Ask Tom........

[Parker]

........plus any other Active E owners.

As we are getting to the run up of the i3 launch I was wondering what lessons the owners of Active E have learnt (as opposed to BMW) from their ownership.

So here are a couple of questions to start the ball rolling.

<< all these questions assume the price of i3 is acceptable >>

1) Having had the Active E will you be going for a standard (just electric version) of the i3 or will you be ordering a Rex version?

2) My understanding was the Active E was only available as a lease ..... if there is a choice between lease and outright buy which would you choose?

3) Is there anything missing from the Active E that would be a deal breaker if it also wasn’t on the i3

4) ...... also any "nice to haves" that if available as an option on the i3 that you would go for.

 

[TomMoloughney]

Parker:

1) Having had the Active E will you be going for a standard (just electric version) of the i3 or will you be ordering a Rex version?

Probably the all electric i3, but I still haven't made up my mind. It depends on the price and the EPA range rating. If the official EPA rating is less than 92 miles per charge, then I believe I'll get the rage extender provided it's not too expensive.

2) My understanding was the Active E was only available as a lease ..... if there is a choice between lease and outright buy which would you choose?

There is no offer to buy the i3. It's strictly a 2 year test program and we all have to give them back. BMW conveniently timed the return of the cars with the availability of the i3. The i3 will be available to purchase or lease. I recommend leasing it because in 2 or 3 years there will be even better plug-in choices from BMW as well as other manufacturers. If you still love it, you can buy it at your lease end.

3) Is there anything missing from the Active E that would be a deal breaker if it also wasn’t on the i3.

The ActiveE is really a test car. While it has a lot of creature comforts, it's not nearly as efficient as a purpose-built EV should be. There really isn't anything I can think of. I basically know what the i3 will have so it's hard for me to answer that. I just want it to be as they claim it will: Faster, more efficient, better handling, DC quick charge and have next-generation electronics. That's all!

4) ...... also any "nice to haves" that if available as an option on the i3 that you would go for.

I'd like adaptive cruise control with traffic assist. A REALLY efficient heat pump and hopefully the thermal management system will not only work well, but not use too much energy. I would also like an optional heated steering wheel and possibly heads up display.

 

[Parker]

Tom thanks for the reply really appreciate it.

I recommend leasing it because in 2 or 3 years there will be even better plug-in choices from BMW as well as other manufacturers. If you still love it, you can buy it at your lease end.

I seem to remember someone at an Amsterdam event being told the range of the i3 would double in the next couple of years ... I thought at the time that was a rather daft "marketing" ploy. I suppose it doesn't make sense to own something that will be so comprehensively upgraded in 2 years time... its just as a private person I've never leased a car before.

I'd like adaptive cruise control with traffic assist. A REALLY efficient heat pump and hopefully the thermal management system will not only work well, but not use too much energy. I would also like an optional heated steering wheel and possibly heads up display.

Adaptive cruise control with traffic assist = even Golf’s have this so it should be an option
Heated steering wheel = Have it on my current car thought it would be a waste of money ... now I wouldn't buy a car without it!
and possibly heads up display = a space age car needs a HUD

 

[TomMoloughney]

"I seem to remember someone at an Amsterdam event being told the range of the i3 would double in the next couple of years"

You should have asked him where he got his crystal ball, I would like one also. Fact is, we can't really make bold assumptions like that. Yes, there is promising new technology out there but until it's out there and commercially available then it's just 'promising'. Battery tech does continue to improve, but at a much slower rate than that. It seems we have reliably getting 7-8% better/cheaper cells every year though, so I use that as my reference and just hope for a huge single advancement that takes a giant leap forward.

 

[Parker]

Yes, there is promising new technology out there but until it's out there and commercially available then it's just 'promising'. Battery tech does continue to improve, but at a much slower rate than that. It seems we have reliably getting 7-8% better/cheaper cells every year though, so I use that as my reference and just hope for a huge single advancement that takes a giant leap forward.

Maybe this is what the BMW guy was alluding to.....

Good news is its a BMW JV. So maybe a 3 or 4 year lease does look a lot more sense now. Wonder if they will be able to retro fit these to 2013, 2014 & 2015 cars?

"..........Additionally, this new lithium-ion battery also has a power density of 1,100 Watts per kilogram, which is around three times that of most modern lithium-ion batteries."

http://www.leftlanenews.com/german-...ion-ev-batteries-that-last-over-25-years.html

 

[Parker]

Tom ....... is the ActiveE's top speed restricted? If so to what?

Thanks.

 

[TomMoloughney]

Tom ....... is the ActiveE's top speed restricted? If so to what?

Thanks.

Yes, It is supposed to be limited to 90mph, but mine seems to go up to 93-94 before the limiter holds it back.

 

[gaz26]

Tom. Do you think Rex version is running behind schedule and will be delayed in Europe? Strange no price announced.

