BMW 330e vs Toyota Prius Plug-In: which is cheaper to run?
Both are plug-in hybrids; both look attractive on the brochure. The interesting question is how much one costs you over a real year of UK driving — at your tariff, your mileage and your charging habits. Here's the honest side-by-side at typical UK assumptions.
| Spec | BMW 330e | Toyota Prius Plug-In |
|---|---|---|
| Battery | 12 kWh | 13.6 kWh |
| WLTP electric range | 37 mi | 53 mi |
| WLTP combined MPG | 217 mpg | 470 mpg |
| Real-world petrol-only MPG | 45 mpg | 67 mpg |
Annual running cost (10,000 mi · 60% on battery)
| Cost | BMW 330e | Toyota Prius Plug-In |
|---|---|---|
| Battery £/mile | 2.3p | 2.3p |
| Petrol £/mile | 15.7p | 10.6p |
| Blended £/mile | 7.7p | 5.6p |
| Annual cost | £770 | £563 |
| Break-even fuel price | £0.23/L | £0.34/L |
Annual running cost difference
£207
The Toyota Prius Plug-In is roughly £207 cheaper a year (27%) at these assumptions.
The honest take. On running costs alone, the Toyota Prius Plug-In is the cheaper of the two at typical UK numbers. But running cost is only one variable — purchase price, finance, tax, insurance and depreciation usually swamp it. Use the free calculator below to plug in your own annual mileage, your home electricity tariff, and what % of your driving you'll realistically do on battery. Two minutes and you'll know which car is actually cheaper for your driving.
Run your own numbers — both PHEVs pre-loaded
Calculator opens with the BMW 330e and Toyota Prius Plug-In side-by-side · adjust to your miles and tariff · save your comparison free