accomplished with a level 2. i got the JuiceBox 40 because my electric company gave a rebate in addition to getting annual rebates with their demand response program.

5. Is there a way to calculate the fuel savings comparing the cost of electricity with the cost of gas?
there are calculators out there, but it's pretty simple. note it will vary depending on one's own rates. here's mine:
i used a total of 344kWh to charge in Nov. i pay $0.118/kWh, so it cost $40.59 to have a full electric 'tank' every morning for that month.

if i had the 40i, i would need to fill up 3 times in a month. premium is $3.69/gallon, so to fill up the 40i's 21.9-gallon tank for a month would cost $242.43.

6. Does the 45e offer wireless charging inside?
there is a wireless charger option. if you decide not to get it, you will also not get the LTE compensator (booster).

Thanks!

[jad03060]

With the predicted use case, the 45e should be more efficient for her use as it's much better in stop and go, and if fully charged, the entire day may be done in electric mode. Depending on your electric rates, that could be cheaper or more expensive than running gas alone. The 45e comes with two axle air suspension, which is nice. Unless you're lucky enough to find one for immediate sale, you probably won't qualify for the federal tax credit, but a recent announcement MIGHT delay one of the prerequisites needed to qualify, so maybe.

[nZtiZia]

yes, maybe. if there is a delay, the other stipulation to factor is staying below both the income and MSRP limits.

[CarFan78]

Thank you both for your responses. I have done some research here and tried to find stuff on youtube but it's sometimes hard to follow all the different topics. With that said, I had a few additional questions.

1. Can the preconditioning be done via a smartphone app? If so, are you able to turn on the AC or heat from your phone app?

2. Is the battery warranty for the 2023 X545e at 8 years/100K miles? I found that was the case for 2022 but one thread here said it may have changed for 2023.

3. I have never had wireless charging before but it sounds like the LTE compensator helps with the mobile connection depending on your carrier. We have Verizon and I was curious if there is an extra fee to use the compensator?

4. Is there one option or accessory you wish you would have gotten for your X5 that you did not get?

[CarFan78]

1. I believe we may too much to meet the new 2023 standards for the federal tax credit unless these are changing? Have you heard if these are changing?

2. Our electricity provider charges $.185/kwh for peak times (2:00 PM to 7:00 PM) and then $.03/kwh the rest of the time. Is this a good rate for charging at non-peak time?

[eelnoraa]

I have a slight different take than the previous two posts on efficiency. 45e is only more efficient if you charge the battery. If you don’t charge, then 40i is more efficient. BMW official spec reflect they.

If you charge 45e, then what we should talk about isn’t mpg, because it uses two forms of energy. We need to talk about cost per mile for EV and for ICE. This highly depends on the cost of electricity. Gas cost across the country maybe 10-20%. But electricity cost difference can be 500%. What nZtiZia pays for electricity makes EV operation a huge advantage over ICE. But then I pay $0.50/kWh now (winter rate), EV cost more per miles than ICE. Please do your own estimation based in your gas cost and electricity cost. A good starting point is use bmw published number, 20MPG for ice, 1.8mi/kWh for EV.

[eelnoraa]

Originally Posted by CarFan78

1. I believe we may too much to meet the new 2023 standards for the federal tax credit unless these are changing? Have you heard if these are changing?

2. Our electricity provider charges $.185/kwh for peak times (2:00 PM to 7:00 PM) and then $.03/kwh the rest of the time. Is this a good rate for charging at non-peak time?

Wow, $0.03/kWh. Then this is no brainer. Get 45e, and get L2 evse setup at home. The more miles you use in EV, the more saving you will have.

[jad03060]

Originally Posted by CarFan78

Thank you both for your responses. I have done some research here and tried to find stuff on youtube but it's sometimes hard to follow all the different topics. With that said, I had a few additional questions.

1. Can the preconditioning be done via a smartphone app? If so, are you able to turn on the AC or heat from your phone app? All HVAC in the 45e is done entirely with electricity, so it will warm or cool to the previously set temperature. You control this via a smartphone app.

