Battery upgrade

[hichammouline]

Hello,
Visiting here this controversial topic of owning a older model and hoping to upgrade the battery alone.

We own a 2015 March i3 model. I don't know what the Amp is but I think it's 42.
Specifically in England, was there any way to upgrade to the later longer range batteries for a lower cost than buying a newer model car?

Rds,

 

[alohart]

We own a 2015 March i3 model. I don't know what the Amp is but I think it's 42.

That would be a 60 Ah battery pack with 94 Ah and 120 Ah battery packs available in 2017 and 2019 i3's, respectively.

Specifically in England, was there any way to upgrade to the later longer range batteries for a lower cost than buying a newer model car?

Don't know about England, but Havrla in the Czech Republic offers this service.

 

[gt6k]

Simple answer no. The cost of the battery upgrade is much more than the price difference between smaller and larger battery cars.

 

[hichammouline]

Thank you.
Are you particularly talking about England?
Would there be somewhere to exchange our 2015 model with say the 2019 model?

 

[frictioncircle]

We own a 2015 March i3 model. I don't know what the Amp is but I think it's 42.

That would be a 60 Ah battery pack with 94 Ah and 120 Ah battery packs available in 2017 and 2019 i3's, respectively.

Specifically in England, was there any way to upgrade to the later longer range batteries for a lower cost than buying a newer model car?

Don't know about England, but Havrla in the Czech Republic offers this service.

BMW did a disservice by quoting its batteries in Ah (amp-hours) versus kWh (kilowatt-hours).

The OP says they have a "42" battery.

A 2014 i3 BEV shipped with a 22 kWh (gross) battery – BMW called this a 60 Ah battery,

A 2021 i3s BEV shipped with a 42 kWh (gross) battery – BMW called this a 120 Ah battery.

 

[Phil0110]

It is technically possible to upgrade the battery in a 2015 BMW i3 to a newer, longer-range battery, but it is not a simple or cheap process. The i3's battery is integrated into the vehicle's structure, so replacing it requires extensive work, including disassembling the car, replacing the battery, and reassembling the car. Additionally, upgrading the battery would likely require software updates to the car's systems to ensure compatibility and optimal performance.

In some cases, BMW may offer battery upgrades for older i3 models, but this is typically only available for specific markets and is subject to availability. It's also worth noting that the cost of upgrading the battery is likely to be high, and may approach the cost of purchasing a new or used i3 with a newer battery already installed.

As for the specific case of England, the availability and cost of battery upgrades for older i3 models may vary depending on local regulations and market conditions. It may be worth contacting a BMW dealership or independent mechanic that specializes in electric vehicles to inquire about the feasibility and cost of upgrading the battery in your i3.

 

[ronbot]

I have the 2015 BEV Tera with heated seats, and have a 94Ah battery pack sitting in my garage, waiting to be installed. Battery is from a 2017 Rex with heated seats. Donor had been in a relatively mild rear-end accident, no airbags deployed.

I've read that the 60Ah cars have the necessary coding to recognize the 94Ah battery, and that it's not hard to get it to work properly. There were "several" 60Ah i3's upgrade to 94Ah by BMW as a test, but the process was decided to be non-authorized by US BMW dealerships.

I plan on upgrading the aircon compressor as well, even though mine is running nice and quiet... "preventative maintenance", sts.

So I'm ready to take the jump, but finding the e-Sys (or?) steps has been impossible... which makes me wonder if it truly is a plug&play ordeal... as I've been told by someone in the UK.

Anyone?