What is Your Experience with Frequent 200 mile Trips?

lencap · Jun 25, 2015

I bought my i3 Rex early this year, but my travel plans have changed. I anticipate that I'll soon by traveling at least one 200 mile one way trip monthly, and at least two one way 100+ mile trips monthly. For each of these trips I'll need to make the return trip in the same day so there will be no ability to recharge the car prior to returning home. That makes my trips 200 - 400 miles for the day. (Lack of charging stations in most locations where I'll travel).

BMW rates the car for 70 miles or so for the Rex battery, but with the hot weather I've rarely had a range over 60 miles, and in winter the range is even less. I don't mind stopping to fill up the gas tank as often as needed, but I'm worried about being able to maintain 70 MPH highway speed with a depleted battery. Much of the highway riding will be on near level or gently sloping ground, but part of each trip will have a greater elevation change.

I don't want to be in a situation where the Rex can't fully charge the battery and I'm limited to a reduced speed, or turning off the climate control.

Does anyone have experience with frequent long distance trips that are beyond the battery capacity range? Are my worries legitimate or exaggerated? I don't want to sell the Rex, but if I can't get comfortable that the car will work for me in any weather (hot or cold) then I may need to make a change.

Your experience and thoughts are most welcome.

WoodlandHills · Jun 25, 2015

See my post about 500 mile days in Arizona. As long as you switch the REx on at 75% and are contientious about not shutting off the car when the charge is below the caret on the speedo you will be fine. A few miles at 55mph with full comfort a/c will restore any charge you might have depleted earlier when driving at 75.
Carry a couple of gas cans in the frunk along with latex gloves for roadside refueling and you will only have to stop at a gas station every 150 miles or so. It really is no big deal at all...

lencap · Jun 25, 2015

Thank you for the comments. My dealer informed me that I can't upgrade my software because BMW is only upgrading the software version for "demonstrated need". So I'm stuck with the BMW factory default setting for the ReX startup, which is about 6% battery charge remaining. That low state of charge is what concerns me. Unless I can control the timing of the ReX start I'm not comfortable leaving the charging decision to the computer.

Jeffj · Jun 25, 2015

Simplest thing to do for you is to contact DVDInMotion for a USB stick that will enable the Hold State of Charge for you. Search for DVDInMotion in the forums for a long discussion of this.

On the software update, I think there are a couple of issues with what you said -
First, the dealer can't refuse to upgrade your software - its covered by the warranty. There have been reports of dealers refusing to do this. I suggest that you contact the iConcierge to intervene on your behalf and get the dealer to co-operate.
Secondly (I might be reading too much into you response) - the software update will NOT give you the Hold State of Charge feature. That feature is disabled by BMW for North American cars due to CARB regulations. The only way to get the functionality is to "code" your car - either by using the DVDInMotion solution, coding your self, or contacting someone like CodeMyCar.com to code remotely for you.

jadnashuanh · Jun 25, 2015

Updating the software on the i3 is done after connecting to the server and BMW Germany decides if it is okay to do, not the local dealer. Unless there's a problem related to hardware or operational safety that has changed or discovered since release, they are not required to update you to the latest version...the car operates as initially sold in the USA, so while an upgrade, it is not a defect, since it is still working like when it was sold. I know people hate this, and want it the way it is elsewhere, but they did buy the car and it's working the same way as when it was sold.

There is a software update being developed to deal with the REx on a trip. It is smart enough to know when there are hills, etc., and can adjust when the REx is turned on. But, they said that may not be ready until fall. It is beta testing, and the last iteration was deemed not good enough, so it went back for rework.

If you're willing to go around the USA default operations, you can learn to program the car, pay someone to program your car, or buy the file and do it simply by inserting a USB drive to change the REx operation to the way it works in Europe and the rest of the world not impacted by CARB.

pdurham · Jun 26, 2015

I take the car on two 200-mile single day drives each month. I have coded the car to increase the fuel capacity from 1.9 to 2.4 gallons and give me the ability to turn on the REX at 75% SOC or less. I carry a 2-gallon Rotopax to give me maximum flexibility and because there can be big gaps between gas stations on the route. I travel on the freeway, generally level, at 65 mph (for efficiency, and not because I can't go faster). There is one hill where the SOC can get to around 2% if it was at 6% or so when I start climbing, but I have never experienced curtailed speed.

The car works fine on that trip, though I do find the extra half gallon of fuel capacity to be very helpful, as well as the ability to turn on the REX at will. I tend to use the REX for the freeway portions and the battery for the in-town and two lane segments.

Bottom line: the i3 should perform just fine on your 200 or 400 mile trips. From what I have read of others' experiences, you might find under some circumstances that you will need to travel at around 70 mph instead of 75 or faster if the battery has been depleted to the 6.5% SOC point where the REX comes on automatically. Based on my experience, I would strongly recommend that you code the car as I have. On longer trips, especially those that include freeway miles, those changes will increase your convenience and the car's overall capability considerably.