Is the I3 a good solutions for me

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Pakiwi

New member
Joined
Dec 23, 2017
Messages
2
Starting to do the research for my next car and want to seriously look at the i3 and see if it's a good solution for me.
I live in Central Park and commute about 20000 miles to work a year.
Currently drive an E90 328 and get about 28 mpg.
Commute is around 66 miles so in winter realise this will be at the edge of battery use. I have 2 miles each end normal roads on my journey with the remainder being highway.
This drive would mean I'm exhausting my battery every day. Will this reduce the length of the life of my battery range.
I believe I would need a type 2 charger at home.
There aren't many chargers in the area but are just now starting to pop up.
Am I too early for this transition and am I asking too much if the i3.
My other choice is the 328d.
The i3 I am looking at is 2015 REX.
I know on paper this works. But any feedback greatly appreciated.
Allan
 
High speeds (with the traffic around the city, that's maybe theoretical!) you'd be using the REx probably all of the time in the winter for the last part, and maybe get by on all electric without in the warmer months. The range goes down sort of as the square of the speed, so higher speeds really can suck it dry quicker. The newest version with the larger battery should have enough the whole year.

Yes, you'd probably want a level 2 EVSE at home, otherwise, it would take all night (and maybe more) to fully recharge it with the 120vac, level 1 device that comes with it.
 
What Jim said. Assuming you can't charge at work, you'll be using the REx the last few mile, which is ok. That's what it's meant for. Yes, you need a Level 2 charger.
If you haven't already done so, get the plugshare app for your phone. It'll show all the charging stations near you. Perhaps there's one near your work that you can use, say, at lunch time.
 
First requirements:
Pakiwi said:
  • live in Central Park
  • commute about 20000 miles to work a year
  • Commute is around 66 miles
  • 2 miles each end normal roads on my journey with the remainder being highway.
Need a type 2 charger at home?
Looking at 2015 REX
Any BMW i3-REx will work but some better than others. Use the last 7 characters of the VIN to find out what options it has. In your case, dynamic cruise control will make both City and Highway driving much easier and efficient.

The stock BMW i3-REx is OK but much improved with coding (i.e., changing the default settings.) If you know you will be running out of charge, starting the REx early is a coding option that puts you in charge. Also, setting the default mode to 'ECO Pro' helps preserves charge and isn't as fidgety in traffic.

Using the L1 charger that comes with the car adds 5% per hour at 12A. An L2 charger will add 20% per hour with a net, 31A circuit at 208-240 VAC. Background, the usable current from a circuit is 80% of the design limit so it needs to be at least a 40A circuit. If you have to order a circuit, have it installed with a NEMA 14-50 socket in a 50A circuit to 'future proof' it. Tricky, if you can access a 30A dryer circuit, you can safely use 24A at 208-240 VAC.

Optional in the 2014, standard thereafter, the fast DC charger option uses a CCS plug. We have a free one downtown so I drive directly there before going home. In 30 minutes, it will bring the car to 80-90% charge and there are nice bars and restaurants in walking distance. Use "plugshare" to survey the chargers along your route and read the comments.

The REx can sustain the battery charge at 70 mph running ~38 MPG. At 65 mph, the REx runs at 40 MPG. With coding, you can EV in town and use the REx on the highway where it blends in with the usual noise. You will always be able to burst to higher speeds for passing and traffic but you'll see the battery SOC decline a few percent. Coding can increase the usable gas from 1.9 to 2.3 gallons. Although there is some disagreement about the safety, a 2 gal spare can fits in the front trunk.

GOOD LUCK!
Bob Wilson
 
All responses so far have assumed that Pakiwi is a U.S. resident (Level 2, coding to enable HSOC). Because of Pakiwi's British spellings and mention of a Type 2 EVSE, I'm guessing that Pakiwi is a resident of New Zealand or some other British Commonwealth country (please set your location in your profile). If so, Pakiwi's REx would have HSOC enabled by default and a 230 V OUC that would likely be sufficient for overnight charging although a Type 2 EVSE would charge more rapidly.

A 2015 REx should work well for Pakiwi's use case.
 
I do live in the states. Pennsylvania. Auto correct changed Central PA to central Park. The UK spelling is due to growing up in Nee Zealand.
I will go in and update my profile.
Lots if good information. Thanks. I am going to have to read up on charging. I did download the plugshare application. There is an EV plug close to my house and near work.
Does anybody else run around 20000 miles per year?
Thanks
Allan
 
Personally, while you can do it, if I had to stop for fuel maybe every other day, I'd consider a different vehicle. The new ones, with the larger battery pack could probably just run pure EV for your daily commute...the older ones with the original battery pack in the winter, probably won't. From a cost viewpoint, depending on your electric rates, the i3 would probably end up cheaper, but the REx still has a muffler, radiator, cooling system, spark plugs, oil filter, air filter - everything an ICE has, but smaller, and will need maintenance. In the summer, you'd probably not need to stop for fuel, but as it gets cold, you probably will.
 
Pakiwi said:
. . .
Does anybody else run around 20000 miles per year?
. . .
Before I retired, I'd passed 17k mi. A year ago, I was planning a trip to Oklahoma when a motor mount bolt broke. So I replaced a 2010 Prius with a 2017 Prius Prime that has 8k mi after a year. Our BMW i3-REx has 27k miles total of which I put on 20k in 18 months.

Bob Wilson
 
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