Reason will only charge to 100%

[Robert Willoughby]

I asked BMW directly why the i3 won't charge to 80% when newer vehicles will. The reply I received is below. Of course I've received a few adverts for BMW newer vehicles now....

Thanks for contacting BMW ConnectedDrive about charging your BMW I3. I'm sorry to learn that you're still facing issues with this.

BMW electric vehicles with BMW iDrive before the introduction of BMW Operating System 8, you cannot set a charging target in the vehicle or in the My BMW App. Your vehicle always charges the high-voltage battery to 100 percent, provided the charging process is not interrupted prematurely.

I can confirm that your vehicle is running on OS 5/6 and it is not possible to update the OS as it is inbuilt.

I realise my response may cause some disappointment but I hope it clarifies the situation.

If there is anything else I can do for you, please feel free to get back in touch with us at any time.

Kind regards

TJ

BMW
United Kingdom
Tejaswini Koshti
Customer Support Executive
BMW Customer Support
Summit ONE
Summit Avenue, Farnborough
Hampshire, GU14 0FB

Tel: +44 (0)800 3256 000
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.bmw.co.uk

 

[eNate]

I'm surprised at the answer you received. I would have expected something more along the lines of "you should always charge your i3 to 100%" and "it was designed that way on purpose."

I'm an 80% guy myself and would love to have that as a built-in option, but so be it, I'll stick with timing my charges and not lose sleep over it when I go over.

I think the simple 100% message was deemed critical for marketing when this car first appeared with a 22 kWh battery and 80-something miles of range. Obviously BMW has changed their tune with the current crop of EVs. I wonder how hard it would be to add this as a simple option in an OS update – I mean, they've clearly demonstrated the ability to start and stop charging based on a schedule. But I'd bet doing so now might create some liability problems.

 

[Robert Willoughby]

All computers regularly have software updated with no risk of liability...seems a bit of a reverse event though... software updates slow the computers down until you need a new faster one. Software update on an i3 just to stop charging at 80% could keep the car battery lasting longer so you don't need a new one as quickly. Perhaps that's the disadvantage to the eye of a first line car dealership...they will sell a new model in a few years. Not good for any second hand dealer though or any present owner.

 

[eNate]

In terms of liability, I'm thinking of two things:

1. Introducing an 80% option now may open BMW up to owners who have suffered battery degradation requesting / litigating for new batteries, rationalizing that by not providing this option initially caused accelerated wear, and that by introducing the option now, BMW would be admitting to having made a mistake by not including it from Day 1.

2. Because the i3 doesn't offer OTA software updates, and because the OS update process is time, space, and resource intensive at the dealership, BMW doesn't want to open themselves up to this hassle, especially if they suspect the cost of installing the update will be (or could potentially be) on their dime.

Again, just speculation on my part.