Bait and Switch? Range reduced by over 1/3

[MidwestUSAowner]

It is hard not to think BMW has engaged in a Bait and Switch scheme.

What have they done?
Well, when I bought my BMW i3 in June of 2014 I thought it was a great car. They estimated the range would be 70 - 120 miles on the battery and an additional 60 -80 via the REX.
During my first 3000 miles driving the car I was averaging 92 miles per charge. My commute to and from work each day is 82 miles. And since summer is hot I would need to use the air conditioning about 1/2 of the trip.

Then the switch began.
The "Genius" team (I use this term not because it is correct , but because BMW uses it) called me and stated that some soft wear enhancement were needed to fix an air conditioning issue and improve charging efficiency. After this "upgrade" in August of 2014 my car began averaging only 75 miles per charge. The "upgrade" reduced my range by 18.5%.

Then the switch happened again.
So now I needed to use gas for the last 5 miles of my commute. Annoying, yes, but a deal breaker, not really. Until it stared getting cold.
Once winter came and the temperature dropped to 30 degrees the range reduced to 60 miles on the battery and 30 on the REX. Now I needed to fill up the gas tank each day. But the real fear. What would happen when it got real cold, zero or below?

And Again.....Increased reduction due to the cold.
When the temperature reduced to zero I started getting 45 miles per charge and 20 on the REX. Not enough to make it to work and back. So, my employers gratuitously allowed me to plus in my car each day at work. The trickle charger BMW provided(that failed the 4th time I used it) recharges the vehicle just enough in 11 hours of work for me to make it home on electricity.

Why would BMW do such a thing?
My best guess is that BMW put some form of software inhibitor in place to preserve battery life. Since they stated they would replace batteries for cars not working within specifications and the numbers showed many of these cars would require battery replacement, they changed the rules and changed the range expectations to a much more conservative number.

Just to be fair, I am not a complainer.
I truly love driving the car. It has great handling , great acceleration, top of the line navigation, a superior on board electronics system, terrific intuitive speed control, great visibility, super clear backup camera, neat warning systems, and a cool automatic parking system. In fact, with the exception of the range and poor handle ling in snow I love this car.
Unfortunately the range issue is not a minor concern but a major one for owners.

Bait and Switch
I think this is a Bait and Switch because the original estimates on range were 70-120, not 40- 80. It would be like buying a car that advertises 30 MPG and only getting 18 MPG.
The worst thing is that BMW keeps lying about it. I should not be surprised that a car company would lie to me. It is not the lie but how BIG the lie is that angers me.

Will they try to make it right?
According to their own service teams ( I spoke to 2 separate dealers) BMW does this often, but in some cases fixes the issue without admitting they lied and misrepresented. In addition they do not apologize with they do not admit their mistake.
What other group makes promises that they do not intend to keep and lie about it.
Congratulations BMW you have what it takes to be Congressmen.

Unfortunately legal action will be needed to make the company ad hear to their promises.
I am not a lawyer but would gladly join a class action suit.
Anyone else experience this?
I doubt I am alone?

 

[jadnashuanh]

All battery powered vehicles (and ICE, too) get worse mileage when the temperature drops. Read some of the other threads here - you are not alone. The use of a/c verses opening the windows is actually MORE efficient when over 30mph, so you can't blame that. The newer software changed the predictions (and that's what they are, not an absolute thing - neither is the range to empty on an ICE) and was made to try to make it more accurate. The prediction takes into account the last 18-miles of your driving, and if your mode of operation changes significantly (say all city verses all highway), it will be wrong.

The actual range does vary based on temperature. On the REx, in really cold weather, you take a bigger hit because it is using resistance heating (think toaster) for cabin heating. The BEV uses a (standard in the USA) heat pump, which isn't impacted by the cold as much.

BMW's range predictions vary and are within the range you are seeing.

This learning curve of both consumers and sellers of EVs will make this obvious and common knowledge after awhile, but it can be disconcerting to a newcomer to an EV. IOW, it's a fact of life with the battery tech we have.

