[HoldenTudiks]

First time caring about a hybrid vehicle:

1. The M5 starts up in electric mode, does the engine also turn on?

2. Usually, gas cars need a few minutes to warm up after a cold start before driving off. Is this the case with the new M5?

3. If I just started the car and drove off in electric mode, at what point can I start using the engine without damaging it (warm up oil etc)?

4. Is e-control the only mode that can recharge the battery?

5. Is hybrid mode the most fuel efficient?

6. The F90 startup sound is LOUD, can the G90 also start up the engine, or is it always going to be quiet?

[DocWeatherington]

Originally Posted by HoldenTudiks

First time caring about a hybrid vehicle:

1. The M5 starts up in electric mode, does the engine also turn on?

2. Usually, gas cars need a few minutes to warm up after a cold start before driving off. Is this the case with the new M5?

3. If I just started the car and drove off in electric mode, at what point can I start using the engine without damaging it (warm up oil etc)?

4. Is e-control the only mode that can recharge the battery?

5. Is hybrid mode the most fuel efficient?

6. The F90 startup sound is LOUD, can the G90 also start up the engine, or is it always going to be quiet?

I cant speak for the M5, but the Xm i can and as the powertain is basically the same.


1. The M5 starts up in electric mode, does the engine also turn on? No, starts in hybrid mode and motor is off until you go pass the kick down in the gas pedal,or have a m1/m2 setting. Only way it stays in ev mode is if you do ev mode only.

2. Usually, gas cars need a few minutes to warm up after a cold start before driving off. Is this the case with the new M5? Yes, when the motor kicks on its cold start, rpm redline does the change as it warms up.

3. If I just started the car and drove off in electric mode, at what point can I start using the engine without damaging it (warm up oil etc)? You can use the motor whenever you want, just know that like any car it's cold. Will take a few minutes to warm up to go ham.

4. Is e-control the only mode that can recharge the battery? This depends on market. On the XM the gas motor cannot recharge the battery in the US, but will in other places. With that your putting juice back into the car via brakes and the tranny. E-control is telling the car to not use the ev side.

5. Is hybrid mode the most fuel efficient? Yes

6. The F90 startup sound is LOUD, can the G90 also start up the engine, or is it always going to be quiet? Cold starts on all bmw's are loud..once it warms it quiets down. If you want the car to always start with the motor. You program the m button to do so, then once you get in turn the car on and hit you settings and the motor will always stay on.

[HoldenTudiks]

Originally Posted by DocWeatherington

I cant speak for the M5, but the Xm i can and as the powertain is basically the same.


1. The M5 starts up in electric mode, does the engine also turn on? No, starts in hybrid mode and motor is off until you go pass the kick down in the gas pedal,or have a m1/m2 setting. Only way it stays in ev mode is if you do ev mode only.

2. Usually, gas cars need a few minutes to warm up after a cold start before driving off. Is this the case with the new M5? Yes, when the motor kicks on its cold start, rpm redline does the change as it warms up.

3. If I just started the car and drove off in electric mode, at what point can I start using the engine without damaging it (warm up oil etc)? You can use the motor whenever you want, just know that like any car it's cold. Will take a few minutes to warm up to go ham.

4. Is e-control the only mode that can recharge the battery? This depends on market. On the XM the gas motor cannot recharge the battery in the US, but will in other places. With that your putting juice back into the car via brakes and the tranny. E-control is telling the car to not use the ev side.

5. Is hybrid mode the most fuel efficient? Yes

6. The F90 startup sound is LOUD, can the G90 also start up the engine, or is it always going to be quiet? Cold starts on all bmw's are loud..once it warms it quiets down. If you want the car to always start with the motor. You program the m button to do so, then once you get in turn the car on and hit you settings and the motor will always stay on.

Thank you, I really appreciate the informative answer. So when the car starts in hybrid mode, the engine also starts up unless I choose ev only mode? So hybrid mode in a cold start will wake up the neighbors? If I choose an ev only start up, the engine doesn't start up so how do I warm up the engine when driving?

[DocWeatherington]

Originally Posted by HoldenTudiks

Thank you, I really appreciate the informative answer. So when the car starts in hybrid mode, the engine also starts up unless I choose ev only mode? So hybrid mode in a cold start will wake up the neighbors? If I choose an ev only start up, the engine doesn't start up so how do I warm up the engine when driving?

