Experience of BMW/MINI EV users in desert heat?

[uter]

Experience of BMW/MINI EV users in desert heat?

Hello, new to the forum, and very interested in the i3.

I've been on BMW boards for years, and in a effort to establish my "street cred" in a new BMW forum, here's the exhaustive list of the current and prior BMW models I've had.
Current:
2007 E86 M coupe
2010 F07 550 GT
1995 E31 840ci
(yes, I realize these cars are the antithesis of what EV's provide, which is leading up to my question)
Past:
E24
E28 (two)
E36
E46 touring
E34 touring
E38
E39 touring
E61 touring
E90
and an R56 MINI Cooper S
I even use the entwicklung codes as my license plates (http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=385322&d=1373131184)

So now that it's been established that I am, in fact, a complete BMW nerd, I must admit that I know next to nothing about EV's. All I have is deep love for BMW. I see the i3 as filling a role as commuter car, while keeping my [admittedly inefficient] 333 hp Z4 M coupe for fun.

What's been the experience of MINI/BMW ActiveE users in desert heat environments? I can honestly say, I've never seen an BMW EV here in Phoenix/Scottsdale (Remember, I'm a BMW guy, I don't care about Leafs and Teslas) . I'm worried about the load placed on the batteries by our need for air conditioning and the toll the heat takes on the batteries. Assuming that many of the internals on the upcoming i3 will be similar to previous BMW EV's, can folks please comment on their experience when the temperature is in the 100's. We've had over 90 days where the temp hit 100's this summer. Will the i3 be up to the task?

Thanks!

 

[uter]

Now that some i3 drivers have real miles on hot days, could folks comment about the effect of running the air conditioning on your range?

 

[jadnashuanh]

I think it's going to take awhile for the US people to respond. A big difference between the i3 and earlier Leaf's that had issues with heat, is that the i3 has both heating and cooling for the battery back. I think the newest model year Leaf may have fixed that, but earlier ones had battery life issues. The onboard charging system is fairly smart and monitors the heat buildup during charging, and if you don't ready the car while on charge, it will use the batteries to heat or cool itself to the desired temperature range, at least somewhat decreasing your driving range. At least last time I looked, they only offer Android and Apple apps to remotely connect with the car, otherwise, you have to go to it and potentially wait while it's still on the charger to maximize your range capabilities, then start out with the thing ready with a full charge.

 

[pdurham]

Hey jadnashuanh, we're neighbors. I'm in Tucson. This is Day 2 for us with our new i3 REx, and the predicted high for today here is 106º. But during the heat of the day, both the car and I are usually indoors, so it may take a while to accumulate some hot weather experience. One of the key features of the i3 for us was the superior battery pack cooling system of the i3. Theoretically, that should contribute to both range and overall battery life in the heat. I'll try to remember this topic and report our experience.

One thing we did do right off the bat was to have the windows tinted with the film we were told would provide the maximum legal heat rejection. With other cars, I've found window tinting to have a big impact on interior temps and comfort. There's a 3M film called Crystalline which claims greater heat rejection without needing to be extremely dark, and that's what we put on. Expensive, but after paying for the car . . . .

 

[Mike74jcw]

pd,

May I ask how much you paid to tint your i3 windows with the 3M Crystalline? Would you have any pics to share? The temps are high 80s/low 90s here in Virginia and I want to get my windows tinted when I my REx arrives in about a month to reject the maximum amount of heat.

I am also considering the Prestige Spectra PhotoSync tint which is also supposed to be very good.

Thanks in advance!

 

[drb]

Friends, this is a subject I would very much like to know more about. I am not expecting my i3 before mid-July so I can't contribute to the conversation until then. I live on the coast but spend a fair amount of time in the interior valleys of Southern California where the temperatures in summer are regularly 100 degrees or more. I am accustomed to good, strong air conditioning. Are those of you living in Arizona getting that? And how do the high temperatures impact the operations of the battery and the vehicle in general? If we may, let us keep this dialogue going. Have fun and stay cool.

 

[pdurham]

You might want to be seated for this news--I paid $900 for the tinting. That includes the windshield (not usually tinted but doable and apparently legal here with the Crystalline film). The windshield added $300, so I suppose the best comparison would be to subtract that since most tinting prices, in my experience, don't include the windshield. I very much liked the idea of getting some heat protection installed on the windshield since the thing is so big. So far, I've driven it only at night, and it seems to be OK, though if I didn't live in the desert, I might skip the windshield. More info as I get some experience.

Google "3M Crystalline" for info on the stuff I got.

(As an aside, I'm looking for a windshield sunshade (critically important here) that will fit the i3. The dealer's parts department has nothing yet.) Anybody . . . ?

I won't be able to make comparisons on the impact of A/C on range, because it's now SUMMER in Tucson, which means the A/C will be on all the time. (Sorry, I will NOT turn off the A/C for testing purposes!) I am experimenting with using the Eco Pro drive mode to cut down on the A/C impact. Eco Pro +, which shuts A/C off completely (and that behavior doesn't seem to be adjustable), clearly doesn't work at this time of year.

 

[jadnashuanh]

Hey jadnashuanh, we're neighbors. I'm in Tucson.

I have a cousin that (I think) lives in that area, but I live in New Hampshire, so not close to Tucson! Have been there on business occasionally, but not recently.

I have that 3M tint on my GT, and found it made an immediate impact. It is the only one approved by the cancer society for reduction of UV rays, and is used on many ambulances and police cars. In some of the grades, it is legal to also put it on the windshield! I did not have them do that. On my GT, which has more glass area than the i3, it cost me around $650. I have the maximum tint that NYS (I had it installed in Rochester, NY) allows for all windows, and it does not stop all that much in the visible spectrum, but definitely does in the UV and IR ranges. 3M won't sell the stuff to anyone...so, not all tinting shops can do it. Go to their website to find authorized dealers. It's been about 3-years, and still looks like new.