You can improve range by preconditioning prior to leaving while still on the EVSE, minimizing cabin heat in lieu of the seat heaters (assuming you have that option, will be 'standard' in 2015), switching to EcoPro mode, lowering your highway speed maybe 5-mph or more - high speeds and cold weather really suck power a lot more than in the summer. Make sure that your tire pressures are set properly...they drop about 1#/10-degrees, and when lower, have a lot more drag which affects mileage. Clean all of the snow off, that creates turbulence, and thus drag.

 

[WoodlandHills]

I wonder what software version you are running, I don't know the procedure offhand, but it has been posted here and is something that can be checked. I wonder if, as you say, the problems with reduced range in the cold are due as much to software changes as to battery chemistry. It would be interesting to see if any of the others posting here about range issues have the same version and even more interesting if those w/o range troubles don't....

IMHO, this is all part and parcel of the terrible job that BMW have been doing in communicating with and educating their customers about the realities of EV ownership. This would include the dramatic range reductions in the winter and the power collapse that is possible when the SOC drops to zero while running the REx. These are the inescapable facts of life when owning an EV/REx and to gloss over them is to do a major disservice to their customers.

It cannot be good for a fledgling brand like this to have so many early adopters so surprised and so disappointed by such predictable issues. BMW knew all about this and failed to find a way to inform buyers in a manner that they controlled, now the cat is out of the bag and people as speaking directly to other owners about their dissatisfaction. I doubt very much that this is the public conversation that BMW wanted us to be having at this point in the life of the i3.....

 

[jadnashuanh]

This would include the dramatic range reductions in the winter and the power collapse that is possible when the SOC drops to zero while running the REx.

The collapse, as you call it, is much more graceful than running out of fuel with an ICE! At least you CAN keep going to a safe place to stop, even if that is the side of the road.

 

[MidwestUSAowner]

My replies
All battery powered vehicles (and ICE, too) get worse mileage when the temperature drops.

Reply. This is correct but I was informed it would be up to 20 percent. This is 50 percent, supporting my Bait and Switch.

The prediction takes into account the last 18-miles of your driving, and if your mode of operation changes significantly (say all city verses all highway), it will be wrong.

Reply. I use this car as a commuter car. Each day it is run in similar situations. For the 1st 3000 miles it was consistently getting me around 90 miles per charge, them the REX would kick in. One day after the soft wear upgrade the range dropped belie 80 miles and was consistently 75-80 for 2000 miles. Then the cold hit us and the drop was huge.

BMW's range predictions vary and are within the range you are seeing.
Reply - 40 miles per charge is below their range. The range when I bought it was 70 - 120 miles. I have never gone over 100 but consistently have gone 45 in

You can improve range by preconditioning prior to leaving while still on the EVSE, minimizing cabin heat in lieu of the seat heaters (assuming you have that option, will be 'standard' in 2015), switching to EcoPro mode, lowering your highway speed maybe 5-mph or more - high speeds and cold weather really suck power a lot more than in the summer. Make sure that your tire pressures are set properly...they drop about 1#/10-degrees, and when lower, have a lot more drag which affects mileage.

Reply - I have always preconditioned. Tried the seat warmers, unfortunately in winter you need to run the heat or defroster of the windows fog up in less than 5 minutes. I can't use heat/defrost in Eco pro mode. Tire pressure? Really? How long have you worked for BMW?

 

[I33t]

Cool. Let us know how your court case goes. :mrgreen:

 

[jadnashuanh]

Have you actually run the car to where it started to warn you of impending depeletion of SOC? The prediction is just that, the battery bar indication (or the SOC if your vehicle can access that) is what shows the real remaining power available. The range to empty on my ICE is misleading, too, but I'm not about to sue the manufacturer for it. The car can display your average mile/Kw, and that along with the remaining SOC can tell you fairly accurately how far you can go. Not all ICE have a range to empty, and you only have the fuel gauge to monitor...adding the approximate range to empty of the batteries is a rough idea, it's not an exact science since the car has no way to know how you'll use it in the future, but is making GUESSES, based on how you've done it previously...

