My experience between 49 degree and 75 degree 90 mile trip

[DeafSoundGuy]

For what it's worth, I've been looking forward to this one trip I make about every 2 months that's 90 miles round trip. I use my i3 for almost all urban commuting so rarely need my rex. I've been very curious about what the weather would do for range hit. Although the 49 degrees is fairly above average in temperature for Portland this time of year. That being said though, my GOM has shown significant range depletion too based on the usual suspects.

So the time comes for my bi-monthly 90 mile trip, with lots of hills (but no big ones) and the usual 8 mile+ climb out of Portland. The first time at 75 degrees I ran 50%Eco pro and 50%Eco pro+. This time it was Eco Pro+ about 90% of the time, but both times I used no temperature control or seat warmers.

Even though the GOM said a 10 mile reduced range (this time), The rex kicked in within a mile of where the rex kicked in back in that lovely 75 degree weather. So in essence I really didn't have any range deterioration between 49 and 75 degrees, and got 81 miles out of the battery with no temp control. I hope to make the trip again in February so I'm sure it will be colder next time and see if I can see any difference. After the trip was over, I had to reluctantly put gas in it, for the first time... :lol:

This car is so cool...

 

[WoodlandHills]

This is one of the advantages of the REx over the BEV: only a REx driver would ever purposefully drive to depletion of the battery pack as a matter of routine. Yes, I know that the pack will never really deplete and that the REx cutin point is a variable, but this is the only way to actually verify Guess-O-Meter predictions.

 

[mindmachine]

This is one of the advantages of the REx over the BEV: only a REx driver would ever purposefully drive to depletion of the battery pack as a matter of routine. Yes, I know that the pack will never really deplete and that the REx cutin point is a variable, but this is the only way to actually verify Guess-O-Meter predictions.

rather than risk it.

I agree 110%! Not only that but on a trip like this if you can't charge the battery before returning you would probably opt for a ICE car rather than risk it. 90 miles is just a tad too far for a BEV unless charging is available along the way.

PS: This is what I have been seeing even with colder temperatures in the mid 20 deg F range. Without heating I am getting much better range then what the guess o meter says.

 

[jadnashuanh]

FWIW, the BEV's optional (in some markets) heat pump is in the order of 2-4x more efficient at heating the car up than resistance heating. The REx is not available with the heat pump, as I understand it, some of the plumbing for that occupies the area where the REx is installed. Haven't torn either apart to look, though.

 

[jelloslug]

I went 97 miles yesterday with an average temp of 39 degrees F in my BEV.

 

[websterize]

Impressive.

 

[jadnashuanh]

I went 97 miles yesterday with an average temp of 39 degrees F in my BEV.

Out of curiosity, what did your range indicator say in the process? IOW, how much did it say at the beginning, and how did it track things as you drove?

Mine does not have the new KLE and software update (not sure if there aren't others in the pipeline), but BMW has said they are reworking the range indicator logic to be more accurate. In the interim, I guess the implication is that it is not accurate in as many situations as they'd like.

I look at it this way...my ICE also has a display of range to empty, and it can also be way off if my driving manner changes (say driving all in stop and go, then get on the highway, or vice-versa). The i3's is similar, it may not represent your current situation very well. IOW, that calculation has nothing to do with the current situation, only representing prior history. THus, only valid if the rest of the trip is the same as what it was for the basis of the current prediction.

 

[jelloslug]

I went 97 miles yesterday with an average temp of 39 degrees F in my BEV.

Out of curiosity, what did your range indicator say in the process? IOW, how much did it say at the beginning, and how did it track things as you drove?

Mine does not have the new KLE and software update (not sure if there aren't others in the pipeline), but BMW has said they are reworking the range indicator logic to be more accurate. In the interim, I guess the implication is that it is not accurate in as many situations as they'd like.

I look at it this way...my ICE also has a display of range to empty, and it can also be way off if my driving manner changes (say driving all in stop and go, then get on the highway, or vice-versa). The i3's is similar, it may not represent your current situation very well. IOW, that calculation has nothing to do with the current situation, only representing prior history. THus, only valid if the rest of the trip is the same as what it was for the basis of the current prediction.

To start out it said 73 miles in eco pro +. After I put my destination (78 miles away) the range jumped up to 85 miles in eco pro +. After I reached my first destination I had 17 miles left and when I reached my second destination (7 miles away) the GoM was down to 10 miles. I then drove around a bit just to run the battery down and see how far I could go. It seems that the closer the car go to completely depleted the more accurate the GoM became.

 

[jadnashuanh]

It sounds like when the car has a route, and can therefore know the terrain, it is much more accurate. Good to know info. Otherwise, it is stuck with prior history only, without the foreknowledge of what is to come. Course, depending on your driving style on that leg, it could still be off.

 

[jelloslug]

It sounds like when the car has a route, and can therefore know the terrain, it is much more accurate. Good to know info. Otherwise, it is stuck with prior history only, without the foreknowledge of what is to come. Course, depending on your driving style on that leg, it could still be off.