 

[uter]

...I am accustomed to good, strong air conditioning. Are those of you living in Arizona getting that? And how do the high temperatures impact the operations of the battery and the vehicle in general?

Let's hope we hear from AZ owners as to how the air-conditioning is working in the scorching summer heat.

Also, regarding window tint. Here in AZ, I've been very pleased with Hüper-Optik on my BMW's and MINI. It's an expensive ceramic tint with good heat reflection but minimal darkness.

 

[pdurham]

We've had our i3 for less than a week, but the high's have been over 100º the whole time. I have not subjected the car to the true torture test--let it bake in the sun for a few hours, then hop in and turn A/C to max. I don't plan on doing that anytime soon as i3 and I are still in the honeymoon phase.

But I have driven around in the heat of the day, sometimes in Comfort mode and sometimes in Eco Pro mode, and A/C has kept up very well in both modes. If the car has sat in the sun a bit, then I find Comfort mode helpful to cool it down at the beginning. The tinted windows help tremendously of course. Bottom line: especially with tinted windows (3M Crystalline (which claims to be the best for heat rejection) on all windows: 70% on the windshield, 40% on sides and back), the A/C seems to do an excellent job of cooling the car. No question in my opinion as to its capacity or capability. But if your windows aren't tinted, I don't know--we had ours tinted the day after we got the car.

As to its impact on range, my info so far is subjective only. Was out last evening and able to drive in Eco Pro + mode (which turns A/C completely off). I could easily see the impact of no A/C vs. full A/C -- my remaining range decreased noticeably less quickly than during daytime drives with A/C on. Good information on the impact of A/C on range will require comparisons between similar trips for which temperature was the major variable. I won't be able to do that for a few months (until it cools a bit). And, sorry, I'm not willing to drive around at 100º+ with the A/C off for anyone!

BTW, if anyone learns of a windshield sun shade (the kind you put in the windshield when you park in the sun) to fit the i3, please let me know! The dealership does not have anything to offer yet.

Toasting in Tucson,

 

[uter]

BTW, if anyone learns of a windshield sun shade (the kind you put in the windshield when you park in the sun) to fit the i3, please let me know! The dealership does not have anything to offer yet.

Toasting in Tucson,

Thanks for the information on driving with AC on in 100° heat.

Regarding the sunshade: I have the OEM shade for my M coupe and my 550GT. The one for the GT is quite large and also is used for the X5. You might ask the parts desk if they have a shade for an X3 or 3-series GT and see if it fits the i3.

 

[Gonville]

I know you are all interested in how well the ac cools the cabin.....
What interests me is how well the car cools the battery in these desert conditions

I know it's not going to be easy to tell as the i3 has no battery temp indicator

Does it have a battery temp meter.?

Can anyone hear the ac working to cool the battery . I would try plugging into your evse Witt the car off. Hopefully in the sun or a hot garage. If you hear pumps or ac going its an indication of cooling.
Starting a charge might kick it on too. As a leaf owner I am very interested in this "active cooling system" as BMW describes it. Just how active and effective is it?

It may be a bit before someone has gizmos or maybe a scan tool to rad battery temps as we can on the leaf.

After a 50mile trip yesterday in relatively scorching temperatures of 23 degrees for Southern England I could hear some kind of fan pump running after ignition off. It wasn't the Rex as that came on yesterday and was much louder and at the back. This seemed to be somewhere low down mid ships. AC had been on and we were down to 5 miles range.

 

[user 242]

I looked at both the 3M and the Huper ceramic window tint product and feel that the Huper is the superior product in terms of rejecting the maximum amount of heat and also in terms of durability. Huper is a German heat rejection film manufacturer which has been around for years.

 

[Firebird23]

Hi Everyone,

the maximum electric power of heating/cooling device is roughly 5kW.
Given a normal driving mode (around 10-13 kW/100km whilst average speed is about 60 km/h) aprox. 30% of your electric energy goes to heating cooling - if full power would be necessary all the time (for example in Alaska in Feb).
My experience is that you loose roughly 10-15% of your range at around 30°C (86° F) to airconditioning while doing a normal city drive.
I can't give you the kW/h to cool/heat the car by a given Delta to environmental temperature. Anyone eager to do test measurements ??

"non electric" Recommendations:
1. open all windows while take off (if you start with a hot car).
2. opt for non_black_leather seats.
3. opt for an white car.
4. turn on ventilation on max before AC.
5. use AC in automatic mode with the desired "target temperature" and vary the "climate styles" - (Fan speed) to meet your requirements.
6. don't put anything on the front screen. It has a special heat reflecting coating.

Regards,
Dirk

 

[mastruck]

Hi, we pick up our i3 on Thursday in Scottsdale, AZ. It has been a year since this thread died out. I'm curious what the experiences of the other AZ i3 owners have been during this time. What kind of range are you seeing in the summer? Any signs of accelerated battery degradation? AC able to keep you cool. Yes, 3M Crystaline tint apointment scheduled.

Thanks, Mike

PS: Is it painful with zero L3 chargers anywhere AZ? Any signs that this will change?

 

[jadnashuanh]

FWIW, BMW says that driving over 30mph with the windows down takes MORE energy than using the a/c because of the increased drag.

BMW's battery warranty makes no distinction of whether you live in Alaska or Arizona, so they at least think they have the battery function and longevity figured out. The original Leaf did not have any active heating/cooling of their battery pack, and they did have issues in places like AZ.