Is coast to coast road trip by i3 possible?

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sapphire

New member
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Apr 30, 2018
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2
Hi,

I am thinking of a road trip from east coast (Ohio) to west coast (Arizona). I have a 2017 i3 w/ range extender that seems to have a lot of leased miles remaining. Not sure if it is practical, but I am thinking the possibility of driving my i3, around 2000 miles one way. Upon checking the plugshare map, there are quite some charging stations on the way, mostly Level 2, but in the mid-west states, the charging stations are pretty scattering and limited. Then I assume the trip will rely heavily on the range extender.

The thing is, the gas tank is small, so I have to pump it every 60 miles, or around 35 times for the entire trip. is it too much? probably a 2.5-gallon or 5-gallon gas can is needed in case that there is no gas station around. Or to be safe, should I just have the i3 coded to unlock the "hold state of charge" mode? I feel that doing so may void the BMW warranty, and thus the roadside assistant, but roadside assistant is beneficial for a road trip. Please advice.

Did someone ever drive an i3 in such a long distance? This is just to try. If it is not practical at all, I can switch to be renting a regular car.

First post here. Thanks in advance!
 
It can be done, but you really would want to recode the REx hold to the max of 75%. Even then, crossing a mountain pass could be an issue if you don't plan properly. Overnight, even the OUC that comes with the car may not top it back up, depending on how discharged the battery is (it could take nearly a day to recharge on 110vac with the OUC with a nearly discharged battery pack).

But, if you can get over stopping about every hour or so to refill the tank, you could just keep driving the thing forever - on the flat, driving over about 72mph will start to discharge the battery as that's about the max the REx can output. Throw in an uphill grade or a good headwind (more likely on the way back), and that speed will drop where the charge will gradually drop. Take advantage of any CCS chargers you can, and try to pick restaurants that have EVSEs for their customers.

Personally, I find the car fine for running around locally, but do not think I'd enjoy myself on a 4,000 mile round-trip in one.
 
It would be an adventure for sure. Practical ? Only you can decide that.
If you decide to do it, I wold definitely code the car. Many, many people have coded their car and I haven't heard of one with a warranty issue. Try to stay in a hotel that has an L2 charger, or a DC fast charger. There's an app for that called EV Hotels.
I would not recommend carrying a can of gas in the car....too dangerous in case of an accident, and the fumes wouldn't be pleasant IMO.
 
The stopping every hour or so would be maybe the biggest hassle. If you're on interstates, in some sections, you might be on fumes between available gas stations, and it could be a real problem if one of them was closed when you got there! You might get close to 70-miles or so on the REx, but you might not, either. On I-90 that I travel fairly frequently (in my ICE), getting on/off of the highway means going through the toll gates, and the service areas on the road are sometimes 40-miles apart...shorter than you'd like to go by one, and maybe problematic if you went to the next.

FWIW, the front of any modern car is designed to crush...not a great place to have a gas can. People do it, but they're called accidents since you do not plan for them...sometimes your luck runs out. Are you feeling lucky?
 
It's my understanding that if the REx runs out of gas and shuts off, the car will continue to "run" if it has a battery charge greater than ~6%. So if you code your car to turn on the REx at 75% and you run out of gas, you would probably have enough charge to get you another 50 miles or so. Just something else to consider.
 
Why not use the BMW Flexible Mobility program. I've used it a number of times on quite long trips and for a number of days at a time - 12 days the longest. If the dealers around you participate that might be the best option - you get a new ICE bimmer for free - just put in gas and drive.

The i3 is doable - I've read people going ~1k miles, not quite 2k at a time but it is not a highway car - it will definitely be an adventure and not the pleasantest of experience. And I will not even think about it if you don't have the car coded to unlock the REX & gas tank.
 
I say go for it. If you plan your fuel fillups and charging carefully.

This is an adventure in your i3 to use up lease miles rather than "I have to get to Arizona and my only vehicle is an i3 Rex", so why not?

