Welcome to the BMW i3 Forum

[frictioncircle]

longwaytim –

From the i3's launch in 2014 (late-2013 in the EU) there have been two major battery upgrades. A good browse of Wikipedia will answer many questions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_i3

That said, (and as a BEV owner, the below apply to battery-only i3 cars, not REx models) here are the battery capacities you'll find as you shop for a used i3. Note that in 2019, the sportier i3s was newly offered for sale.

2014 – 22kWh battery (i3 BEV)
2015 – 22kWh battery (i3 BEV)
2016 – 22kWh battery (i3 BEV)
2017 – 22kWh battery OR 33 kWh battery (i3 BEV)
2018 – 33 kWh battery (i3 BEV & i3s BEV)
2019 – 42kWh battery (i3 BEV & i3s BEV)
2020 – 42kWh battery (i3 BEV & i3s BEV)
2021 – 42kWh battery (i3 BEV & i3s BEV)

If you share the general area in which you plan to drive, those here on the forum may be able to offer further suggestions – ambient temperature and elevation changes challenge EVs more visibly than gas / Diesel vehicles.

 

[eXodus]

If you share the general area in which you plan to drive, those here on the forum may be able to offer further suggestions – ambient temperature and elevation changes challenge EVs more visibly than gas / Diesel vehicles.

try to run a Diesel on short routes in a cold climate. Get's half the mpg as advertised and destroys the engine very quickly.

Gas engine not so much. But I had many diesel - they like it well above freezing like EVs do.

 

[alohart]

I hear that they improved in 2017?

The original 60 Ah (22 kWh) battery pack seems to lose capacity considerably faster than later battery packs. As a 60 Ah 2014 i3 owner, I recommend not considering any i3 earlier than a 2017 model if your budget allows. Even though some 60 Ah i3's were apparently sold as 2017 models, they seem to be very rare. If you find a 2017 i3 you like, verify that it has a 94 Ah (33 kWh) battery pack.

Early i3's were a bit more troublesome as well which is another good reason to avoid pre-2017 models, if possible. Problems were frequently associated with the REx system, so if your use case doesn't require the additional range of a REx, buy a BEV.

I would also avoid an i3 with the 20" wheel option. No winter tires are available for 20" wheels, they are more prone to tire and wheel damage if your roads aren't well-maintained, their summer tires seem to wear out a bit faster than the all-season tires on 19" wheels, and their ride is a bit rougher.

 

[jadnashuanh]

Batteries age by the number of recharge cycles, so, over the same miles, a smaller battery will need to be charged more often than a larger one. A charge cycle is 0-100%, so ten recharges from 90-100% is still one cycle. IOW, plugging it in when you get home doesn't really hurt versus waiting for the SOC to drop more and you'll have full capacity when you get in. It helps if you can have it plugged in and set a departure time as that can prewarm the battery, and the cabin, so you then are using the line power to keep the battery level up, so you don't have to use the batteries alone, leaving with less than a full charge, or using it up getting things warm after leaving all from the batteries.

They all have less ability to push out electrons when they're cold. The chemical mix alters the actual values, but not the effect.

 

[HANSIPIT]

I'm a new member in Montana and eager to own a reliable EV.
Drove my friends TESLA 3 and his Chevy Bolt, but intriguid by the i3!
Grew up in Germany, owned quite some BMW motorcycles, now retired and anxious to find out more about the i3!
Contacts and suggestions are welcome!
Sandy in Wolf Creek, Montana

 

[Alexvi]

https://ibb.co/B3W9zTJ
Hi, I'm alex from Italy.
I bought an i3 BEV 94Ah 2018 with about 30,000 km.
For now I am very satisfied with the car, I drove 4 other BMWs and I also have a 216d for long journeys, but for urban use for me the i3 is unbeatable for practicality.
I have already done double the km that I did monthly with my previous suv, and I have also made 3 trips over 500km ...
On my car and my routes, consumption is lower than I thought, I have done several times less than 9 kwh / 100 km (7 mi / kWh, ok perfect weather no climate and going quiet max 70 km / h and gradual acceleration, but so I often see 300km of autonomy.
Greetings

 

[Cruisle360]

I have a BMW i3 and have had an error code **FFCB95 from bimmerlink , Range Extender error that is making me take it to the shop soon since I cannot figure out what is wrong with the car and I need to use it. But this error code** **FFCB95 has to be removed but it is a persistent error on reader.** Please if anyone know what this error is for and how I can fix it I will be so grateful.

 

[appie]

Hi from Holland everyone!

Prospective I3 buyer here, looking to read experiences from I3 owners. Some good info on here!

Iḿ still on the fence though, mostly because of the quirky rear doors situation and its inherent (in)practicality, combined with budget and range constraints, leaving me with a late 2015 60ah REx as the best we can do to stay within budget and going the occasionally required distance.

Looking forward to hear from you, e.g. in the thread I started here:
https://www.mybmwi3.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=17628

Thanks, and nice to meet you!

 

[frictioncircle]

Welcome to the board, appie!

