2021 BMW 330e gets worse MPG EPA rating than previous model

BMW announced a new 330e model almost immediate after the new generation G20 3 Series debuted. It brought along a couple of important upgrades, even though the specs didn’t seem to change that much overall. The biggest improvement came in the battery department and that includes the electric range, of course. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the improvement in EV range is noticeable. However, there are some problems in other areas though.

The new 330e has up to 248 HP and 310 lb-ft of torque at its disposal, thanks to the combined efforts of a 2-liter 4-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor. Those numbers allow it to be quite a fun car to drive but performance and fun are only half of what this car is supposed to deliver. It should also be pretty efficient.

According to the EPA, as long as the battery’s charged, that shouldn’t be a problem. The new model can cover up to 22 miles on battery power alone, a big improvement compared to the EPA-rated 14 miles of the previous generation 330e.

The MPGe rating also went up. The old model was rated at 71 MPGe while the new one gets 75 MPGe. That’s wonderful news, isn’t it? However, the problems start to show up once the juice runs out. According to the EPA you should expect 28 mpg combined for the 2021 BMW 330e. To be more precise, their measurements showed 25 mpg around town and 33 highway. Go for the xDrive model and the mpg rating goes down to 25 average (22/30 city/highway).

That is surprising, to be honest, when you compare the results to the old model which was rated at 30 mpg combined. Furthermore, the non-hybrid 330i has the same 30 mpg combined rating. As we point out in many of our hybrid cars reviews, PHEV vehicles are worth it if you can actually drive them on electricity alone for daily chores. But there are cases when a diesel-powered model could return a better overall MPG.

Regardless, we still believe that electrification is the future and with more charging stations coming online, you can often find yourself traveling mostly on electric power.