On my ICE, the EPA mileage is listed as 17 city/28 highway, and 23 average. LOts of cold starts, idling in traffic, it can get less than the 17, and I've gotten over 31mpg on the highway and significantly over 500-miles on a tank. Actual results vary, person to person, day to day, and car to car. ANd, after arriving at my destination, the range prediction is typically way off as I then drive mostly shorter distances with more stop and go. Same with an i3.

 

[WoodlandHills]

This would include the dramatic range reductions in the winter and the power collapse that is possible when the SOC drops to zero while running the REx.

The collapse, as you call it, is much more graceful than running out of fuel with an ICE! At least you CAN keep going to a safe place to stop, even if that is the side of the road.

I agree, but that does not mean that BMW has no obligation to inform their customers that such a thing can happen. It is a matter of having respect for the people who buy your products.......

 

[Bunter]

Why would BMW do such a thing?
My best guess is that BMW put some form of software inhibitor in place to preserve battery life. Since they stated they would replace batteries for cars not working within specifications and the numbers showed many of these cars would require battery replacement, they changed the rules and changed the range expectations to a much more conservative number.

Hmm, but range isn't what is judged for the battery replacement is it? I thought it was the working capacity of the original which is important so the two numbers you need are the original KwH capacity (18.8) and your current battery capacity (one of the service menu items). Range doesn't come it to it. Punctured motive?

Bill

 

[HomelessDude]

Drove a Volt before my i3 and a 25-35% reduction in range in cold weather was typical. In mild weather normally got 35-38 miles on a charge but in temps near 0° Fahrenheit I was lucky to get 25 miles before the ICE turned on. The cold weather range frustrations are very real but not unique to i3's

 

[jadnashuanh]

The warranty BMW puts on the i3's batteries has only an indirect link to range...they'll replace them within the warranty period if they fail to hold at least 70% of their original capacity as read out from the diagnostic service menu in the car.

 

[mark1]

Just to be fair, I am not a complainer.

You think?? Glad you cleared that one up.

:shock:

 

[WoodlandHills]

Just to be fair, I am not a complainer.

You think?? Glad you cleared that one up.

:shock:

Give the guy a break, it is his second post and since he does not seem to be able to complete his daily commute anymore w/o re-fueling his REx he maybe has a point. Perhaps he should have done the research and become an expert on how battery chemistry is affected by cold temps or perhaps BMW should have been more forthcoming about both cold temps and their own software updates with their customers.

The one common thread in all these "complaint" threads is that the OPs are surprised by something their car does, that indicates to me that BMW has a communications problem. The i3 was thoroughly tested under all conditions by very skilled engineers and none of this is a surprise to them, why is it to us? Why didn't the salestaff know all about the power collapse when using the REx and the drastically reduced range in the winter and tell us, even if after the sale? BMW has not done very well at all informing us, their customers of anything, much less such serious usability and safety issues.

 

[jadnashuanh]

I think the issue is more in the order of people have grown up with ICE vehicles, have a general understanding of them, and expect them to operate the same as an EV...they don't. As with most anything new, it takes awhile for people to understand. Given that BMW's research showed the average person commuted in the low 30-miles per day, the i3, even with the issue of cold weather, can still do that without recharging. It's when people try to push the limits that they run into issues. With an ICE, it's an annoyance, but a quick fix, to recover by refueling. That doesn't happen with an EV, even if you can find a CCS unit...it's still not quick compared to refueling a car, and then you still can't drive anywhere near as far. People's experience with hybrids is not a direct comparison to an EV, even if it has a REx. That 34Hp engine works quite well for what it was designed for, but it will never power the i3 at full tilt when you've depleted the batteries, it's just not big enough, nor was designed for it. Same issue people have with the i8 if they take it to the track...they exhaust the battery and then are only running on the gasoline engine, but in that case, it's a much bigger one - like 8x or so.