Sounds like it could be a lot of fun.

Good Luck!!!!!
 
I drove mine from Los Angeles to Cedar Rapids, Iowa (2000 miles) through AZ and NM, lower passes than CO or WY. I wouldn't encourage it, but definitely possible. Worst case was 30 mph going up mountain pass. Coding would be advisable to avoid that issue.

5 gallon spare fuel tank is mandatory (2 gallons would be barely adequate). 35 gas stops (counting 3 or so fill ups from my spare tank). A well sealed container and I had zero smell from it, make sure it is secured and can't tip.

Mine wasn't coded or anything. Also, dont do in summer or winter (climate usage, hardly had any AC on hills in AZ nor heat in mornings) and check wind directions and strengths. The car can reliably hold 60-70 mph on relatively flat ground, but strong headwinds could cause issue.

Wrote about it on my blog:
https://carswithplugs.wordpress.com
 
It's all about how willing you are to compromise your 'normal' car trip experiences. About the smallest gas tank on any ICE will still get you at least 200-miles without much difference summer/winter, and could be significantly more (mine will go 500). And, there's over 100K gas stations in the USA, each with multiple pumps that can refill the car in less than 10-minutes with rarely a wait to get to one. In most cases, you don't really have to think about where you want to stop much. That is NOT the situation today when driving a car like the i3. Even if you can find an EVSE or CCS unit, there's no guarantee that it is working or that someone isn't using it (or parked to block your access!). Then, that refill rate can vary significantly from maybe a low of 10A to 32A for an EVSE, and anywhere from 10Kw to 50Kw on a CCS unit. Note, on the EVSE, even at its maximum current rating, many of them do not use 240vac...208vac is a more common commercial supply, so that decreases the charging performance by about 20% (power = volts * amps, lower the voltage available, and even at the maximum current, your result will decrease).

Yes, you can find a quality gas can to fit in the i3's frunk...that may have no saving grace should you have a frontal accident...that area IS designed to crush. Now, your odds are low, but do you run with scissors or knives? Best to be safe verses sorry. Only you can asses your risk tolerance levels, but it does help to be informed of the potential consequences.

There may come a day when long-distance travel with an EV is as simple as today's case with an ICE (fast, numerous charging options). But, even with Tesla's supercharger network, should you wish to go the path less traveled, you could be far away from one, and need a long time to get your vehicle back in operation. The REx was designed as an emergency backup crutch...it works. It's not the best way to travel long distances. Other hybrids are designed for this...the i3 was optimized for maximum efficiency, not maximum range so compromises had to be made. Today, you can't get one configuration for everyone. Maybe never will.
 
The Rex wasn't designed as a crutch, in Europe it allows holding at 75% charge, so it means you can maintain full power for quite a ways on the highway as long as you start with charge. The US they handicapped it pointlessly to let it get EV credits. Thankfully, that restriction can be lifted.

A person just has to realize the limitations that the engine only has a bit over 30 hp and since it only has a small buffer it means you are limited to lower speeds.

I do think it would be improved by a 75 hp engine, but then it would be less EV. Tradeoffs. I will regularly be making 200 mile trips in mine, it does well enough on the highway (I avoid interstates until I get my coding adapter).

Filling up gas is 20 times faster than charging it, only takes a couple minutes for a fuel stop. Even filling mine up 35 times over 2000 miles only added about 3 hours, less than 1 L2 charge, plus the rest breaks meant I was never tired.
 
Firstly thank you everyone for the response. Have been busy since this week and didn't have time to check back yet. Will read through your replies and follow them up.
 
Rumors have it that the only reason the REx exists was from the marketers. The car was designed as a commuter/city car. That you can use it on a trip is secondary, not it's primary reason for existence. The worry was, few would buy it if they feared it would run out of battery and leave them stranded coming home from work. As a result, the REx was not designed for optimal long-distance travel but to get you home in case your plans changed, or you miscalculated. When they went to the extreme to eliminate extra grams from the design, throwing in a gas tank, plumbing, and the motor with everything required to make it work doesn't make a lot of design sense.