No, in default hybrid mode the car will be in hybrid and will prioritize using the EV side until you apply enough throttle/load on the powertain. So it will go between gas and ev or a combo of both as the situation aka cpu dictates. I would the goal is the the max mpg.

So in hybrid mode...you start the car the motor doesn't start...will stay ev until you give it significant throttle or load like going up a hill. Remember the EV side is on the tranny so it has 8 gears to selective from and a top ev only speed of 87mph.

If your goal is silent while leaving your house... you just use light throttle or program m2 for an ev only no matter how hard you throttle it.

[imrickjames]

Anybody have any idea how to determine whether 11 kWh charging is enabled in their M5, versus the 7.4 kWh that was supposed to be available at launch?

[DocWeatherington]

Originally Posted by imrickjames

Anybody have any idea how to determine whether 11 kWh charging is enabled in their M5, versus the 7.4 kWh that was supposed to be available at launch?

Plug it into an 11kWh or higher charger that you know charges at that rate and see what car takes. If it's above 7.4 it's enabled

[HoldenTudiks]

Originally Posted by DocWeatherington

No, in default hybrid mode the car will be in hybrid and will prioritize using the EV side until you apply enough throttle/load on the powertain. So it will go between gas and ev or a combo of both as the situation aka cpu dictates. I would the goal is the the max mpg.

So in hybrid mode...you start the car the motor doesn't start...will stay ev until you give it significant throttle or load like going up a hill. Remember the EV side is on the tranny so it has 8 gears to selective from and a top ev only speed of 87mph.

If your goal is silent while leaving your house... you just use light throttle or program m2 for an ev only no matter how hard you throttle it.

So starting in hybrid mode, do I still warm up the engine like a regular gas car? Or can I just drive off immediately off electric and let the engine warmup while driving? Would that be bad for the engine?

[DocWeatherington]

Originally Posted by HoldenTudiks

So starting in hybrid mode, do I still warm up the engine like a regular gas car? Or can I just drive off immediately off electric and let the engine warmup while driving? Would that be bad for the engine?

You can do whatever you want. You can drive off immediately.

No, in hybrid mode the computer will decide the path forward..you could drove 20 plus miles without the motor on. The car can heat and cool without the motor on. You will see the redline rpm change as the car ice motor warms up.

No it's fine, if you use the motor just make sure its warmed up before your doing redline runs. Beyond that drive the car like normal.

However during break in that first 1200 miles focus on using the gas motor to ensure break in is done on the gas side and not running 20-30miles of ev only.

[trev230]

I test drove the one local to me on Thursday. When I hit the start button the EV portion of the car turned on but I had to press the pre-configured M1 button (by the dealer) to get the engine to fire up. They said this is the way it works. I’m not sure as this was the first hybrid that I’ve ever actually driven or even started up.

[masd79]

In short it’s always EV first if you hit the start button only. If you want to hear the engine it’s a two step process, m1/m2 then start which is borderline annoying imo for especially if you’re a EV hater. Someone please confirm?

[DocWeatherington]

Originally Posted by masd79

In short it’s always EV first if you hit the start button only. If you want to hear the engine it’s a two step process, m1/m2 then start which is borderline annoying imo for especially if you’re a EV hater. Someone please confirm?

Based upon the xm ...its comes down to how you have m1/m2 programmed

You can also get the motor to immediately kick on via s1.

[DocWeatherington]

Originally Posted by trev230

I test drove the one local to me on Thursday. When I hit the start button the EV portion of the car turned on but I had to press the pre-configured M1 button (by the dealer) to get the engine to fire up. They said this is the way it works. I’m not sure as this was the first hybrid that I’ve ever actually driven or even started up.

This is how this hybrid system is setup

[trev230]

Originally Posted by DocWeatherington

This is how this hybrid system is setup

I didn’t have any reason to doubt what they were saying as they are two decade+ long SA’s I know and trust. I was more just unfamiliar with how the hybrid start up process works. Thanks for confirming!

[DocWeatherington]

Originally Posted by trev230

I didn’t have any reason to doubt what they were saying as they are two decade+ long SA’s I know and trust. I was more just unfamiliar with how the hybrid start up process works. Thanks for confirming!

No problem, in an ideal world there would be a startup setting. However for emissions regulations...its probably not an option the manufacturer wants to give.