 

[TomMoloughney]

Tom. Do you think Rex version is running behind schedule and will be delayed in Europe? Strange no price announced.

I have no reason to believe that. As early as a year ago I read that the range extender may not be available at the initial European launch but that it will be available for the US launch a few months later.

 

[Zwerius]

I had an official newsletter from BMW (Netherlands), stating that the price for the REX-version will be € 39,990.-

 

[gaz26]

I had an official newsletter from BMW (Netherlands), stating that the price for the REX-version will be € 39,990.-

How much more than the electric is that?? Does it mention if Rex available from November ??

 

[BeepEe]

Rex. Price mentioned dutch press release, model without: 35,500 model with rex: 39,990

+ 4,490 euro !
https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/pressclu ... node__2201

 

[Parker]

Tom ....... is the ActiveE's top speed restricted? If so to what?

Thanks.

Yes, It is supposed to be limited to 90mph, but mine seems to go up to 93-94 before the limiter holds it back.

Thanks for that, what sort of average range do you currently get (I forget what total mileage your car has done) and what effect does high speed cruising have on the range - i.e. a constant 80+ mph? (or the fastest you've gone over a prolonged time)

 

[ChrisC]

Tom has written about this many times in his ActiveE blog, most recently in June.

http://activeemobility.blogspot.com/2013/06/when-94-no-longer-means-94.html

 

[Parker]

Thanks ChrisC for the answer to the first part of the question but it was really the 2nd bit I was interested in (the first part was to put the 2nd part into context) I appreciate its moving feast but an approximate % reduction would be helpful.




i.e. What effect does prolonged high speed cruising have on the range - i.e. a constant 80+ mph? (or the fastest you've gone over a prolonged time)

 

[TomMoloughney]

Thanks ChrisC for the answer to the first part of the question but it was really the 2nd bit I was interested in (the first part was to put the 2nd part into context) I appreciate its moving feast but an approximate % reduction would be helpful.




i.e. What effect does prolonged high speed cruising have on the range - i.e. a constant 80+ mph? (or the fastest you've gone over a prolonged time)

Prolonged high speed driving will cut drastically into the range. I haven't done specific tests on this but I believe I would lose nearly 30% of my range if I drove 80+mph as opposed to 55mph. With EV's speed kills (range) for sure.

 

[Parker]

Thanks for that Tom very useful to know.

My current pattern is 90% of the time under 100 miles a day (no set commute - just a patch I cover) but once a month a journey 180 -190 miles - of which 99% is motorway. Luckily there are 2 BMW i dealers about halfway on this journey - so I was wanting to work out how much if any Rex would be needed to get to these dealers - bearing in mind I would probably be traveling with the motorway traffic at about 80mph

 

[surfingslovak]

Here are the results of my range tests with the ActiveE, which shows you the range at different speeds. The longest I went on a single charge was 125 miles. The EPA rating for the ActiveE is 94 miles, which reflects the results of a blended driving mode. The chart below shows the range of a new car going at a steady speed on flat terrain in 60F weather and and with no wind or rain. Note that these are actual miles driven, and not a guess-o-meter readout. Although it's not a Model S, I absolutely love its cornering capability, it's a blast to drive. I expect the i3 to be even more fun.

Click to open

 

[TomMoloughney]

Here are the results of my range tests with the ActiveE, which shows you the range at different speeds. The longest I went on a single charge was 125 miles. The EPA rating for the ActiveE is 94 miles, which reflects the results of a blended driving mode. The chart below shows the range of a new car going at a steady speed on flat terrain in 60F weather and and with no wind or rain. Note that these are actual miles driven, and not a guess-o-meter readout. Although it's not a Model S, I absolutely love its cornering capability, it's a blast to drive. I expect the i3 to be even more fun.

Click to open

Thanks surfingslovak! So my rough estimate was pretty accurate!

BTW, here are my thoughts on the i3 in relation to this topic. I think the i3 is going to be the most efficient EV on the market, and by a good margin. However it will shine in lower speed driving much more than in higher speed driving. The i3 is very light and will have very low rolling resistance with those skinny tires. These are very important factors in lower (55 and under) speeds. However as you drive faster, the i3 will take a greater hit in range than say the ActiveE did because at higher speeds aerodynamics play a bigger role than weight and rolling resistance. The i3 kinda tall and boxy and the drag coefficient will likely not be outstanding. Low speed driving 35 to 40 mph or so you'll be able to beat the EPA range rating(whatever it is) by at least 30%, but driving at 75-85mph you'll probably be 20-25% less then the EPA rating.

 

[Parker]

I'm sure I read somewhere the i3 has a drag coefficient of 0.28 ....I'm not sure if they said it was the lowest cd of a production BMW ... so lower than the ActiveE possibly.