First love the car, 2013 rex, latest software.
Although really happy with car, some off my experiences that I have not seen many people talk about.
Some feedback as a commuter (daily 50km total), some local trips, a few longer highway trips done. 99% ecopro driving.
Steering general for cars (and BMW’s):
12 a clock: means going straight (12).
The rear wheel drive cars I am used to: steering goes to 12 after a corner. You can feel the pressure on the steering wheel going out of a corner and it will gently follow the corner and go to 12 (straight).
BMW i3 steering:
The first 5-10 minutes past 12: it STAYS in that position. You always need to help the car the last 5-10 minutes. Being a BMW (owned a few) I find that very strange. On straights you keep correcting the steering (highway speeds even more).
If I need to take something (glasses) out of the center console I really have to watch it going straight, you do not feel any feedback in the steering the first 5-10 minutes past 12.
Since I only commute 98% of the time: not a big issue, but strange for a BMW !
Handling/performance:
Have some fast driving/track experience. And this thing handles really well and is fast as well (up to 80 km/h it is actually really fast).
But ….. going faster (not that fast) into a corner, let go the pedal fast and regen kicks in strong and STAYS in the corner. Means you are going into a corner with brakes applied to the back. Not what you normally want. Going really fast into a corner: just full on the brakes (kills regen) and push out: no problem. Damn fast handling! (you can E-smoke a lot of cars).
Winter and tires:
- Regen lockup (search on it: written enough about it)
- Summer tires: great for summer, worst EVER invented tire for winter…..should be improved so we can drive with one set in mild climates (now you basically need to sets of wheels).
Commuter RANGE:
As a commuter with enough range: battery pre-heat does not matter.
Using energy to get more range but you never drive that range !
I drive 25km, park at office, charge. Drive 25km back home and in the morning back to the office (only charge at the office most of the time). Drive away cold in morning or end of day.
As a city car…. Range is never close to what they claim…. No ones drives 150km in a city in one go !
Would I keep it if I had to make more longer trips every week (beyond the cars e-range): NO…. would buy another car.
Noise level:
People find it a silent car, it is, but not that silent (mostly wind noise). The outlander is better inside, my old lexus (v8 petrol)….better. As a city car…… perfect.
Missing settings:
- Seat heating: always on with timer PLEASE (winter I do this: ecopro, seats on and off after a few minutes…every day twice .....get us a setting !
- pre-heat cabin….. uses your last trip setting! Would be nice to configure that… I don’t not want the car to be 21 degrees when I get in….. 17/18 is ok or just enough to de-ice or clear the window.
- In general….. being able to configure more options to be set when you start the car, it is SOFTWARE so easy… and not a critical car system….
Rex:
Rex: inefficient thing, noisy if you got an empty battery (so you want to engage it earlier). A Toyota aygo uses less fuel ! Not designed for driving, designed as emergency option.
Fast charging (public):
Perfect…. 20 minutes to 90% (50kw DC) but expensive charging (euro 0.60/kw…. Same cost as driving with the REX…… emergency option as well for me.
Home/office charging (non-public):
Very important point for me.
I want an e-car that has the range I need without the need for public charging.
Public charging: MORE time and/or EXPENSIVE (almost same as petrol car….), want to avoid.
Even if just 5 minutes would get you 80% charge: it will be as expensive a s petrol, so want to avoid that.
I can charge at my office and home and have PV panels. Already have fast charging, so I can charge fast cheap and always have enough range (we can go up to 22kw).
So my next car: how fast/easy can it be charged at HOME will be KEY ? ….. prefer 3 phase AC (cheapest to get in most homes/offices). Don’t want a car with “proprietary” fast charging technology (creates lock-in and not future proof…..).
Goal: home/office being able to get 400-500km range within an hour (that will determine the choice for the next car).
My MBW i3: charging ok (single phase), new version 3-phase… way better.
Driving electric cars will be the future but it will be as expensive as petrol (if we do not do something about it)……. they have to get the tax from somewhere!