 

[7822]

Very disappointed! Never saw more than 70m-80m when warm and 40m-45m cold. Thank god I have the REX, this battery is never going to make 8years in this tuff environment. My Iphone doesn't even last a year. lol Lucky I love the car and have a great understanding, its not a car you drive and don't pay attention to your travel and energy details. I'm hoping battery technology will be on our side and the law because this car is not going to make it. The truth is if you didn't by the REX then in the winter you will need another dam car!

 

[jadnashuanh]

Very disappointed! Never saw more than 70m-80m when warm and 40m-45m cold. Thank god I have the REX, this battery is never going to make 8years in this tuff environment. My Iphone doesn't even last a year. lol Lucky I love the car and have a great understanding, its not a car you drive and don't pay attention to your travel and energy details. I'm hoping battery technology will be on our side and the law because this car is not going to make it. The truth is if you didn't by the REX then in the winter you will need another dam car!

The EPA drives their cars sort of like your grandmother - if you drove yours like that, you should easily see the same ratings, and you're not that far off. The range you get is very dependent on how and where you drive it. Your iPhone does not have the heating/cooling and logic in it to pamper the batteries like those in the i3. IF they don't hold up, I feel confident BMW will anti up. I have no problems using the i3 as my day-to-day driver, and only get my ICE out once in awhile to ensure the gas isn't getting stale, or I do need to travel further, and I have a BEV. I never believed the REx was a great single car - it just was not designed for it, at least the way most people drive; especially Americans, we tend to not put up with limitations and will not suffer loss of comfort features. I find the i3 more than suits my needs, even in the EV only version. I never expected it to be an only vehicle, but find it's urban focus spot on. Keep in mind that drag rises almost in a cubed curve, so just a little bit faster makes a significantly bigger contribution to your energy use. 3^3=9....go up just to 4^4=16...lots more. It gets worse when the numbers are larger...speed and drag will drop your max range in ANY car, but consider, you have the equivalent of about 0.75g in your batteries and the car rates 124mpgE. Tomorrow's batteries will hold more, or be smaller/lighter, so you may get more range partly because they weigh less while using that smaller battery (or, they could put more in). You want to go further, buy something that was designed for it like a Volt or a Prius, or a Tesla. THey all are affected by cold, but start out with a lot more range available because of their larger power source.

 

[I33t]

The truth is if you didn't by the REX then in the winter you will need another dam car!

The actual truth is that your needs define whether or not any single car will efficiently supply those needs. Your wants can and often will distort your decision.

Everyone has different needs. It's not possible to truthfully make such a blanket statement.

 

[Anonymous]

I've blogged my experiences with my Smart ED through two cold Toronto winters. I can say for certain this is not a "BMW" only issue, it happens for most electric cars on the road today.

http://mysmartelectricdrive.blogspot.ca/2014/03/range-experiences.html

Briefly, I get about half the range in the winter compared to summer.
When people ask how far I can drive, I answer 60km in the winter, 120km in the summer.
While I've driven 100km in -10C by pre-heating and driving without cabin heat (the seat heaters are toasty), but that is not for everyone.

I sympathise.

 

[NormanF]

I think the issue is more in the order of people have grown up with ICE vehicles, have a general understanding of them, and expect them to operate the same as an EV...they don't. As with most anything new, it takes awhile for people to understand. Given that BMW's research showed the average person commuted in the low 30-miles per day, the i3, even with the issue of cold weather, can still do that without recharging. It's when people try to push the limits that they run into issues.

I'm a computer programmer and every once in a while we will get a support case from a client or a trainer and we determine it is a "training issue". Basically that means that there is no problem, they just are not doing something correctly. The training issue in the case of the range vs temperature is, I think, that at some point in the sales process the sales adviser or the genius needs to tell the customer that in cold weather the range will be decreased. Are they leaving this information out just to make the sale, because they don't know, or because before the adviser was working with you on the i3 they may have been selling someone an X1 or an M3. In that case some details are bound to be missed. Put another way: "Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence." But I'm a pretty laid back guy or I'd be upset I only got 6% off when I leased my REx.

That being said, I would think people living in cold climates would know that cold affects batteries since I've seen that you can get battery warmers as factory or dealer options.