Your first few 100 kilomters?

[i3me]

I live in San Diego, California. Distances within the city are greater than typical European cities, and the city is served by many freeways where I tend to drive just under 80 mph (128 kph) traffic permitting). What is your estimate of the likely range using comfort mode and driving without consciously conserving energy?
Nu2ecar

I had the rex for 24 hours.
At 65miles/h speed in cruise control I got 50miles in comfort mode.

Best speed for i3 is around 55 to 60miles/h in which you can achieve 60 to 75miles in comfort mode and little longer in Uncomfortable modes euphemistically named as Eco pro and Eco pro +.

EVs do not like highway speeds.
Thats a fact.

Welcome to the forum Nu2ecar and I'm glad my experiences have given you an idea of the range limitations the BEV i3 has.

The highway drives I've described took place in often heavy, rush hour traffic with official speedlimits of between 60 to 75 mph with many drivers going much faster. I know out of experience that the driving conditions and mentality in NL are similar to Southern California.

Never once have I felt uncomfortable in my i3 driving the economical speeds I chose to drive: between 55-60mph. I know the i3 can out-accelerate and out-perform almost anything on the highway, if need be. And drivers have respect for a BMW, however leisurely the pace. It's also the best way to see how people react to the i3, when they're passing! They slow down, honk, wave or just stare! And my realistic range at that pace in EP mode is always above 120km (72mi). Now I'll repeat myself, but truely, the "normal" driving mode in the i3 is EP and not Comfort! The latter really makes the car a highway shark: very often fun but not really a necessity for the daily commute and it costs loads of range!

And reconsider if you really need the REx. It's more expensive, you need to lug an extra 120kg (>250lbs) around and it costs you gas and range. See if you can find a plug at work and use that to extend your range! It really works out fine that way with some unexpected benefits.
For example, today I parked for free! I let the i3 navigate to a public quick charger in the area of the Leeuwarden WTC (World Trade Center). That parking lot was empty, had better access from the highway and is located right beside the paid parking lot the Exposition orgaisation designated.
Talk about becoming a lucky EV motorist!

 

[kentheteaman]

Now I'll repeat myself, but truely, the "normal" driving mode in the i3 is EP and not Comfort! The latter really makes the car a highway shark: very often fun but not really a necessity for the daily commute and it costs loads of range!

Hello i3me,

If the Eco pro is the "normal" driving mode - that's a great news indeed.
I do have charging facility at my work end. For me it should all work out to be just fine.

regards,
ken

 

[Nu2ecar]

Thanks Ken and I3me. The Rex is a non-starter in the US as far as I am concerned - regulations have forced BMW to ensure the Rex can't be employed until the battery is almost exhausted. Everyone in the US will have the experience of the Daily Telegraph journalist - lousy performance when the Rex is employed because that will be practically the only power. Suddenly losing power is a safety hazard in my opinion. Driving at 55-60 is probably safer than at 75 mph, but I don't want to drive that way.

Regretfully the Tesla S is probably the only EV left standing for me. I'd prefer something smaller and less expensive - I'll exchange range anxiety for parking-ding anxiety.

 

[RichardG]

Unless they order the REX. One of the reasons that it is standard in Norway, is that we do not get an option to buy the REX version.

Hello LMOR

Are you saying BMW will not supply the i3 with a REX in Norway? Why is that please?

regards Richard

 

[LMOR]

Unless they order the REX. One of the reasons that it is standard in Norway, is that we do not get an option to buy the REX version.

Hello LMOR

Are you saying BMW will not supply the i3 with a REX in Norway? Why is that please?

regards Richard

We have very high taxes on cars in Norway, but pure electric cars have no TAX and no VAT + a lot of other benefits. So nobody would buy the REX version, it would probably be 2xprice of the EV version.

 

[BoMW]

Thanks Ken and I3me. The Rex is a non-starter in the US as far as I am concerned - regulations have forced BMW to ensure the Rex can't be employed until the battery is almost exhausted. Everyone in the US will have the experience of the Daily Telegraph journalist - lousy performance when the Rex is employed because that will be practically the only power. Suddenly losing power is a safety hazard in my opinion. Driving at 55-60 is probably safer than at 75 mph, but I don't want to drive that way.

Regretfully the Tesla S is probably the only EV left standing for me. I'd prefer something smaller and less expensive - I'll exchange range anxiety for parking-ding anxiety.

I think that the telegraph journo was experimenting and pushed the car to extremes, 80-85mph on a flat battery is just not feasible.
I suggest you think about waiting for the Tesla Model X, supposedly smaller and cheaper but with the 300+ mile range that you seek. This is my goal also but in the meantime I shall be buying the i3 Rex .

 

[Nu2ecar]

BoMW,

Several misconceptions. I don't need 300 miles of range. I would accept 70 miles of range, if that could be done with uninhibited driving including speeds of 75 mph in mild weather. I might accept that range as low as 60 miles. Somewhere between 60 and 70 miles is my threshold for uninhibited driving range.

The US Rex cannot be switched on manually. It comes on automatically when the battery is almost exhausted. Thus, it is forced to perform as operated by the Telegraph journalist. It will limp when using the REX because the battery will be low and unable to supplement the REX. The Rex is mandated to be used only in an emergency: it might make a crisis out of a drama.

The Tesla X is an SUV in development that will be built on the same platform as the S. It will have the the same wheelbase, is unlikely to be shorter or narrower overall, and will certainly be more voluminous. Tesla is working on a smaller cheaper car, but that is several years away.

 

[BoMW]

BoMW,

The US Rex cannot be switched on manually. It comes on automatically when the battery is almost exhausted. Thus, it is forced to perform as operated by the Telegraph journalist. It will limp when using the REX because the battery will be low and unable to supplement the REX. The Rex is mandated to be used only in an emergency: it might make a crisis out of a drama.

away.

But to push the car to 75mph + with such little charge is clearly not healthy.
If you are only after a range of 60miles then the Rex is unnecessary and I see no reason why you would need to accelerate over 70mph on 30 mile trip, assuming your commute is 30 miles each way?

 

[i3atl]

EVs do not like highway speeds.
Thats a fact.

If 80miles/h speed is important then you are looking at range of 30 to 40miles maximum in all the EVs available now including i3 except Tesla which will give you 200+ range.

You're correct about EVs not liking highway speeds, however my Leaf gets nearly 70 miles of range @ 75-80mph (outside temp 35-40F).

Leaving the cruise on 60 mph bumps the range up to about 80 miles.

I'm hopeful that the i3 will at least match this, but I can't be sure until I get a chance to test one on the same routes. Your experience, as well as others I've read have me somewhat concerned that the i3 will not quite match the range of the Leaf under these conditions.

 

[Gonville]

I can help with that!
In my spec under 609(Navigationsystem Professional):
Includes 12V battery, 40 Ah wet-call battery, replaces the standard battery 12V, 20 Ah AGM
So us with not getting the 609 for free, can choose. I think that everybody until now have the 40Ah!!

Thomas

Parts list seems to show a 40Ah. Maybe country specific?

01 Original BMW battery, filled 40AH 1 61217635788