For those unaware – which will be most of you, since there wasn’t really a formal announcement – the plug-in variant of the 3 Series is gone. BMW decided not to bring it into the 2025 model year with the rest of the G20 3 Series lineup. And the decision seems to be confined to the US, market, too. Elsewhere, the BMW 330e sees a power and range bump – 292 horsepower and 63 miles.
So, there’s probably thousands of them sitting on lots in the US, unable to find homes, right? Wrong. As of this writing, there are an astounding 1,484 new 2024 330i and 330i xDrive models sitting on dealer lots. There are 272 2024 M340i and M340i xDrive models waiting for buyers. You will only find 189 330e and 330e xDrive models, though. While an imperfect metric at best, it paints a picture that certainly doesn’t suggest the PHEV is a slow mover.
So, Where’s the 2025 BMW 330e?
That’s a great question, we’re glad you asked it. One suggestion is that the increased range puts the 3er PHEV dangerously close to encroaching on i4 eDrive35 sales. The lowest rung of the electric BMW ladder starts at $52,000. Last year’s 330e started at $46,595 after delivery fees. It stands to reason that the 2025 model would be a further price bump that puts it on-par with the aforementioned electric 4 Series.
While at the end of the day, BMW definitely wants sales whether you buy a 4 Series or 3 Series, there are incentives to move the EV. BMW wants to continue to ramp up EV sales – and considers them separate from PHEV – to meet their 50 percent fleet electrification goal for 2030. While their existing strategy has paid off, there’s still a long way to go. Shoppers torn between a slightly cheaper PHEV and fully electric model – especially one as seemingly popular as the 330e – might not think twice. By leaving the 330e unavailable, customers won’t know what they’re missing. Thus, EV it is.
It’s even clearer when you compare leasing prices. The 330e – today – leases from $599/month on BMW’s national specials site. (Note: these specials are often region-specific, despite being called ‘national specials.’) Every single i4 trim – excluding the M50, which is advertised at an identical $599/month – is advertised at a lower lease price. It isn’t trickery, either. The 330e actually has an as-advertised MSRP of $6,000 less than even the lowest-trim i4, while requiring a down payment of just $300 less. The dramatic pricing change is from the $7,500 EV tax credit that BMW passes along to customers as a lease credit. Something the 330e is, sadly, not eligible for. The EV – as long as you need it – is the obvious value, as long as you’re leasing.
The G20 BMW 330e Might Be a Victim of Circumstance
BMW isn’t shy about shoehorning customers into EVs. I know that’s a little cynical, and it might not even be a bad thing, but it’s the only reason we can come up with for BMW to deny the US an even better 330e. Which is a shame – because thanks to a new battery setup, it’s probably one of the best iterations of the 3 Series yet. But, I suppose it’s equally shameful to waste the 2,833 BMW i4 models currently sitting on US dealer lots. As of this writing, of course.