Performance Mods? i3 M anyone?

[robertmccall]

I’m a new 2017 i3 BEV owner and I’d like to start doing some mods. Has anyone been able to figure out how to figure out any way to increase performance? Anyone coding this far yet? I’d like to put on some wide 18” tires but I’ve read you need a crazy offset. Does anyone know the specs needed for a 18x8-9.5 with a tire setup? Just looking for something more sticky and wouldn’t mind getting coils with a stiff spring rate. Thinking a time attack build would be interesting with an i8 swap but want to see push the stock internals potential first before I swap out. Thanks i3 owners.

 

[skeptic]

I sometimes wonder what next generation of performance modding will be like. Will it be something like an inline amp and bigger motor (hiding as much as possible from the stock computer)? Computer coding that pushes stock motors harder (I assume there is some level of safety margin just like ICE)? Some combination of the two? Maybe even complete motor/battery/ecu swaps?

Your question isn't new, especially the part regarding tire/wheel swaps, but I haven't seen much in the way of a good answer. I know some have put s wheels on, with appropriate fender mods to go with it, but that's pretty much the opposite of going to a wide 18" wheel. If you find a good solution I'm sure there will be a lot of people wanting to know exactly what you did, specs and all.

Speaking of the i3s, I believe I read that the s has the same electric motor as the standard models, same part number and all. No clue what it would take to get "s" power out of an i3. Recoding? Completely new computer? Other electronics from the s?

 

[JohnWasser]

It looks like Speedway Motors has 18" and 17" wheels that are 8" wide and that they think will fit on a 2017 i3.

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/shop/2017-bmw-i3-wheels~65790-2017-31-23975-1-4-17-601-7644?facet=l_wheel_diameter:224027*l_wheel_diameter:224028

 

[robertmccall]

I saw someone on reddit with 18” wheels but would like to know if it’s possible to drive the car without codes firing because of the 3% margin. Anyway around this to fit a wider 18” instead of doing wheel spacers on OEM wheels?

 

[JohnWasser]

I saw someone on reddit with 18” wheels but would like to know if it’s possible to drive the car without codes firing because of the 3% margin. Anyway around this to fit a wider 18” instead of doing wheel spacers on OEM wheels?

The factory tires are all about 696mm (+/- 4mm) in diameter after you add the sidewall height to the wheel diameter::
155/70R19 = 699.6 diameter
175/60R19 = 692.6
155/60R20 = 694
175/55R20 = 700.5

On an 18" wheel, some of the tires of that diameter would be:
150/80, 160/75, 170/70, 185/65, 200/60, 215/55

I think you want the wheel width to be about the same as the tread width.

 

[PrzemasRadelicki]

Hello gents.

Regarding i3 performance.

i3 users can also code additional, Comfort+, SPORT or even SPORT + driving modes to increase performance of their i3 and i3 Rex's.

Coding In BimmerCode:

Body Domain Controller-->Expert mode -> 3221 PfFesMaster -->
-FesHasMode4 --> set to Aktiv (SPORT mode)
-FesHasMode2 --> set to Activ (Comfort+)
-FesHasMode5 --> set to Activ (SPORT+)

However only SPORT mode is 100% "compatible" and allows without issues to Hold State Of Charge (in my 2015 i3 Rex) while driving, in other cases I had to swich to one of the standard driving modes, turn HSOC on and then swich back to i. e. SPORT +.

Additionally, all "new" driving modes are not displayed correctly on the HUD. (but it is a minor issue because they appear on the main screen anyway - You'll notice it !! )

My measurments were not perfect but it took me very close to 7 seconds from 0 to 100km/h in SPORT + driving mode (while i3 consumed a lot of battery's energy btw. )

I hope those instruction can help you guys a bit.

Enjoy!!!
Regards P.

 

[jadnashuanh]

The stock BEV 0-60mph is around 7-seconds, so 0-100kmph isn't much of any different unless that was on a REx.

 

[alohart]

Regarding i3 performance.

i3 users can also code additional, Comfort+, SPORT or even SPORT + driving modes to increase performance of their i3 and i3 Rex's.

Coding In BimmerCode:

BimmerCode can be used with any recent BMW, so it is not i3-specific. There are many parameters available to be modified in BimmerCode that apply to models other than the i3 and that are ignored by an i3. I suspect that the Comfort+, Sport, and Sport+ driving modes are ignored by an i3 because an i3 doesn't include the necessary hardware for these driving modes.

On an i3S, how does Sport mode differ from Comfort mode? Can you distinguish between Comfort and Sport modes on your non-S i3? If so, what are the differences?

 

[skeptic]

The stock BEV 0-60mph is around 7-seconds, so 0-100kmph isn't much of any different unless that was on a REx.

He specifically states it's on a REX and he talks about HSOC issues.. However, without a baseline using the same methods and same conditions we have no idea if there is an improvement or even what his "very close to 7 seconds" is. Are we talking 7.5 stock vs 7.3 modded? 8.0 vs 7.1?

I get trying to squeeze every last bit out of a car, but even if we could get down to the mid 6s 0-60, that's pretty mediocre and downright dismal compared to any kind of performance car.