Experiences on long trips ?

[Ki3]

Hi all. Prospective 94ah rex owner - how do people feel it wil do for a long trip of about 250 each way to London?
Would propose to charge up 80% on each leg, and also in london at some point while parked - we do a weekend in london about 10 times a year so would be useful if it would be feasible. Anyone experience of charging infrastructure and its reliability along the m6, m40 motorways and in london?
Thoughts?

 

[bwilson4web]

Over the first weekend in September, my wife, her two dogs and I drove 700 miles, each way, to Stillwater Oklahoma. Using the EPA rated 40 MPG (@65 mph), a fuel planning web site identified 10 stops. For safety, I also used the worst case 36 MPG which showed 12 stops. We came in at just over 39 MPG (it was hot and we used the AC) and 10 stops.

The USA Interstates typically have a truck stop every 40 miles but late at night, we found one closed after midnight. So I used a spare, one gallon container and kept going to the next truck stop and filled up.

In my area of the USA, the best I could find were Level 2 chargers, ~3 hrs for a full charge, spaced too far away to reach Stillwater. But gas stations are close enough and we managed both ways with only one, spare can relief. Once at the hotel, we used the Level 1 to top off the battery.

GOOD LUCK!
Bob Wilson

 

[jadnashuanh]

People drive their REx i3 long distances - probably more often in Europe than the USA, but it happens both places. It's possible. Being able to go into range hold mode early (a consistent feature most places but the USA) means you can turn the engine on at about 75% of charge, and run the gas tank dry while continuing on battery until you can refill the tank. The only issue you might have is if you don't start the REx early enough. If you drive faster with a bigger load than the REx can handle (possible, but it's not the norm), you can run the SOC done so you don't have any buffer.

You will have a bit more flexibility if you buy the 2017 with the larger battery. The combination of REx aided range and the larger battery means you can probably go close to 200-miles if you start out with a full charge and a full tank. Refilling the tank before the SOC drops to the danger range means you should just be able to keep going.

 

[bwilson4web]

I forgot to mention at 65 mph the car fully maintains the battery state of charge under REx. At 70 mph it depends on altitude changes, winds, air conditioning, and rain. At 75 mph in +90F/+32C using AC, my car loses 20% of charge with each 32 MPG tank.

Bob Wilson

 

[busaman]

just look on the ecotricity charging map and see where they are normally every 60 miles or so ive used the ones at corley on the m6 with a rex one stop for a charge and petrol top up will do you fine...

 

[Gif]

Just been out for a drive in my new 94ah. Mainly motorway and A roads with cruise at 60 on motorways which some may think too slow but it works fine for me for a relaxing drive. Fully pre-conditioned and 100% SoC at start. Part Rex maintained (to make sure everything worked) and part electric, mostly in Comfort Mode with air con running. Drove 80 miles and returned with 139 mile range still showing. I make that a total of 219 mile range and I fully believe it will do all of that and more especially with the Eco modes available.

Temperature about 15c, no wind, two adults, no baggage, mostly flat terrain i.e. no really big hills.

Well impressed so far

 

[TOEd]

We have a 2015 i3 with REx that we use to drive to our cottage 250 km one way. With a full charge and full tank we make it with a couple of km to spare in the summer with the a/c on. Average speed is 96 km/hr. In the winter with heat on (in Canada) we need to refuel once. Car is fully loaded with two adults used in ecopro mode.

 

[Ki3]

Thanks all really useful.
The 94ah rex should be no problem for my daily commute of 75 in total.
However we like to getaway down to london about 8-10 times a year which is a 450 mile round trip for us. Getting there it looks like using using the ecotricity fast chargers every 60 miles or so (80% in 30 mins) should do the trick as we stop each way at least once anyway.
Intend to stop after about 100 miles each way, charge up 80% n then use a little fuel on getting into london. Once in london we ahould be fine as i find central london esp the shopping centres are well served by chargepoints (many of which are free!).
Roll on december for delivery!!!!

 

[psquare]

I've taken my i3 from Midlands to Germany 3 times now, which is a 420mi journey. On long distance I tend to use the full electric + REx range, which is about 120mi on motorway for me. With the new battery, as you suggest, this should be less of a problem for you. But be aware that the REx needs about 5 mins to warm up, during which your battery charge still goes slightly down. If you then maintain a speed of about 65mph, it will catch up slowly and eventually hold charge. If you go faster than that, you will lose charge gradually. I tend to do 70-75mph electric on motorway and 65-70 on REx.

