i3 s regenerative breaking

[vrpirata]

Hi All. Greetings!, my first post in this forum.

I just got a 2018 i3 s. I had seen a lot of reviews, so I assumed I knew what to expect.
I was under the impression the i3 had very strong regenerative breaking, and I saw a lot of people complaining about it. However, for the 2018 i3 s, I believe they change it, because it is way too soft. When I let go the accelerator, the i3 s breaking is almost like coasting, even in eco pro mode.

I have been driving my i3 s for a while as my primary vehicle, and the regen breaking is so soft that I can't seem to properly predict how far it will go before stopping. It also seems like non-linear deceleration.
I also drive a Bolt EV, which has 2 modes of regen breaking (with the paddle behind steering wheel). The regular regen breaking is so easy to get used to and easy to predict how far it will go. Also, not too soft, not too aggressive.

I checked the menus in the i3 s trying to figure out if there was a way to adjust the regen breaking. No luck.
I know this may seem like a minor issue, but it as been frustrating as I just see myself using the break pedal much more often that I should for proper 1 pedal driving. When I was driving the Bolt EV, I could go days without touching the break pedal. Now with the i3 s, I just can't go one single trip without using the break pedal at lease a few times.

I'm familiar with coding, is it possible to change this thru coding? Am I the only one with this frustration? Maybe I'm too picky :?

Other than that, I loved i3 s

 

[jadnashuanh]

I've not driven an i3s, so do not know if they've adjusted the regen rate. NOte, though, that there is a momentary pause before the regen starts. FWIW, when the i3 was originally introduced in the US, it had higher regen. I didn't have any problems with that, but enough people complained such that a later firmware update changed it...someone said the values went from 27 to 23...now, I don't know what scale that's on or the available range. So, it is able to be adjusted, but I'm not sure it can be through the level of coding available to owners. I don't remember it being in the BImmerCode app's listings, but it might be. FWIW, I usually don't need to use my brake pedal, and find that fairly intuitive. It definitely isn't in the normal i-drive menu.

 

[alohart]

I have been driving my i3 s for a while as my primary vehicle, and the regen breaking is so soft that I can't seem to properly predict how far it will go before stopping. It also seems like non-linear deceleration.

Your description of i3S regenerative braking certainly isn't what I experience with our 2014 i3 with July, 2016, system software. When our i3's system software is updated in November to change the behavior of the driver's airbag, I hope that its regenerative braking power doesn't change to that which you describe. I need to use friction brakes only during emergency braking due to the strong regenerative braking of our i3 and, like you, I wouldn't enjoy weaker regenerative braking.

I'm familiar with coding, is it possible to change this thru coding?

I have never seen or heard described the ability to change regenerative braking power via coding.

 

[EVMan]

Since i have both a 16 and 17 , with 33KWH battery , i feel the 17 drives softer , but also has less regen.
Of course the 17 is heavier , but there may or may not be a regen configuration change as well

It would be so nice to increase regen in the 17 via codeing.
There should be a way , but is it user configurable via codeing , that would be the question ?

 

[i3Houston]

Can it have anything to do with the extra weight?

 

[jadnashuanh]

Can it have anything to do with the extra weight?

Good point...the i3s is heavier than the i3, and the REx is heavier still. If the regen value in the firmware is the same, the higher weight resulting in more kinetic energy would mean the car wouldn't slow down as fast. The larger, heavier wheels could make a difference all by themselves.

It would be interesting to do a side-by-side comparison where two different i3 vehicles would drive and then let off on the pedal at the same time and see which one stopped faster.

 

[xanie]

I own a 2014 i3 REx and I had a 2017 i3 REx as a loaner. The first thing I noticed was how much softer the regen was on the 2017, and had to readjust my driving characteristics for 1 pedal driving. The regen was definitely stronger in the 2014.

I haven't had my driving characteristics changed through any firmware updates to my vehicle.

 

[i3Houston]

I thought it would be weight but looks like there is not a huge difference.

2017 BMW i3/Curb weight - 2,799 to 3,234 lbs

2014 BMW i3/Curb weight - 2,799 to 3,064 lbs

Potentially BMW reduced it for some reason. :roll:

 

[alohart]

I thought it would be weight but looks like there is not a huge difference.

2017 BMW i3/Curb weight - 2,799 to 3,234 lbs

2014 BMW i3/Curb weight - 2,799 to 3,064 lbs

Finding accurate i3 curb weight info and understanding what is included in the curb weight has been difficult. The BMW USA Website listed the "unladen DIN weight" of the 2014 BEV as 2,634 lb. Many quoted i3 weights are based on the EU standard that includes a 75 kg (165 lb) driver which would make a 2014 BEV weigh the 2,799 lb that you quoted as shown in these specs:

Most sources that I have read indicate that 94 Ah versions starting in 2017 are somewhat heavier than earlier models due mostly to a heavier battery pack (~50 kg/110 lb?).

 

[Bluei3s]

So take this with a grain of salt because I have no prior EV experience, however I have a 2018 i3s as well and mine doesn't feel unpredictable. If I take my foot off going 60mph it'll continue to go, but I have had no problems predicting where it'll stop. I live on a 55mph road with lots of lights and still use the single pedal and it's very consistent across all the modes.

You mentioned that Regen isn't strong even in eco-pro+, I will say that I haven't noticed any difference at all across the driving modes. I haven't used + very often, but do use sport, comfort, and eco pro on a very regular basis and it feels exactly the same to me across modes.

