BMW Hopes to Make you Regret your Tesla Model 3

It’s odd to watch BMW’s ads on the new 330e plug-in hybrid for a number of reasons. The first being that it’s promoting a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid when the Tesla Model 3 is so clearly a fully electric car, in other words, they think their car competes with the Tesla.

The second reason is that, although Tesla is never mentioned, it is clear that this is who BMW is hinting at. It seems to me that they are assuming that they can sway Model 3 buyers simply because they are BMW. They may be right about the fact that those who have put a deposit towards a Tesla will end up waiting a long time before they get their car, but the ad’s timing seems a little premature.

Despite all of this, the BMW 330e will surely be an impressive car in its own right. The turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder engine is joined to an electric motor/generator that puts out 87 horsepower and 74 lb-ft of torque (or up to 184 lb-ft for short periods of time). Total powertrain output is rated at 248 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. The 7.6-kWh lithium-ion battery finds its way into the trunk, thus cutting down of available space.

The BMW 330e boasts a rating of 72 mpg-e, or 3.3 Le/100 km, which is impressive. However, the Tesla Model 3 should offer a 215-mile (345-km) full-electric range. Not quite the same. Perhaps BMW should have waited for the EV version of the 3 Series.