2. Is the battery warranty for the 2023 X545e at 8 years/100K miles? I found that was the case for 2022 but one thread here said it may have changed for 2023.The 8-years thing is a federal requirement...it stayed the same.

3. I have never had wireless charging before but it sounds like the LTE compensator helps with the mobile connection depending on your carrier. We have Verizon and I was curious if there is an extra fee to use the compensator?No, it's basically just a cellular RF amplifier both in/out.

4. Is there one option or accessory you wish you would have gotten for your X5 that you did not get?

See above in red.

[nZtiZia]

in bold below

Originally Posted by CarFan78

Thank you both for your responses. I have done some research here and tried to find stuff on youtube but it's sometimes hard to follow all the different topics. With that said, I had a few additional questions.

1. Can the preconditioning be done via a smartphone app? If so, are you able to turn on the AC or heat from your phone app?
yes, through the MyBMW app. note, the vehicle will decide whether heat or AC will be used to precondition (you can't select that via the app.) some EU countries have the ability to program their key fobs to precondition (lucky them!)
before 'MyBMW', it was called ConnectedDrive. the Alexa skill under ConnectedDrive allowed you to give voice commands via Echo devices. i programmed "get Shadow ready" to activate preconditioning. when it changed to MyBMW, the command no longer worked. it might work again now as it's been well over a year since i last tried. if it does work, that's another option to activate preconditioning remotely. EDIT: the MyBMW Alexa skill WORKS! i was able to precondition by giving an oral command to Alexa

2. Is the battery warranty for the 2023 X545e at 8 years/100K miles? I found that was the case for 2022 but one thread here said it may have changed for 2023.
i'm not aware of 2023 changes, but the standard warranty is 8y/80k miles. different states require different warranties, such as some CARB states offering 10y/150k warranty on the HV battery

3. I have never had wireless charging before but it sounds like the LTE compensator helps with the mobile connection depending on your carrier. We have Verizon and I was curious if there is an extra fee to use the compensator?
no extra fee. there is a 'requirement' to register it with the FCC but many don't.

4. Is there one option or accessory you wish you would have gotten for your X5 that you did not get?
i have a MY21 45e. i would've optioned acoustic glass (removed after MY21) and Manhattan Green Metallic if they were available

[CarFan78]

Thanks again guys for all the responses. I noticed for the 40i there is a separate option fee for remote start. For the 45e is there an option I need to select for preconditioning or does that just come standard?

[nZtiZia]

Originally Posted by eelnoraa

I have a slight different take than the previous two posts on efficiency. 45e is only more efficient if you charge the battery. If you don’t charge, then 40i is more efficient. BMW official spec reflect they.

If you charge 45e, then what we should talk about isn’t mpg, because it uses two forms of energy. We need to talk about cost per mile for EV and for ICE. This highly depends on the cost of electricity. Gas cost across the country maybe 10-20%. But electricity cost difference can be 500%. What nZtiZia pays for electricity makes EV operation a huge advantage over ICE. But then I pay $0.50/kWh now (winter rate), EV cost more per miles than ICE. Please do your own estimation based in your gas cost and electricity cost. A good starting point is use bmw published number, 20MPG for ice, 1.8mi/kWh for EV.

you should watch this video (mark 6:46)

it shows how the electric motor runs parallel with (assists) the ICE, thus increases fuel efficiency because ICE doesn't work as hard. remember, the HV battery never fully 'depletes'. in all drive modes, the vehicle will maintain a minimum charge after reaching - - - miles (~6% in Hybrid/Eco Pro and Adaptive, ~20% in Sport so that eBoost is available). even when it shows - - - in the instrument cluster, there's electric power available to assist the ICE, just not enough to register any electric miles.

