Any 530e owners out there?

Buddy Bubs · 11-01-2025 04:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123044681#Comment_123044681

Usually about 4 hrs or so. I think I used to get about 2kw speeds on it. Would be pretty much empty every time I put it on.

It cost about 1.50 to 2 euro depending on unit price at the time, that was a 9kw battery as far as I remember. It gave me about 30kms range but that fluctuated too. It was a 2018 car, I liked the car but range wasn't good enough and I hated plugging in every time I got out of the car. Even at 60km range I'd still be plugging in every day but at least I'd have been electric day to day, as it was it was only 50% electric 50% petrol. I thought I'd be OK with that but I hated it.

Gumbo · 11-01-2025 05:25PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123044681#Comment_123044681

3 pin or home charger makes no difference to cost. Multiply the battery capacity by your kWh unit rate. So say 20 kWh x 20c = €4

Sub in your own figures to suit.

A home Charger can be supplied and fitted for €699.

dodzy · 12-01-2025 09:04AM

with the new model, assuming (close to) 100km range, I’d wager the vast majority of owners would be on ev mode pretty much all the time. If there is zero demand for the ICE, surely this cannot be good for its long term well being?

road_high · 12-01-2025 10:38AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123046413#Comment_123046413

I’ll be travelling with work with it and for longer journeys I can see myself doing a mix. I’ll see how I get on I suppose

Gumbo · 12-01-2025 11:12AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123046550#Comment_123046550

Just make sure the engine gets a good run every week. All the sensors need to get working, O2 etc

Our 530e, all the problems has been on the engine side of the house.

joe1303l · 12-01-2025 04:19PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123044824#Comment_123044824

3 Pin Plug/Granny Chargers can have slightly higher losses too than a proper Type 2 socket.

road_high · 14-01-2025 11:13PM

Right, car landed today with 0 charge. Anyway curiosity got the better of me and decided to download and sign up to Esb and ended up trying a “fast” (?) charger and left it there for over 90 mins. Less than 50% charged when I got back and cost €25- pay as you go so I’m assuming the most expensive way possible of charging. So two questions- 1. What’s the quickest and cheapest charge publicly to use? and 2. Where’s best to go buy a “granny” cable to slow charge it at home? Which is probably the best option for me for now. It came with a cable in the boot just not one I can plug into a 3 pin socket- perhaps there’s a small adapter I need ?

Buddy Bubs · 14-01-2025 11:28PM

Some of that 25 euro will be refunded to you, its just a hild on the card. No way a 50% charge on esb cost anywhere near that. Closer to a fiver maybe.

50% on my full electric wouldnt even cost that.

road_high · 14-01-2025 11:37PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123056868#Comment_123056868

thanks it seems wild alright. I’ll attach it here. Doesn’t mention a hold or deposit on the card? This is the first time I’ve used it ever

0B958D4D-7C67-4109-A551-10C5D53439B1.jpeg

joe1303l · 14-01-2025 11:40PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123056807#Comment_123056807

Best place to buy a granny charger is DoneDeal, Adverts or eBay. Buy a used branded one from an OEM manufacturer. A lot of the aftermarket cheapie ones from Amazon etc. don’t have a temperature sensor in the 3 pin plug. 3 pin 13A plugs get hot when pulling 2-3kW continuously for a a few hours. Long term, a proper Type 2 charge point is a better solution and there is an SEAI grant available to reduce the cost. Fokearn seem to be one of the cheaper installers and have cleat pricing on their website. You could also try your luck wherever you bought it from and tell them the granny charger is missing from the boot.

copacetic · 14-01-2025 11:58PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123056903#Comment_123056903

best I can work out is that you’ve paid a big overstay fee, after 45 mins on fast chargers there is a 50c/min charge for taking up the charger. Hybrids are generally slow to charge so leaving it for 90mins taking up a fast charger is frowned upon. It should have come with 2 bmw cables from new, or at least older ones did.

Buddy Bubs · 15-01-2025 12:03AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123056903#Comment_123056903

How long were you plugged in for? Was it about 90 minutes?

That looks like the penalty charge for staying over 45 minutes at 50c per extra minute.