Although really happy with car, some off my experiences that I have not seen many people talk about.
Some feedback as a commuter (daily 50km total), some local trips, a few longer highway trips done. 99% ecopro driving.
Steering general for cars (and BMW’s):
12 a clock: means going straight (12).
The rear wheel drive cars I am used to: steering goes to 12 after a corner. You can feel the pressure on the steering wheel going out of a corner and it will gently follow the corner and go to 12 (straight).
BMW i3 steering:
The first 5-10 minutes past 12: it STAYS in that position. You always need to help the car the last 5-10 minutes. Being a BMW (owned a few) I find that very strange. On straights you keep correcting the steering (highway speeds even more).
If I need to take something (glasses) out of the center console I really have to watch it going straight, you do not feel any feedback in the steering the first 5-10 minutes past 12.
Since I only commute 98% of the time: not a big issue, but strange for a BMW !
Handling/performance:
Have some fast driving/track experience. And this thing handles really well and is fast as well (up to 80 km/h it is actually really fast).
But ….. going faster (not that fast) into a corner, let go the pedal fast and regen kicks in strong and STAYS in the corner. Means you are going into a corner with brakes applied to the back. Not what you normally want. Going really fast into a corner: just full on the brakes (kills regen) and push out: no problem. Damn fast handling! (you can E-smoke a lot of cars).
Winter and tires:
- Regen lockup (search on it: written enough about it)
- Summer tires: great for summer, worst EVER invented tire for winter…..should be improved so we can drive with one set in mild climates (now you basically need to sets of wheels).
Commuter RANGE:
As a commuter with enough range: battery pre-heat does not matter.
Using energy to get more range but you never drive that range !
I drive 25km, park at office, charge. Drive 25km back home and in the morning back to the office (only charge at the office most of the time). Drive away cold in morning or end of day.
As a city car…. Range is never close to what they claim…. No ones drives 150km in a city in one go !
Would I keep it if I had to make more longer trips every week (beyond the cars e-range): NO…. would buy another car.
Noise level:
People find it a silent car, it is, but not that silent (mostly wind noise). The outlander is better inside, my old lexus (v8 petrol)….better. As a city car…… perfect.
Missing settings:
- Seat heating: always on with timer PLEASE (winter I do this: ecopro, seats on and off after a few minutes…every day twice .....get us a setting !
- pre-heat cabin….. uses your last trip setting! Would be nice to configure that… I don’t not want the car to be 21 degrees when I get in….. 17/18 is ok or just enough to de-ice or clear the window.
- In general….. being able to configure more options to be set when you start the car, it is SOFTWARE so easy… and not a critical car system….
Rex:
Rex: inefficient thing, noisy if you got an empty battery (so you want to engage it earlier). A Toyota aygo uses less fuel ! Not designed for driving, designed as emergency option.
Fast charging (public):
Perfect…. 20 minutes to 90% (50kw DC) but expensive charging (euro 0.60/kw…. Same cost as driving with the REX…… emergency option as well for me.
Home/office charging (non-public):
Very important point for me.
I want an e-car that has the range I need without the need for public charging.
Public charging: MORE time and/or EXPENSIVE (almost same as petrol car….), want to avoid.
Even if just 5 minutes would get you 80% charge: it will be as expensive a s petrol, so want to avoid that.
I can charge at my office and home and have PV panels. Already have fast charging, so I can charge fast cheap and always have enough range (we can go up to 22kw).
So my next car: how fast/easy can it be charged at HOME will be KEY ? ….. prefer 3 phase AC (cheapest to get in most homes/offices). Don’t want a car with “proprietary” fast charging technology (creates lock-in and not future proof…..).
Goal: home/office being able to get 400-500km range within an hour (that will determine the choice for the next car).
My MBW i3: charging ok (single phase), new version 3-phase… way better.
Driving electric cars will be the future but it will be as expensive as petrol (if we do not do something about it)……. they have to get the tax from somewhere!