[nZtiZia]

Originally Posted by CarFan78

Thanks again guys for all the responses. I noticed for the 40i there is a separate option fee for remote start. For the 45e is there an option I need to select for preconditioning or does that just come standard?

preconditioning is standard on the 45e

[eelnoraa]

Originally Posted by nZtiZia

you should watch this video (mark 6:46)

it shows how the electric motor runs parallel with (assists) the ICE, thus increases fuel efficiency because ICE doesn't work as hard. remember, the HV battery never fully 'depletes'. even when it shows - - - in the instrument cluster, there's electric power available to assist the ICE, just not enough to register any electric miles

this aspect alone , i agree. basically hybrid drive train is more efficient. but don't forget 45e is 800lb(?) heavier, so the sum is a lost. official epa reflect that. i think 40i owners reported agreeing result.

[Scientifix]

Originally Posted by CarFan78

1. I believe we may too much to meet the new 2023 standards for the federal tax credit unless these are changing? Have you heard if these are changing?

2. Our electricity provider charges $.185/kwh for peak times (2:00 PM to 7:00 PM) and then $.03/kwh the rest of the time. Is this a good rate for charging at non-peak time?

3 cents per kWh?! With the 45e that will be close to 50 to 60 miles per dollar when driven in electric only! Which is amazing!!

[RickObe]

A couple things not mentioned above (I don't think) regarding options and features... Acoustic glass was still not available for the 2023. The only deletion I had on my 2023 45e was the touch sensitive control knob. But that would apply on the 40i as well. I believe there are some standard features and some options that you can get on the 45e but not on the 40i. The best way to see this for options is to use the online configurator. One feature that's on the 45e that I don't think is available for the 40i is the air suspension. There may be others I'm not remembering.

[AMTUP1991]

45e vs 40i is totally dependent on daily use. For my use, the 40i is better. We are using, and will be using it for longer trips. Just made a near 500 mile drive for the holidays and averaged about 29mpg with the cruise set about 5-7 over the speed limit. Barely used 3/4 tank of fuel. There is an appeal in the 45e to use just the battery for errands on a daily use, but for me I do not currently have a way to charge daily so it didn’t make sense. If you can charge it daily and use the battery only, it may be the way to go!

Something else to know with the wireless phone charger is it SUCKS. It’s going to charge VERY slowly, if at all. My phone just gets hot and then won’t charge so I had to get out of the habit of putting my phone on it as soon as I got in the car.

[CarFan78]

Originally Posted by RickObe

A couple things not mentioned above (I don't think) regarding options and features... Acoustic glass was still not available for the 2023. The only deletion I had on my 2023 45e was the touch sensitive control knob. But that would apply on the 40i as well. I believe there are some standard features and some options that you can get on the 45e but not on the 40i. The best way to see this for options is to use the online configurator. One feature that's on the 45e that I don't think is available for the 40i is the air suspension. There may be others I'm not remembering.

Thanks. Again I am a newbie to some of these options available. I do not see air suspension or acoustic glass as an option on the 45e configurator. Am I missing something?

[CarFan78]

Originally Posted by AMTUP1991

45e vs 40i is totally dependent on daily use. For my use, the 40i is better. We are using, and will be using it for longer trips. Just made a near 500 mile drive for the holidays and averaged about 29mpg with the cruise set about 5-7 over the speed limit. Barely used 3/4 tank of fuel. There is an appeal in the 45e to use just the battery for errands on a daily use, but for me I do not currently have a way to charge daily so it didn’t make sense. If you can charge it daily and use the battery only, it may be the way to go!

Something else to know with the wireless phone charger is it SUCKS. It’s going to charge VERY slowly, if at all. My phone just gets hot and then won’t charge so I had to get out of the habit of putting my phone on it as soon as I got in the car.

Thanks. So you would not recommend the extra $500 for the wireless phone charger and mobile hotspot?

[eelnoraa]

Acoustic glass option is not available. 45e has air suspension standard.

[eelnoraa]

Originally Posted by CarFan78

Thanks. So you would not recommend the extra $500 for the wireless phone charger and mobile hotspot?

Not worth it for me. If I were to do it over again, I will spend that $500 somewhere else.