Thinking of buying a 2017 I3 Bev

[Jkel]

i am seriously considering of purchasing a BMW I3, used. I have been doing a quite bit of reading on the vehicle and feel that is doable for me. My wife has a car so we do have transportation other than the I3. I luv driving fun cars and the I3 certainly fits in this category. I usually spend 90% of my driving going to/from work, running errands and other short distances putting about 7000 miles of driving a year.

question, would you purchase an 2017 I3 with a range extender or a 2017 Bev model that has up the range to 114 miles?

Here are some points I am pondering. 2017 with a range extender offers a longer driving time if needed. And, You can buy a used one cheap! $22500 plus/minus. However, a 2017 BeV is even cheaper and have seen them listed as low as $20,000 . An I3 without the motor makes it lighter and more nimble , I don’t have to worry about engine service.

please let me know your thoughts as I would be very interested in your input. After all you are in the know, the consumers. Thanks and look forward to your response

JK

 

[alohart]

We bought a 2014 BEV because we rarely need the additional range the REx version offers, and we really wanted to leave internal combustion engines and their maintenance behind. Our i3 is our only car, but we never travel long distance by car. We have been happy with our decision. However, everyone's needs and desires are different, so because a BEV is ideal for us doesn't mean that it would be for you.

If a BEV would work for you, I think it's worth avoiding the REx which has been more troublesome than the BEV.

 

[MississippiEV]

I am thinking about buying the same car... I am going to get the rex though...

Having that extra cushion of miles that you can get with the REX will help alleviate range anxiety even if you never need it...

Have you tough about which trim level you will get? I believe the 2017 offers 2 battery sizes and possibly larger than the 2016 model.. I want to go for the larger size battery..

Have you looked at the different trim levels to see which options you would like?
Giga, Tera, ect...

 

[alohart]

I believe the 2017 offers 2 battery sizes and possibly larger than the 2016 model.. I want to go for the larger size battery.

There were very few, if any, 2017 i3's sold in the U.S. with the smaller 60 Ah battery pack, so almost all have the larger 94 Ah battery pack. The few 2017 i3's with the 60 Ah battery pack might have been only the BEV model.

Have you looked at the different trim levels to see which options you would like?
Giga, Tera, ect...

Different upholstery materials is one obvious difference. The Tera World trim level has full dark brown leather upholstery. Giga World offers an airy mix of tan leather and beige wool. Mega World offers a mix of gray synthetic leather and fabric. I believe that Deka World offers only fabric, but I'm not certain. Giga and Tera trim levels have light or dark wood trim on the top of the dashboard. The lower trim levels Deka and Mega might be missing some interior LED lighting that Giga and Tera have.

All options are available with any trim level (e.g., the Tech and Driving Assist package, the Parking Assist package, 20" wheels, the Harman Kardon entertainment system).

 

[MississippiEV]

Great Information! Thank You !

 

[Jkel]

I am thinking about buying the same car... I am going to get the rex though...

Having that extra cushion of miles that you can get with the REX will help alleviate range anxiety even if you never need it...

Have you tough about which trim level you will get? I believe the 2017 offers 2 battery sizes and possibly larger than the 2016 model.. I want to go for the larger size battery..

Have you looked at the different trim levels to see which options you would like?
Giga, Tera, ect...

There seems to be a-lot more rex models available than the standard BEV. Since I live in the Northwest, the extra weight in the back may help quite of bit since we have many days of wet pavement. It doesn't get really cold here compared to the midwest or Canada so the Rex heating element should suffice.

I may be ready to buy within a month. Hopefully more 17’s will become more available. It will also give me time to decide on what I want.

Good luck on your search.

 

[AndrewDebbie]

I usually spend 90% of my driving going to/from work, running errands and other short distances putting about 7000 miles of driving a year.

question, would you purchase an 2017 I3 with a range extender or a 2017 Bev model that has up the range to 114 miles?


JK

For your usage, I'd get a BEV hands down. The battery only i3 costs less, is faster and there is less to go wrong. You also get slightly more battery range on the BEV vs. REx because it is lighter. If the BEV has the heat pump, the car will get 5-10 miles more winter range too.




Price matters. I've got a REx only because there was a very good lease deal on leftovers. When a REx is less expensive than a BEV it is hard to justify the BEV. I'll probably never use the REx but it is nice to know it is there.

I luv driving fun cars and the I3 certainly fits in this category.

Yes, it does. Have you looked at an i3s? There isn't a huge difference but the 's' is more fun.

 

[Lude219]

Just an anecdote, bought my 2017 Bev a few weeks ago and am getting 150mi consistently on a full charge driving 65mph with HVAC off and ACC engaged in Eco pro mode. I'm in SoCal.

 

[olbedhead]

@Lude

Just an anecdote, bought my 2017 Bev a few weeks ago and am getting 150mi consistently on a full charge driving 65mph with HVAC off and ACC engaged in Eco pro mode. I'm in SoCal.

Do you drive many hills? Just curious how this affects it. Many thanks!

