REX driving issues

[I33t]

From the UK BMW i3 web site:

"The range extender is a small, smooth-running combustion engine that runs on unleaded petrol. This acts as a generator, which maintains the charge of the high-voltage battery so that the vehicle can continue to drive electrically. It will cut in automatically when your battery state of charge falls below 20%, but you can choose to use it earlier should that better suit your journey."

I doubt that the i3's in USA will limit REX to start at 5% SOC. If it is limited it would likely be at 20% like other markets to optimize battery life.

- - Mike

Different markets, different regulation. It indeed does look like the REX will not be able to be manually turned on or cut in at 20%

http://bmwi3.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/how-carb-may-make-i3s-range-extender.html

The all electric i3 will definitely qualify, but the under the new more strict rules for PHEV's, an EV with a range extender will only qualify for the valuable HOV access sticker if it operates this way: "engine operation cannot occur until the battery charge has been depleted to the charge-sustaining lower limit". So that means the range extender cannot be manually turned on at 80% and still qualify for HOV access in California.

If you read on, it appears there is a chance that outside of CARB states the i3 may be configured differently but no-one knows yet.

 

[TomMoloughney]

From the UK BMW i3 web site:

"The range extender is a small, smooth-running combustion engine that runs on unleaded petrol. This acts as a generator, which maintains the charge of the high-voltage battery so that the vehicle can continue to drive electrically. It will cut in automatically when your battery state of charge falls below 20%, but you can choose to use it earlier should that better suit your journey."

I doubt that the i3's in USA will limit REX to start at 5% SOC. If it is limited it would likely be at 20% like other markets to optimize battery life.

- - Mike

Different markets, different regulation. It indeed does look like the REX will not be able to be manually turned on or cut in at 20%

http://bmwi3.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/how-carb-may-make-i3s-range-extender.html

The all electric i3 will definitely qualify, but the under the new more strict rules for PHEV's, an EV with a range extender will only qualify for the valuable HOV access sticker if it operates this way: "engine operation cannot occur until the battery charge has been depleted to the charge-sustaining lower limit". So that means the range extender cannot be manually turned on at 80% and still qualify for HOV access in California.

If you read on, it appears there is a chance that outside of CARB states the i3 may be configured differently but no-one knows yet.

In the US you WILL NOT be able to manually turn the range extender on - regardless of what state you live in and buy it in, there will not be different versions. It will turn on when somewhere around 6%-5% SOC.

Before people assume that this will make a major problem with functionality, I urge you to test drive one when you can. You could basically drive it from New York to California in REx mode if you wanted to, not that you would want to though because it would mean a lot of stop for gas. Point is, the REx is capable of sustaining the charge under just about any circumstance and as long as you monitor your speed and keep it at 70mph or so, you can do just about anything short of mountain climbing at high speeds.

 

[TomMoloughney]

Hello Group:

The range extender is still a very big issue and I get emails just about daily about it so I did another blog post to try to explain the best I can how the REx will perform. If anyone is interested you can read it here:

http://bmwi3.blogspot.com/2013/12/bmw-i3-range-extender-how-robust-will.html

 

[Mike74jcw]

Well done, Tom! I think your post is a great summary of the REx option as far as we know it today. Looking forward to learning more about it. For me, the question to REx or not to REx is a big and unanswered one regarding my i3 order.