Ecotricity CCS pumps work very well, especially now the charges have been introduced, which has reduced the users to only those who really need it. But be aware that many Leafs use the triple chargers, which mean they might still occupy "your" CCS unit at stations where there are 2 units. Sometimes a friendly chat resolves this issue and the Leaf driver switches to the other Chademo unit (the one without CCS).

I'd hazard a guess that in your first year you'll get "using petrol anxiety", ie trying to use the REx as little as possible. Then, after 12 months (and knowing what the car can do at different temperatures and weather conditions), you start relaxing and use the REx on occasion. Yet still, after 18 months and 24k+ miles in, almost 93% of our journeys are fully electric.

Thanks,
P

 

[redbarn]

We do a 500 mile each way drive once a month with our Rex that is coded to Euro spec.
With 4 CCS chargers en route now, the journey is quite doable.
The CCS chargers are not equispaced so the Rex gets used for circa 240 miles of the 500.
The car has handled this without a problem.
Apart from the more frequent (but short) gas stops & the longer CCS stops, it is like doing the trip in a normal car.
The Rex is unused for local driving at either end of the trip and we take a 4WD vehicle for 3 monthly trips in the winter.
Looking forward to getting a larger battery version when our lease expires. That would make this trip even easier.

 

[paulnsenior]

Just completed 202 miles round trip journey on a new i3 94aH Rex. See other post.

The Battery was 100% and Rex fuel tank was completely full.

I tried to recharge at my destination, but only managed to add 10% to battery (as I was using a 13amp 3-pin socket).

That said I made it round trip doing 70-75 the whole way.

Very pleased with the range and performance.

P.

 

[James Mckee]

Thanks Should I buy one !! 2017 model rex 33KWh battery 40k on the clock ??

 

[Clanduncan]

Absolutely get it. I've had mine (same age) for 3.5 years now, and I still get 100-135miles winter to summer range from it, plus another 70-100 on the Rex. That's at more than 85,000 on the clock. My longest regular journey without recharge is 145 miles, including using the Rex. I have done return trips without recharge of over 160 as well. Yes, I'm boring in the speed dept at 60mph, but for years I drove a big car that maxed out at 30mpg, so I got used to driving for the best mileage possible!

 

[Oldsparks]

Absolutely get it. I've had mine (same age) for 3.5 years now, and I still get 100-135miles winter to summer range from it, plus another 70-100 on the Rex. That's at more than 85,000 on the clock. My longest regular journey without recharge is 145 miles, including using the Rex. I have done return trips without recharge of over 160 as well. Yes, I'm boring in the speed dept at 60mph, but for years I drove a big car that maxed out at 30mpg, so I got used to driving for the best mileage possible!

Hi I bought the rex 67 reg and it just takes away the range anxiety just travelled to Southampton for Bedford now on a cruise and when We get back in the car We will still have enough battery and fuel to get us back home such a super little car I've always had the bigger bmws X5 and X3 but retired from caravanning sononeed for a large car's bit one and just enjoy the freedom!!

 

[Simoni3]

120Ah, done Essex to Newquay 2020 when the charging infrastructure was pants
Always have a backup plan and take the cable for non tethered chargers

recently put 100 miles in on a fast charger Pease Pottage in 30 mins, time to eat some lunch, no prob

Personally like the 'short' range, forces a stop rather than mad long drives

Spare granny charger in frunk for when visiting friends

All no prob if one is able to plan a bit

And no smelly fuel to pick up every week, what's not to like ?

 

[wjsi327]

Pants?
Granny charger?

 

[Miyanc]

If you couldn't tell from the locations he is in the UK. Granny as in slow as my grandma. I assume pants is like having them yanked down in the school gym, not a good experience.

 

[Map40]

I have done a 2000 mile each way in a 94 Amp, no problem. I go to Orlando a couple of times a month, 275 miles round-trip, not an issue at all. I have of course a REx, but I have recharged on the way, and even once in a Tesla Supercharger (although it only charged at 30kw, while other chargers did 44kw)

 

[amalcolmm]

There's life in these old threads! In British usage, 'pants' means 'rubbish', 'bad', 'total cr*p', etc. Nothing to do with forced disrobing (which would be 'debagging' anyway). End of PSA!

 

[JamesInLondon]

I am planning to drive from North London to Cognac in my 2017 REX, APBP shows that it will probably take around 2 hours longer than when I have done it in my Mercedes E class.
Looking forward to it, in a perverse kind of way.
I was wondering if anyone has done this kind of 550 mile trip and how it went