How many miles (kms) are on the 2015 REx you are considering? When I returned my 2014 BEV I'd driven it 86,000km and on a full charge its range was about 88km.

Depending on location, BMW's warranty coverage for the traction battery is eight or ten years. One thing that I'd definitely do before buying this car is to find out where the car was originally purchased and (as the prospective second owner) what length of battery warranty coverage would apply once if you purchase this i3.

Regarding the suicide doors, there are times that I like them a lot (no nearby cars when I have big objects to load into the back seats) but when I'm in a tight parking space and need to get to those seats I do get frustrated. If you have kids I think you will not be happy having to deal with the doors unless you park in a space with no cars on either side.

 

[appie]

Thanks! The REx I have my eye on was registered December 2015, so a late 15 model. It has done about 115K km, so that is about 72K mi or so I guess. It is said to have had all it's servicing done by BMW. We plan on running it around town for errands, so typically the 60Ah would be very sufficient. However, we do need it to be able to take us to visit family several times a year, and they live 130 mi away with no chargers nearby, so we need the REx to a) get there, b) have range to go on errands once there, and c) get back home. I am not even sure they have an outlet to plug the granny charger in, but I think they do. We would be fine with filling up every 60mi or so on such a trip that we go on only a couple of times a year, if it means we can get there at all.

 

[cksky]

Hi everyone, I recently purchased my first I3, a 2017 94ah Rex. I'm very happy with the car but also nervous if it will turn out to be right decision long term. It's the most I have ever paid for a car, its my first EV/hybrid, first BMW, first auto, first exotic construction and im concerned about increasing electric costs and stories of expensive repair bills. On the positive side it has transformed my 20 mile busy commute into a much more relaxing drive and I'm getting 3.8 m/kW versus 32mpg.

 

[frictioncircle]

Thanks! The REx I have my eye on was registered December 2015, so a late 15 model. It has done about 115K km, so that is about 72K mi or so I guess. It is said to have had all it's servicing done by BMW. We plan on running it around town for errands, so typically the 60Ah would be very sufficient. However, we do need it to be able to take us to visit family several times a year, and they live 130 mi away with no chargers nearby, so we need the REx to a) get there, b) have range to go on errands once there, and c) get back home. I am not even sure they have an outlet to plug the granny charger in, but I think they do. We would be fine with filling up every 60mi or so on such a trip that we go on only a couple of times a year, if it means we can get there at all.

appie –

A 2015 REx should be nearing the end of its battery warranty. You might want to consider checking its Kappa value (a rough estimate of the pack's usable capacity):
https://www.mybmwi3.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17422

Regarding your 130-mile (210km) family journey, a 2015 REx with its original battery may not be the best choice for this situation.

With no charging along the route (and no charging at the destination) I estimate that, with a fully-charged battery, you could make it to your family's destination with one or maybe two fuel stops.

Departing the family destination (with an nearly-empty traction battery due to the lack of on-site charging), you will have to stop often for fuel. I'd estimate (with that nearly-empty battery) at least five fuel stops would be needed for your 210km return.

REx owners please add your thoughts!

 

[frictioncircle]

Hi everyone, I recently purchased my first I3, a 2017 94ah Rex. I'm very happy with the car but also nervous if it will turn out to be right decision long term. It's the most I have ever paid for a car, its my first EV/hybrid, first BMW, first auto, first exotic construction and im concerned about increasing electric costs and stories of expensive repair bills. On the positive side it has transformed my 20 mile busy commute into a much more relaxing drive and I'm getting 3.8 m/kW versus 32mpg.

cksky –

Congratulations on all of your firsts, that's a major jump to make in a single step!

Some thoughts, in order...

"most I've ever paid for a car"
BMWs are not cheap. In particular, the i3 and i8, with their extensive carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) chassis cost BMW AG billions to develop. I think that buying either of these two i-cars allows one to trim BMW AG's profit margin as low as is possible!

"my first EV/hybrid"
My 2014 BEV was my first non-ICE vehicle and I was hooked by the electric powertrain within the first 2,500 feet of driving one!

"first auto"
The i3 has three gear positions, Drive, Neutral, and Reverse. If you put it in Drive, that motor is going to rev to redline all the way to 11,000+rpm in a single gear with no shifting. In my book, that's a manual!

"first exotic construction"
An i3 is a mass-produced CFRP chassis sitting on top of an aluminum sled. The benefit is that you now own a car that is exceptionally efficient due to its lightness and is nearly corrosion-proof. A drawback is that collision repair is likely to be expensive – something to research with your insurance company.

"increasing electric costs"
Agreed. Not sure where you're located, but making peace with ever increasing $/kWh is something that I think everyone, everywhere, will need to accept. Are you able to offset these costs with changing your electric service to a time-of-use (TOU) plan? I have TOU service and despite recent rate increases, driving an EV is still much cheaper than buying gasoline.

"stories of expensive repair bills"
Having owned BMWs since the late '90s, oh yes, they're expensive cars to repair. But keep in mind what you've bought, a lightweight, rear-engine carbon-fiber German vehicle – repair costs will definitely be more than a Toyota Camry.