 

[jadnashuanh]

Hills will affect it, but maybe not as much as you might think IF they're up and down along your path...while not even close to being even, the car will put some of that energy required to climb the hill back into the battery. Top speed is maybe the bigger range killer. Charging up a long grade at high speed can suck a lot of power out of the vehicle. Even with the REx, which can often match the battery use, is no winner if you're exceeding it's 34Hp or so output...think an original VW bug...they couldn't charge up a hill, either...when your battery is down, and you have a REx, that's about the maximum you can go...slow. It can recover if you back off, and that is its primary grace. Other than that, it's an expensive add-on. While depending almost entirely on the REx, you're only going to get around 35-mpg equivalent. Lots of other hybrids can do better. Using it entirely like a BEV, it takes a hit over the pure BEV version, and a bigger one if you need cabin heating.

 

[Lude219]

@Lude

Just an anecdote, bought my 2017 Bev a few weeks ago and am getting 150mi consistently on a full charge driving 65mph with HVAC off and ACC engaged in Eco pro mode. I'm in SoCal.

Do you drive many hills? Just curious how this affects it. Many thanks!

Luckily no. My weekday commute is West and East so there is little in change of elevation.

 

[Jkel]

Just an anecdote, bought my 2017 Bev a few weeks ago and am getting 150mi consistently on a full charge driving 65mph with HVAC off and ACC engaged in Eco pro mode. I'm in SoCal.

That is an outstanding number. I wonder how many highway miles you are doing versus city?

 

[Lude219]

Just an anecdote, bought my 2017 Bev a few weeks ago and am getting 150mi consistently on a full charge driving 65mph with HVAC off and ACC engaged in Eco pro mode. I'm in SoCal.

That is an outstanding number. I wonder how many highway miles you are doing versus city?

about 75% highway miles. With my commute and pattern of driving, each one of four GOM bar represents about 35mi of actual driving distance (my one way work trip is 33mi). So my daily roundtrip is ~70mi (including small city put-putting) and SOC% remaining is around 55%. I tend to charge up at the end of my second day with about 6-7% remaining and 15mi on the GOM.

 

[olbedhead]

about 75% highway miles. With my commute and pattern of driving, each one of four GOM bar represents about 35mi of actual driving distance (my one way work trip is 33mi). So my daily roundtrip is ~70mi (including small city put-putting) and SOC% remaining is around 55%. I tend to charge up at the end of my second day with about 6-7% remaining and 15mi on the GOM.

This is super helpful. I have a 60 mile a day commute, can charge at work and i can only go 1 day. If the chargers at work mess up, i'm kind of SOL which is my biggest complaint about my current e-golf with only 80 mile range.

I'm still torn if i go for 2017 BEV or use the USAA and Tax Credit to get the 2019 and just have plenty of range.

 

[Lude219]

about 75% highway miles. With my commute and pattern of driving, each one of four GOM bar represents about 35mi of actual driving distance (my one way work trip is 33mi). So my daily roundtrip is ~70mi (including small city put-putting) and SOC% remaining is around 55%. I tend to charge up at the end of my second day with about 6-7% remaining and 15mi on the GOM.

This is super helpful. I have a 60 mile a day commute, can charge at work and i can only go 1 day. If the chargers at work mess up, i'm kind of SOL which is my biggest complaint about my current e-golf with only 80 mile range.

I'm still torn if i go for 2017 BEV or use the USAA and Tax Credit to get the 2019 and just have plenty of range.

I think EV cars still has a massive depreciation curve so i would never get anything new, even with discounts. I got my 2017 BEV for 15k OTD (including a 6k trade in for my fiat 500e) when the msrp was over 55k just a few years ago. If you're leasing then it's a moot point but I'd hold off on buying new if possible.

 

[jadnashuanh]

LEase versus buy comes down to how long you plan to keep the car and how much you may be tempted to replace it sooner. There's not that much to break on a BEV, and if the range fits your needs, more doesn't necessarily get you much. It still costs the same to recharge, whether you do it once a day or once a week. In theory, a larger percentage recharge cycle shortens the life, but one article I read said that the batteries in the current i3 are designed for over 4,000 cycles, and by the time those die, you might just replace them with much higher capacity ones if you want to keep the car. 10 charges from 90-100 equals one from 0-100.

 

[sipabit]

With the info you've provided, I don't think there's much we can tell you. All your statements are true. If you feel you don't need range beyond the 114, then go for the BEV. Your decision will depend on a lot of objective factors. How long you plan to keep the other car for. How often you use it, how you use it, which car you use on weekends, what you do then. Your lifestyle is something only you can decide.

Yes, there are benefits of BEV, so do it if you can. But otherwise, like the 70% of us do, get the REX.

 

[Cheapergear]

I”m looking at 2017 also for $20k. It’s listed as being 60ah. VIN shows 94ah. In fact all of the listings on CarGurus shows 60ah. Is there any documentation with the car that would show the EPA range? Would it be found on the window sticker? Does anyone have 2017?

 

[alohart]

Is there any documentation with the car that would show the EPA range?

The U.S. Department of Energy's fuel economy Website lists the EPA range at 114 miles. This seems to be quite conservative based on the ranges reported by 2017 BEV drivers.

 

[jfran2]

One more thing to add to your calculus would be winter. If it gets into the teens where you live, you should count on a 15~20% drop in range. My 2014 Rex goes from 70 miles on a charge to around 52 on cold days in Missouri. I don't drive a consistent daily mileage, so a Rex was the only choice for me.