BMW does make lots of other hybrids where the priority was not to be extremely efficient for running around a city, but none of them are serial hybrids like the REx.
 
I would expect premium brand companies like BMW to have internal checks , not to sell less robust products into the market , under their brand name.

Weather BMW designed the rex with only emergency purpose or more robust usage purpose, either way , they own the product and re responsible for selling the car, educating the customers, , earning the profits, servicing them , and warranting the car.

I mean to say , it will become a similar situation like Nissan Leaf where the with lack of Thermal Management , makes it as 2nd grade car, increase Nissan's cost to replace them , under warranty , and take a hit to their brand name , as C grade

At least Leaf is the king of low cost, and the brand has become synonymous with cheap ev's. Nissan kind of planned that positioning.

is this the same case with BMW i2 rex . Selling less robust car , at a premium price, , than what customers might expect the rex engine to be ? and doing that in purpose

In theory , there is no reason , why rex engine , should not last a very long time....with long drives.

jadnashuanh said:
Rumors have it that the only reason the REx exists was from the marketers. The car was designed as a commuter/city car. That you can use it on a trip is secondary, not it's primary reason for existence. The worry was, few would buy it if they feared it would run out of battery and leave them stranded coming home from work. As a result, the REx was not designed for optimal long-distance travel but to get you home in case your plans changed, or you miscalculated. When they went to the extreme to eliminate extra grams from the design, throwing in a gas tank, plumbing, and the motor with everything required to make it work doesn't make a lot of design sense.

BMW does make lots of other hybrids where the priority was not to be extremely efficient for running around a city, but none of them are serial hybrids like the REx.
 
While you can use a pair of pliers to remove a nut...often, a wrench will work better. The i3 is not ideal for long-distance travel. I've never said it couldn't be used that way, but it isn't as convenient. People crossed the USA in covered wagons pulled by oxen, too. It worked...the railroad was a better, faster choice.

SO, pick your level of comfort and convenience you're willing to accept, just don't slam the vehicle for not being the wrench. It is what it is. It will take you longer than an ICE or a hybrid designed for long distance travel, but it will still get there.
 
jadnashuanh said:
While you can use a pair of pliers to remove a nut...often, a wrench will work better. The i3 is not ideal for long-distance travel. I've never said it couldn't be used that way, but it isn't as convenient. People crossed the USA in covered wagons pulled by oxen, too. It worked...the railroad was a better, faster choice.

SO, pick your level of comfort and convenience you're willing to accept, just don't slam the vehicle for not being the wrench. It is what it is. It will take you longer than an ICE or a hybrid designed for long distance travel, but it will still get there.

ok. I understand your point of view. But mine is different. i think , its all about the Mountains :)
In my case, i only use rex, when i travel out of city. When i do use it, it often is used extensively on that day. The only inconvenience is carrying a 2.5 gallon gas tan in the frunk. I am just fine with that. I can understand , how other may not be with that option.
Inside city , its more like a backup plan , on a cold rain day ....., i think with 2017 larger pack, rex is less useful inside the city.
But rex makes it like a regular gas car.

Out of city, i often end up in the mountains, and the regen makes the car better than any other pure ICE. So i prefer this over a ICE , which is not ideal in mountains.
Also i do not want to pay for insurance for a separate car. Also i keep lot of useful stuff in my car, and changing the car is not ideal
The added wait of rex is not a problem for me, as a heavier car is also safer in a collision , so i am ok with that.

All i expect from the car is the rex is durable , on the day we use it . it helps the battery too , when i drive fast to gain altitude.
 
bwilson4web said:
@EVMan,

It looks like you have two BMW i3-REx, 2016 and 2017?

Could you check to see if the 'Tripmeter' is on both cars?

Thanks,
Bob Wilson

Can you please elaborate more, whats is the question ? or the test ?
Yes there is a trip meter in both.
 
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