Again, with no i3s experience it's hard for me to say how it should feel, however I've driven the 2018 i3 and i3s (had a 3 day test drive with i3 so I got used to that) and they feel about the same to me, and they have both been very consistent/predictable.

 

[alohart]

You mentioned that Regen isn't strong even in eco-pro+, I will say that I haven't noticed any difference at all across the driving modes.

I haven't noticed that driving mode makes any difference in regen power in our 2014 BEV, so my observation agrees with yours.

 

[EVMan]

I thought it would be weight but looks like there is not a huge difference.

2017 BMW i3/Curb weight - 2,799 to 3,234 lbs

2014 BMW i3/Curb weight - 2,799 to 3,064 lbs

Potentially BMW reduced it for some reason. :roll:

Yes, they likely reduced, and not bothered to provide the stetting in the menu. Hopefully coding should fix this issue

 

[frictioncircle]

I have a 2014 BEV (April 2014 production) and couldn't believe BMW's curb weight claims were real.

In frustration, I took my i3 to a local truck scale. With zero persons in the car – and perhaps 40 lbs. (max) of detritus in the car, I got an empty weight of 2,880 lbs. (1306 kg).

 

[alohart]

In frustration, I took my i3 to a local truck scale. With zero persons in the car – and perhaps 40 lbs. (max) of detritus in the car, I got an empty weight of 2,880 lbs. (1306 kg).

I should do the same with our August, 2014, BEV.

The listed curb weight is likely for the lightest version with no options (i.e., the lightest 19" pizza slice wheels, 5" rear wheels with 155 mm tires, no DCFC, only 3.7 kW AC charging, no heat pump, no burglar alarm, base entertainment system, no Comfort Access, base cloth interior, no rear camera, no front ultrasound parking sensors, etc.). All U.S. BEV's were delivered with 7.4 kW AC charging (i.e., with a KLE module that's missing in the 3.7 kW AC charging version), a heat pump, and a burglar alarm, so no U.S. BEV is likely as light as 2,634 lb.

 

[bwilson4web]

My regenerative braking is breaking every time I shift into "N".

Bob Wilson

 

[Ash347]

Hi all - I just bought a 2018 i3s. I drove it home from pick up and the regen breaking worked fine and was predictable. I’d say possibly a little harsher in response that felt comfortable but I’d have got used to it for sure.

Then I get in the car for my next journey after registering it online. Regenerative breaking has all but disappeared! Yes it’s smoother - but I have to use the breaks all the time now. It’s clearly some form of firmware update.

Very frustrating. I LOVE this car but I want to control the level of regenerative breaking according to my own needs please BMW!

Any tips on what to do to get my regen breaking back gratefully received!

Cheers all

Ashley

 

[alohart]

Then I get in the car for my next journey after registering it online. Regenerative breaking has all but disappeared! Yes it’s smoother - but I have to use the breaks all the time now. It’s clearly some form of firmware update.

Almost certain that a software update was not applied because BMW has not been updating an i3's system software wirelessly. However, you could check the current system software version by saving your driver profiles to a USB drive using an iDrive command, inserting this USB drive into a computer, opening a profile file ("mpd" file extension) in a text editor, and noting the value of the "<i-step>" tag. For our i3:

<i-step>I001-18-11-520</i-step>

The version year is indicated by the second field with the month, the third field (November, 2018 for our i3). If the software version on your i3 is late 2019, a wireless update might have occurred.

More likely would be a low battery pack temperature which results in limited regenerative power until the pack temperature rises.

 

[Borgeje]

Hi

I just bought a 2015 i3 with Rex and received it last Tuesday (28-jan). Regen breaks were working great and predictable. Since Saturday they are varying a lot while decelerating the car, and what tells me it’s not “normal” versus the first days I had it it’s that the regen breaks until a certain point and the car doesn’t fully stop - I understand the normal breaks should be applied at that point. So basically I need now to pay attention to avoid slowly hitting the driver ahead of me even.
I believe there is no “wireless” software update but it almost feels like that. Anybody else with similar situation or with recommendations?

Thanks

 

[Arm]

2019 i3S owner with ReX.

No issues with regen...it's quite aggressive and very predictable for me. But then again, I've been driving EVs now for over 5 years....2014 Spark EV, 2017 Volt, 2017 i3, and now a 2019 i3s.

Now I can't drive a regular car normally...using brakes is really annoying.

 

[Arm]

Then I get in the car for my next journey after registering it online. Regenerative breaking has all but disappeared! Yes it’s smoother - but I have to use the breaks all the time now. It’s clearly some form of firmware update.

Almost certain that a software update was not applied because BMW has not been updating an i3's system software wirelessly. However, you could check the current system software version by saving your driver profiles to a USB drive using an iDrive command, inserting this USB drive into a computer, opening a profile file ("mpd" file extension) in a text editor, and noting the value of the "<i-step>" tag. For our i3:

<i-step>I001-18-11-520</i-step>

The version year is indicated by the second field with the month, the third field (November, 2018 for our i3). If the software version on your i3 is late 2019, a wireless update might have occurred.

More likely would be a low battery pack temperature which results in limited regenerative power until the pack temperature rises.

I thought over the air updates are now included? Seems to be with my vehicle.

Also, yes if your car is fully charged and you start downhill initially like I do from my home, regen is very light and it's all brakes when applying the brake pedal.