Why would anyone get the REx in the US?

[fdl1409]

Your estimates are all too pessimistic. With the REx, you can reportedly drive 120 km/h ( 75 mph ) on the motorway while holding charge. In the winter, you need heating. But in comparison to driving more slowly, the heating will eat up a smaller percentage of power, because heating at 75 mph is not that much more than at 40 mph. Lets assume heating needs 3 kW, that leaves 20 kw for the motor, which is still enough for 70 mph. Battery is warm, because you have preheated this and emptied it in a comparatively short time, so why should the range drop as dramatically as you have suspected? Most of the reduced winter range is due to heating and cold battery. Battery won`t get cold on a long fast trip, and heating alone reduces range less if you drive faster.

The REx can only empty the tank in a certain time which is the same in hot and cold weather. It can produce 23 kW, and that will be the same in cold conditions. The time in which the tank will be drained at max power is the same, only maximum speed and range covered will be reduced, but not anywhere near as much as you believe.

Frank
Germany

 

[Surge]

Thanks Frank. It makes sense, what you wrote; but I got my information from others… so some people really believe those very pessimistic numbers.

This is causing some frustration -- widely varying reports on what the range is and is not.

 

[bxb40]

"Battery is warm, because you have preheated this and emptied it in a comparatively short time, so why should the range drop as dramatically as you have suspected? Most of the reduced winter range is due to heating and cold battery. Battery won`t get cold on a long fast trip, and heating alone reduces range less if you drive faster."

Actually, the worst case is when trying to get back home at the end of the day - the battery is cold at -25C and has about 60% SOC from getting to work in the morning (unless you have a charger at work that most in US do not, the wind is blowing snow, the roads are icy so you cannot do any speeds above 40mpg (the only good thing in this scenario). It takes you 3-4 hours to get home instead of 40 minutes - most stop-and-go, but you need to run the heater all the time. The battery never warms up due to stop-and-go plus the low temps outside. And yes, you have 2 extra people in the car (because you have such a cool and efficient car, that will start at very low temps and drive well in the snow (on Blizacks), everybody wants to carpool with you )

"The REx can only empty the tank in a certain time which is the same in hot and cold weather. It can produce 23 kW, and that will be the same in cold conditions. The time in which the tank will be drained at max power is the same, only maximum speed and range covered will be reduced, but not anywhere near as much as you believe. "

True - but the ratio of energy used for propulsion vs heating and losses on the cold battery will make for a shorter REX range in winter, like you say. However, the energy consumption being higher, the REX will work at the highest RPMs where it is not as efficient, so you are losing some mpg because of that - experience will say how much, no way of estimating yet for US (in EU one will activate the REX sooner, i.e. at 40% SOC, so it does not have to run at max RPMs while allowing for SOC to slowly drop...). But you can top the REX off using an emergency gas can of 2 gl. you keep in the frunk for such conditions Try that with the BEV...

 

[bwilson4web]

The REx in the US now seems to me to be pretty much a waste of money. A waste of $3,850 (plus tax) to be exact. Things going against it:
. . .

1. CARB credits and HOV stickers - not really a problem in Alabama.

2. CA HOV stickers - ditto.

3. Enabling REX - there are at least three known coding systems to code the BMW i3-REx to tailor to my needs in Alabama.

4. Usable gas tank - coding solves the problem although I've only seen 2.3 gallons.

5. Increases 0-60 time - my other car is a Prius.

6. REx noise - use it on the highway and it blends in with the road noise.

I feel quite strongly about this, . . .

1) 81 mile BEV EV range.

2) 72 mile REx EV range - (81-72) / 81 = 11.1% loss of EV range

3) The EPA measures the EV range so the 72 miles is a hard metric.

4) The EPA measures and reports the range as 150 miles, a hard metric.

5) Freezing weather performance - my other car is a Prius Prime and has worse problems at temperatures under 50F. The problem being the ICE will start for a number of poorly defined conditions. In contrast, a coded BMW i3-REx has reproducible behavior. The REx is my first choice in cold weather.

"if you don't drive on the highway" - bought mine 463 miles away and was home without charger delays.

"if you don't drive in cold (below freezing) temperatures" - it is our first choice below 50F because our other car is a Prius Prime.

"if your daily commute/travels are more than 80 miles but less than 120 miles" - retired, not my problem.

Coding to EU standards solves a lot of problems. Living in Alabama, we're relaxed about such things.

Bob Wilson

 

[viking79]

I agree Bob, also, from what I noticed when I bought my used i3 REx, they were selling for maybe $3,000 more at 3 years old, so buyers would get most of their money back on that feature. That feature seemed to have better payback than the trim levels or tech package.

 

[ultraturtle]

Funny how 4 years have passed, and nothing much has changed. The i3 REx, along with the Volt and PiP, remain the only serious EVs with unlimited range.

Unlike vehicles limited to their battery range, a range extended EV can serve as your only vehicle. The embedded energy and associated environmental impact of a second vehicle to carry you on trips a mile or more beyond your battery range (no matter what that range may be) is a massive waste. Add to that the fact that the first 120 miles or so of any such trip can be powered by electricity in a REx. Not so much in a dinosaur powered vehicle.

 

[bwilson4web]

Funny how 4 years have passed, and nothing much has changed. The i3 REx, along with the Volt and PiP, remain the only serious EVs with unlimited range. . . .

A minor technical point, the EPA web site lists 31 plug-in hybrids: https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/PowerSearch.do?action=noform&year1=2018&year2=2019&minmsrpsel=0&maxmsrpsel=0&city=0&hwy=0&comb=0&cbvtplugin=Plug-in+Hybrid&YearSel=2018-2019&make=&mclass=&vfuel=&vtype=Plug-in+Hybrid&trany=&drive=&cyl=&MpgSel=000&sortBy=FuelCost&Units=&url=SearchServlet&opt=new&minmsrp=0&maxmsrp=0&minmpg=&maxmpg=&rowLimit=50&tabView=0&pageno=1

Just I get the impression some are marginal. Now I'm not a fan but Hyundai and Honda appear to have serious plugin hybrids.

Unlike vehicles limited to their battery range, a range extended EV can serve as your only vehicle. The embedded energy and associated environmental impact of a second vehicle to carry you on trips a mile or more beyond your battery range (no matter what that range may be) is a massive waste. Add to that the fact that the first 120 miles or so of any such trip can be powered by electricity in a REx. Not so much in a dinosaur powered vehicle.

Excellent point about having by whatever means, purchase or rental, of a second gas vehicle just for long distance trips. As our BMW i3-REx shows, a small ICE and its generator have a really modest impact on vehicle EV performance.

Bob Wilson

 

[jadnashuanh]

I agree Bob, also, from what I noticed when I bought my used i3 REx, they were selling for maybe $3,000 more at 3 years old, so buyers would get most of their money back on that feature. That feature seemed to have better payback than the trim levels or tech package.

The REx's retail cost is over $3K ($3850 on MY2018), so the vehicle's depreciation is about the same if the BEV is about $3K less...

 

[viking79]

I agree Bob, also, from what I noticed when I bought my used i3 REx, they were selling for maybe $3,000 more at 3 years old, so buyers would get most of their money back on that feature. That feature seemed to have better payback than the trim levels or tech package.

The REx's retail cost is over $3K ($3850 on MY2018), so the vehicle's depreciation is about the same if the BEV is about $3K less...

What I am saying is the REx option held 75% of its value while the rest of the car about 33%. It is like 4WD on a truck (especially in Rocky Mt Region), the feature is one of the few features that you generally won't lose much money on.