There is little to go wrong with a full EV. Scheduled maintenance for an i3 BEV consists of flushing the brakes and replacing the cabin microfilter every two years.

An i3 REx does add back much of the drawbacks of an ICE powerplant: engine oil & filter changes, coolant flush / refresh, fuel filter service, and spark plug replacement.

 

[appie]

Thanks! The REx I have my eye on was registered December 2015, so a late 15 model. It has done about 115K km, so that is about 72K mi or so I guess. It is said to have had all it's servicing done by BMW. We plan on running it around town for errands, so typically the 60Ah would be very sufficient. However, we do need it to be able to take us to visit family several times a year, and they live 130 mi away with no chargers nearby, so we need the REx to a) get there, b) have range to go on errands once there, and c) get back home. I am not even sure they have an outlet to plug the granny charger in, but I think they do. We would be fine with filling up every 60mi or so on such a trip that we go on only a couple of times a year, if it means we can get there at all.

appie –

A 2015 REx should be nearing the end of its battery warranty. You might want to consider checking its Kappa value (a rough estimate of the pack's usable capacity):
https://www.mybmwi3.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17422

Regarding your 130-mile (210km) family journey, a 2015 REx with its original battery may not be the best choice for this situation.

With no charging along the route (and no charging at the destination) I estimate that, with a fully-charged battery, you could make it to your family's destination with one or maybe two fuel stops.

Departing the family destination (with an nearly-empty traction battery due to the lack of on-site charging), you will have to stop often for fuel. I'd estimate (with that nearly-empty battery) at least five fuel stops would be needed for your 210km return.

REx owners please add your thoughts!

Thanks for your input. Yes, I am aware of the secret menu information, but also know that that value will vary from day to day. Good point on the fueling strategy though!

 

[appie]

Departing the family destination (with an nearly-empty traction battery due to the lack of on-site charging), you will have to stop often for fuel. I'd estimate (with that nearly-empty battery) at least five fuel stops would be needed for your 210km return.

Ok, I just want to get back to this part: "5 fuel stops for a 210km trip"?

Is this based on the premise of having the limited usable fuel capacity in the US version? Because I'm in Europe (but having a "coded" REx in the US would be similar to use the full fuel capacity and the option to maintain 75% SOC), so I would expect 1 tank to get me a little over 100km, so that would be about 2 fuel stops for a 210km trip, right? Or I am missing something here?

 

[frictioncircle]

Ok, I just want to get back to this part: "5 fuel stops for a 210km trip"?

Is this based on the premise of having the limited usable fuel capacity in the US version? Because I'm in Europe (but having a "coded" REx in the US would be similar to use the full fuel capacity and the option to maintain 75% SOC), so I would expect 1 tank to get me a little over 100km, so that would be about 2 fuel stops for a 210km trip, right? Or I am missing something here?

Hello appie –

I re-read my message and my math was wrong!

Let's say it was time to depart the family destination for home and you had a completely empty battery (because of no outlet there for the granny charger)... from what I understand about the REx (I've only owned BEVs) a full tank is good for about 60 miles (100km). Making your 130-mile (210km) trip with ONLY the REx for power would theoretically use two full tanks to go 124 miles (200km) after which you'd be six miles (10km) short of your destination.

You might be able to eke out that last 10km if the trip was downhill, had favorable winds, or you were lightly loaded and careful with the throttle but I think three tanks would be what it really takes to make the trip with no battery.

(Remember, I'm not a REx driver – I'm just going off of Internet numbers!)

 

[appie]

Ah yes, that clears things up. We're on the same page now, thanks!

 

[Arm]

longwaytim –

From the i3's launch in 2014 (late-2013 in the EU) there have been two major battery upgrades. A good browse of Wikipedia will answer many questions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_i3

That said, (and as a BEV owner, the below apply to battery-only i3 cars, not REx models) here are the battery capacities you'll find as you shop for a used i3. Note that in 2019, the sportier i3s was newly offered for sale.

2014 – 22kWh battery (i3 BEV)
2015 – 22kWh battery (i3 BEV)
2016 – 22kWh battery (i3 BEV)
2017 – 22kWh battery OR 33 kWh battery (i3 BEV)
2018 – 33 kWh battery (i3 BEV & i3s BEV)
2019 – 42kWh battery (i3 BEV & i3s BEV)
2020 – 42kWh battery (i3 BEV & i3s BEV)
2021 – 42kWh battery (i3 BEV & i3s BEV)

If you share the general area in which you plan to drive, those here on the forum may be able to offer further suggestions – ambient temperature and elevation changes challenge EVs more visibly than gas / Diesel vehicles.

If I'm not mistaken, the 2018 i3S BEV is the quickest of the bunch?

 

[iCJ]

Hello everyone,

Thank all of you for contributing to this site/forum. Every past post I have read/researched has helped me on the decision to buy an i3. I hope as I gain knowledge and experience I will be able to pass it along like all of you have done.

 

[Phil0110]

Hi everyone! I'm new here