6 Months And I’m Going to Sell it

[jadnashuanh]

I was specifically talking about ones with smallest battery packs.

At this point, I've not seen a need to update my i3 for one with a larger battery pack, even when the range drops into the 50-mile range after a zero-degree day. I use it for running around town. I only live a mile from a mall and grocery stores, about 3 miles or so from my doctor's office, and it's 7-miles to the rail trail where I like to bike. Most friends or other activities are mostly within 10-miles. I bought it specifically since all of those short trips would be hell on my ICE as it would almost never get fully warmed up, making oil, battery, and muffler life and related engine wear a concern.

I am waiting to see what crop of hybrids will be coming out in the next year or two, and if one of the hybrids ends up with enough battery capacity to do my normal around-town travels, I may trade both cars in on one. The new X5 coming out in a week or so will have a hybrid next year that is claimed to have around 50-miles of battery range, and I can pull a trailer (been lusting after a small Airstream), since it has the 6-cylinder ICE to back it up, and the instant torque from the EV should be really nice in that environment. The thing I'd miss, though, is the short turning circle and easier parking of the i3, so I might check out the rear-wheel steering to let it become a bit more maneuverable.

Everyone's use pattern is different. For me, the original battery capacity is fine, and I expect it will continue to be for a long time, battery degradation or not. If I'm 'lucky', they'll need to replace it with a new pack with larger capacity before the warranty expires, which will make it more useful to others when I sell it.

 

[i3Houston]

The original battery capacity works just fine for me, last about two days on weekdays and 95% of the trips on weekends.

I feel that the same way that larger battery packs that will not be used more than a few times in a year is just dead weight inside the car, lowering the efficiency.

Hybrid/Rex is one way to go; the other option is battery Swap- Lease the battery(reduce the cost of the car) OR change(Tesla way that they stopped). I dont like either. Another way hopefully in the future, where one can rent add-on battery pack. It may be possible for auto makers to have a permanent battery pack and space for additional that one can rent and return. So instead of buying a car with 40kWh that will get seldom used, some can buy 20kWh cheaper/efficient pack and rent 5 or 10kWh when they need it.

*others likely have already thought and discussed on this forum, sorry if this is a duplicate post!