It's to stop you hogging the charger. Your electricity was only 5.50 euro for about 10kw and penalty was 19.50

Put it down to experience and don't do it again!

For comparison, that will cost you somewhere around 2 euro at home on a typical enough tariff.

road_high · 15-01-2025 12:16AM

yes it was about 90 mins or more. It was an empty charger at a deserted retail park so I didn’t know there was a time limit - I assumed you could stay as long as needed until it would be fully charged and there of course be a penalty after that? Had no idea it wasn’t written up anywhere or obvious on the app. So the max I could stay at one of those chargers is 45 mins? I’d have only gotten to 20-25% charge on that time I’d say. Why was it so slow?
Thanks I am learning!

bazz26 · 15-01-2025 12:25AM

Odd that the car didn't come with both a type 2 charging cable and a granny 3 pin charging cable. My i4 came with both from BMW as do most. Maybe double check under the boot floor where a tyre well would usually be? If it's not there then someone may have taken it before the car was handed over to you.

Imo public charging is pointless for plug in hybrids. The cost is nearly as expensive as a tank of petrol or diesel for such small electric range and they also tend to be slower at charging. Ideally you would want to charge from a wallbox at home or work.

road_high · 15-01-2025 12:30AM

it’s a lease rental so god knows about the cable. I’ll have another good look in the boot but only saw one cable type there

road_high · 15-01-2025 12:36AM

Thanks all for your help again, it’s great and much appreciated. If someone could link me to a granny charger to buy that would be great also please.

Agree with all the comments and advice- yes, it seems public charging isn’t the way to go with this car. Which surprises me as I’d have assumed given the small battery range that would be the ideal solution- clearly not, you live and learn

bazz26 · 15-01-2025 12:42AM

I know not too long ago you would have had to select the include cable option box when ordering the car but they have been standard equipment for the last few years now afaik. I'd have gone back to the dealer asking for one but since your getting it through a third party then that's obviously not an option. Anyone else on your company fleet that you could ask for their one if they never use it? Alternative is to buy one.

jayo44 · 15-01-2025 01:17AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123057074#Comment_123057074

A lot of the lease company's will take out accessories from a car and put them back in when it's returned. At least that's how it used to be done back 20 off years ago when I was in a dealers. We used to have a big storage place for rental car accessories. Back then it was mainly wheel trims were never out on the car as they would get trashed.

Buddy Bubs · 15-01-2025 06:24AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123057041#Comment_123057041

Yeah plug in hybrids have small batteries and don't charge fast. But perfectly suited to a granny charge at home without the need to buy a wallbox. I had a 2018 530e from 2021 to 2022 and never once charged publicly.

Gumbo · 15-01-2025 10:49AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123056807#Comment_123056807

Was the cable attached to the charger?

Or did you use your own cable?

When you say “fast” charger, what connection did you use? I thought these only charged at AC so not fast charger possible?

My guess is that you used an AC43 connection which is the fast version of the standard socket (Zoe) and there’s an over stay fee after 45 mins.

I’d you used a standard AC charger the over stay doesn’t kick in until 11 hours or something.

Gumbo · 15-01-2025 10:56AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123057084#Comment_123057084

Public charging can work, but in this instance you used the wrong charger. Its a mistake you wont repeat :)

rodneytrotter15 · 15-01-2025 11:02AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123044612#Comment_123044612

I wish the 530e driver in Birdhill had the same attitude last week when they were hogging the charger with a couple of cars waiting in the queue to charge 🙄

road_high · 15-01-2025 11:14AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123057722#Comment_123057722

I think so- yes I think I was ac charger- it was the one that fitted! Which one should I use as a proper fast charger? Thanks

Gumbo · 15-01-2025 11:30AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123057786#Comment_123057786

You don’t have fast charging in the 530e.

You should use the AC chargers that require your own cable. It will be the same speed as the fast charger you used but without the fast charging cost or overstay fee as they are designed as destination chargers.

Not ideal unless you are parked there for a few hours anyway as it will take about 4 hours to fill.

road_high · 15-01-2025 11:48AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123057825#Comment_123057825

Great thanks- can you give me an example of these chargers? The ESB ones all had cables of their own there. I have an own cable for that so should be possible