This isn't particularly specific to the 2-series, it applies to anything really. (This car is a 218d auto) I am not really concerned anymore with power and speed, more a smooth quiet ride with efficiency nowadays, this is what put BMW on the final shortlist this time round having never owned one before. While I am trying not to get obsessed with economy, the amazing technology on such a modern car makes it quite interesting to see what can be achieved. The car is also the most powerful that I've owned even though it is only 150ps. This trip computer screen was one way non-stop journey to Northumberland just before the recent lockdown, comprised of Motorway/A1 then twenty miles of single carriageway road. I was driving normally but keeping to 60mph max with the odd burst of speed up to 70 to occasionally pass large vehicles safely. The return journey was similar, so didn't take a pic of that but remembered to look at the 'bonus miles' back at home after a couple of local errands which may have reduced the figure slightly. (I usually leave the display on the cluster on temperature) Just over half a tank for 400 miles seems to be good too, I think the low fuel warning came on at about 650 miles after mainly suburban running on the remainder of the tankful. It is only a 50 litre fuel tank. The 'onboard' computer shows about 51mpg overall since October when we got it, about 2500 miles.
So a year and a bit later I have beaten my 'bonus mileage' record. We had a day trip to Peterborough today visiting the Motorhome show, steady (indicated) 66mph where possible for 320 miles on cruise control (distance control disabled !) Traffic fairly light too, with no traffic to speak of. Outside temperature was a lot warmer than the previous pic, which must help, but counteracted by having the a/c on today. Incidentally, found out recently that the gearbox in my car (being fwd) is made by AW, and is the same one that PSA use, called Eat-8.
Some epic mpg going on there. The Eco-Pro feature is an interesting one, I’ve read several so called experts saying that it doesn’t actually do anything, but I strongly disagree with them. There is a real difference in throttle response with this switched on, certainly in my car. If I press on to overtake etc the response is very slow, as is any kick down by the ZF8 box. So I’d suspect there is a change in the settings to maintain maximum efficiency. The coast feature helps as well, oddly this doesn’t kick in when using cruise on mine, only with me adjusting the throttle pedal. Chasing the extra miles is a good one, gives a genuine sense of achievement of I’ve racked up 20/30+ extra miles. Maximum over ever seen would be in the region of 35 extra miles, but that was only to Oxford from my house, a distance of 95 miles, mixed driving. Currently averaging 36.9mpg and very happy with that….
Eco Pro on my 330d results in a significant reduction in available torque. Plus the ZF8 Auto changes up to higher gears at a lower rev range. So it's definitely doing something. Also, like you say, there is a reluctance to drop down the gears on kick down (unless you really floor the throttle). I never use Eco Pro for motorway driving - it's pointless, but I do use it occasionally in heavy, congested traffic when overtaking is impossible. It helps in keeping the engine revs down through the gears and therefore minimises particulates - saving the DPF filter buildup.
Had some odd behaviour with my “extra miles” readout yesterday. On the return journey it was building up nicely, heading up to 40 miles, but then when I came off the M42 (readout showing + 39.5 miles) it started to grey out, as it did so the mileage dropped. This coincided with the display showing the foot on accelerator icon, suggesting I was pressing on too much. I was actually barely breathing on the pedal, letting the car coast as much as possible, slowly braking up to junctions etc. Didn’t seem to match the actual driving style. As a result the plus miles dropped to +37.9.
I think it depends on the speed setting on the eco pro, I have adjusted mine so it won’t grey out until 75mph, that way I can leave it in eco pro on the motoways, the foot off accelerator symbol means just that, take your foot off and slow down to below the set eco max speed, cleverly it also pre empty junctions roundabouts etc when the navigation is active.
Mine is set to 70mph. I had Google maps via CarPlay, so the car nav wasn’t being used. Just seemed to be weird given how I was driving.
Could it have been a Regen cycle? My Cali is quite brutal on fuel consumption when the Regen is taking place.
But funnily enough I did think that this is how a diesel would react during a regen as the figure was dropping.
Something else I've noticed myself before Matthew & your post reminded me, how can bonus miles previously accrued, fall on the same tankful ? Obviously the average overall consumption will fall if more fuel is used say by urban driving on the second half of a tank if the first half was ultra-economical country driving. So, is the bonus miles display not what has actually been accrued at that time, but a prediction of what it WILL be if the entire fuel tank is used up with the current driving style/conditions ? Slightly odd programming really, because you 'unsave' previously saved fuel.
I remember having a 320d ED for a few days and found I could use up bonus miles (those I'd earned) when driving a bit harder in EcoPro. From BMW blurb... Make of that what you will... Peter
Thanks for posting that Peter, I do wonder if that is a translation that's got a bit out of hand and somehow got past the proof reader. It's not going to win an award from the plain English campaign in any case. In defence of what I think it is trying to say, I should probably try to watch the remaining range and see if it increases in line with the bonus miles. I never see that as range doesn't appear on the trip computer that I always leave the right side of the split screen on.
what is this ECO PRO setting everybody is talking about ? even with the sky high fuel prices l haven't ventured into the world of eco pro yet
Hence my "why" earlier in the thread. I still get my right foot to the floor nearly every time I drive the BMW, and never concern myself with economy. It burns what it burns.
When I use the car for business mileage I make an attempt to maintain some vague form of economy, this makes the 45p per mile actually useful. Personal driving I try to enjoy the car. Unfortunately fuel costs are high, hence the need to have some thought around economy occasionally.
The problem with trying to use the range for bonus miles, range will be changing purely on how the current mpg average changes during your trip. Range is based on a rolling calculation on fuel used over the past few miles. For example, (forgetting about EcoPro), I've driven from home to Perth in a G20 318d and started with ~150 miles range. Arrived with over 100 miles range, after driving 90 miles in Comfort mode. The 'steady' 60 miles on the A9 with average speed cameras, improves the mpg from my typical mpg average driving locally. I'd 'gained' 40 or more miles driving just 60 'easy' miles. Even the 535i on the same run, will gain me a good few miles on that same leg of the trip. Peter
An example of how the range varies Filled up to the brim last summer, range 706 miles till empty Drove 211 miles (motorway / dual carriageway) in eco pro as an experiment Range on arrival 801 miles till empty !
