DIY HV Battery upgrade

[gt1]

Nissan could have said anything, people in Ukraine are trying anyways, that's just how things work here. And they've been successful in upgrading from 24 to 30 kW . BTW, these guys even tried going from 24 kWh to 40 kWh, but failed - the car drove only in turtle mode.

They swapped the complete batteries. The i3 battery is serviceable, the cells alone can be replaced. The BPCM should be able to handle them. The range estimates could be wrong, which is a small price to pay. The main problem is the cost. The replacement itself is not DIY friendly, who has the lifts for both the vehicle and the battery. And many mechanically inclined guys wouldn't want to touch a high voltage system that can't be fully powered down.
BTW, we know very little about the battery inner workings. I was able to download an incredible amount of information from BCPM in my Chrysler Pacifica PHEV, almost 2000 lines. Take a look if you're curious: https://pastebin.com/sxQ6GFKS Germans love data and numbers, our cars could probably dump just as much info if we had the tools.

 

[Joff]

Yeah, having the car underestimate your range is no deal breaker. My stock 2014 never believes I can get the range I do anyway. Even after arriving at my destination with 60% charge, it says I can't make it back home without a charger...(come on, I just showed you I can do it this!) The lift issue just takes a bit of ingenuity. The battery cost issue just requires a good deal. I've seen 5k$ for 94ah pack. $9k is more commonly asked for but doesn't seem like they are selling for that. There will be more of them available in the future, including 120ah packs.

 

[marcboorman]

I did a trawl through the posts on the German upgrade from 60Ah to 120Ah and he actually said last week that after selling the old battery the upgrade cost him 5K Euro... That is a pretty good price if you ask me.

I just can't wait (fingers crossed) until there are some after market options.

 

[i3Houston]

I did a trawl through the posts on the German upgrade from 60Ah to 120Ah and he actually said last week that after selling the old battery the upgrade cost him 5K Euro... That is a pretty good price if you ask me.

I just can't wait (fingers crossed) until there are some after market options.

I am looking forward to times when anyone could upgrade the battery packs with optimism. For many of us then, i3 would the the first and last EV we ever bought!

 

[ronbot]

I am looking forward to times when anyone could upgrade the battery packs with optimism. For many of us then, i3 would the the first and last EV we ever bought!

Very old thread, but I've recently read that the first Gen i3 already have the codes in the computers for the 94Ah battery... and that it's a simple "retrofit" matter... like enabling (retrofitting) the 10" screen in a car equipped with the small screen.

I bought a 94Ah battery from a salvage i3 that had no airbags deployed, slight rear-end hit, hatch all busted, plastic torn up... 57k miles. I'm going to give it a try... hopefully before Summer.

 

[Archmeister]

Very old thread, but I've recently read that the first Gen i3 already have the codes in the computers for the 94Ah battery... and that it's a simple "retrofit" matter... like enabling (retrofitting) the 10" screen in a car equipped with the small screen.

I bought a 94Ah battery from a salvage i3 that had no airbags deployed, slight rear-end hit, hatch all busted, plastic torn up... 57k miles. I'm going to give it a try... hopefully before Summer.

Awesome! Keep us posted!!
Good luck!

 

[Sonnenjunky]

Tthat Guy is very close to my Location and has very good Reputations.
Just have a look:
https://www.i3upgrade.cz/en/
But it´s not possible by do it yourself

 

[peterb]

Changing the battery is possible, but it is non-trivial. You need to have the BMW software on a PC with data cable. More importantly, you need to empty and refill the cooling system around the battery and for that you need special equipment. If you would be in Europe, I'd recommend you to take a trip to the Chech republic: i3upgrade (this person has performed the operation many times).

 

[peterb]

Ahm Sonnenjunky said exactly the same thing. I am a happy customer of i3upgrade

 

[havrla]

is easy www.i3upgrade.cz

 

[Marscar]

is easy www.i3upgrade.cz

Just curious, (and too lazy to read through all threads!) Will an upgrade from a 94 REX to a 120 REX be any more complicated than the other upgrades that you have been doing?
We have a 2018 94 REX showing no sign of battery degradation at nearly 60,000 miles, so this is not urgent, but I'd like to consider our options for when the 94 pack becomes too inefficient to drive with ... (at which point we may use it for household solar)
Also, the REX would remain useful to us to make the overall range better for touring ...

Thanks!

 

[Clanduncan]

That would be my thought also, once my battery warranty is expired.