Want to buy an i3 as an around-town EV

[frictioncircle]

Just adding on here about efficiency...

In my 2014 i3 BEV (2,880 pounds) I averaged 4.2 miles/kWh driving a mix of roads 80% surface streets / 20% freeway.

In my 2021 i3s BEV (3,150 pounds + wider tires) I average 3.9 miles/kWh with the same driving style.

 

[frictioncircle]

My efficiency around town in the AWD ID.4 Pro S has been 3.3 - 3.4 miles per kWh best case scenario. When we test drove the i3 the other day and I pulled up the efficiency stats, it was 2.9 miles per kWh, but I did drive it aggressively to see how fast it could accelerate, and we also took it for half the test drive on an interstate, so we drove it at about 70-75 mph half the test drive. What kind of efficiency are you getting with the i3 around town?

sirozha –

Just to follow up on my prior post about efficiency... it's likely the i3 you drove has been calculating its consumption history since it was built – how many car dealers do a full reset on a used car before making it available for test drives?

I think you're seeing such a low consumption figure because this is a used car and everyone that's taken a test drive has gone on the same two-mile loop and has stomped on the accelerator pedal at every stop light.

2.9 miles/kWh is a consumption value you would see from some Audi e-Tron SUV, not an i3.

 

[sirozha]

My efficiency around town in the AWD ID.4 Pro S has been 3.3 - 3.4 miles per kWh best case scenario. When we test drove the i3 the other day and I pulled up the efficiency stats, it was 2.9 miles per kWh, but I did drive it aggressively to see how fast it could accelerate, and we also took it for half the test drive on an interstate, so we drove it at about 70-75 mph half the test drive. What kind of efficiency are you getting with the i3 around town?

sirozha –

Just to follow up on my prior post about efficiency... it's likely the i3 you drove has been calculating its consumption history since it was built – how many car dealers do a full reset on a used car before making it available for test drives?

I think you're seeing such a low consumption figure because this is a used car and everyone that's taken a test drive has gone on the same two-mile loop and has stomped on the accelerator pedal at every stop light.

2.9 miles/kWh is a consumption value you would see from some Audi e-Tron SUV, not an i3.

It makes sense. My AWD Model Y gets close to 5 miles per kWh in city at 70-80F driving (crazy efficiency) and 4 miles per kWh below 40F in city driving. I would think that the i3 should get at least that. My AWD ID.4, on the other hand, gets 3.3 miles per kWh best case scenario and around 3 miles per kWh below 40F in the city.

 

[alohart]

It makes sense. My AWD Model Y gets close to 5 miles per kWh in city at 70-80F driving (crazy efficiency) and 4 miles per kWh below 40F in city driving.

During 9 years of i3 BEV driving, I've averaged 5.2 mi/kWh in our ideal EV driving environment (no ambient temperature extremes, almost no driving above 50 mph, only small elevation changes). Because of these conditions, this driving efficiency is on the high side. Considering that the i3's EV tech is a decade old, the i3's efficiency is pretty good. It was the most efficient EV a decade ago.