Yep, I found that out a few weeks ago when I decided to become a bit more brave with the range. If you want to see it in action just charge your i3 up all the way, set it in ecopro + and then put a destination in that is about 75 miles away. After it calculates the route the range on the GoM will jump up 10 to 15 miles.

 

[jelloslug]

What happens if you calculate a route that puts you on a highway the whole trip like 95s (70mph) does it drop the range?

what happens if you program a route of 115 miles (beyond the range )

I had had both situations. I had a route planned that was just inside the range of the car but bad luck with red lights ate some of my range. As I proceeded the little checkered flag icon on the navigation changed to yellow (range is low) and then finally red (insufficient range). At that point you can look for charging stations on the way. If you program a route that is outside of your range it will give you the insufficient range error right off the bat and suggest that you find a charging station during the trip. In either situation the car will let you plan or continue on the route regardless if you can actually make it or not. This was all done on the Professional navigation system, I don't know if it is any different on the Business navigation system.

 

[2349]

I sure would love to get 90 miles, heck I'd settle for 70! In my BEV when the temp. was between 60 and 85 in ecopro+ I was averaging 69 total miles. Today I got 74 in mostly ecopro at freeway speeds and 50 degrees. That's the best since i got the car 6 months ago!

 

[MikeS]

I sure would love to get 90 miles, heck I'd settle for 70! In my BEV when the temp. was between 60 and 85 in ecopro+ I was averaging 69 total miles. Today I got 74 in mostly ecopro at freeway speeds and 50 degrees. That's the best since i got the car 6 months ago!

As I have stated on another thread - there seems to be a great disparity between what some drivers appear to get. In UK over the last week in temp between 0 and 7 deg C I’ve been lucky to get 60 miles range no matter whether I use comfort/eco pro or eco pro +. The only thing that makes any real difference is to switch the heating off when I could get the indicated range to increase to 70-75. Seems a pity thatI should need to use a car without heating to get anything like the indicated range. The heating in my car seems to make a significant difference especially for very short journeys. In fact when I was experimenting to see the effect I tried to turn the heating down but discovered that the lowest setting was 16 deg C! Given th outside temp was around 0 I would have been happy to have 12 to 14 in the car to get a compromise between heat and consumption.

 

[Idleup]

Hey guys a lot has to do with where the car is stored prior to the trip in cold weather you'll travel further coming out of a heated garage. As you use the battery's the create there own warming if you started off at a good temperature.

 

[jadnashuanh]

Another big thing is whether or not you have a heat pump verses having to use resistive heating elements, where a heat pump is in the order of 2-4x more efficient getting heat into the vehicle. In the USA, it's standard on the BEV, not available on the REx (anywhere), but the heat pump is, I think, optional in other markets. Having it does make a difference.

Maybe, people should indicate exactly whether they have one or not when describing their range issues, it would help others to understand whether there is any real-world differences. My guess is that yes, it does make a significant difference, but I have nothing to compare it to.

 

[Idleup]

I'm confused with the thread where one user said the RX model uses a heating element for heat instead of a heat pump system because there is no room on the RX model. Why would they do that when you already have the same compressor for the A/C which only requires is a reversing valve to make heat.

Thanks

Mike

 

[user 1096]

A. In the USA, it's standard on the BEV, not available on the REx (anywhere),

I think you might want to check that--right here, somewhere-- I read that the Rex has smaller but nonetheless a HEAT PUMP that was actually shown in a factory diagram attached to the note in response to this same question ("Where does my Rex heat come from?")

 

[jadnashuanh]

Take a look at the www.bmw.co.uk website's price list...it shows the heat pump optional on the BEV, and not available for the REx. While you can run an a/c compressor system as a heat pump, having an a/c compressor does not mean you have a heat pump. In the USA, the heat pump is standard on the BEV.

 

[jelloslug]

I'm confused with the thread where one user said the RX model uses a heating element for heat instead of a heat pump system because there is no room on the RX model. Why would they do that when you already have the same compressor for the A/C which only requires is a reversing valve to make heat.

Thanks

Mike

All of the heat pump bits sit where the gas tank is on the REX.

 

[jelloslug]

Another big thing is whether or not you have a heat pump verses having to use resistive heating elements, where a heat pump is in the order of 2-4x more efficient getting heat into the vehicle. In the USA, it's standard on the BEV, not available on the REx (anywhere), but the heat pump is, I think, optional in other markets. Having it does make a difference.

Maybe, people should indicate exactly whether they have one or not when describing their range issues, it would help others to understand whether there is any real-world differences. My guess is that yes, it does make a significant difference, but I have nothing to compare it to.

Truth. I have the heat pump (US BEV so it's there by default) and on pre-planned long trips I always use the programmable pre-conditioning (not just using the phone app). I don't always get those huge ranges (5.5 or more m/kw) but even on my day to day travels I easily stay in the 4.3 to 4.5 m/kw range.