1st long trip in our 2015 i3 REX : Bay Area to Tahoe

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gps1539

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Jul 3, 2018
Messages
53
We've owned a 2015 i3 REX for ~2 years and mostly driven to work/shops and to family who are <50 miles away. This week we headed to Tahoe from Los Gatos CA, which is ~ 230 Miles and a 6000' climb away, our 1st long trip. After a bit of planning with plugshare and 'Drive the Arc' on where to charge, plus some googling on where we could eat, we had a plan.

All went to to plan:

1. Started with 100% charge and full gas tank (i3 is coded, full ~= 2.9 gallons)
2. Drove up Hwy 17/800 and then over to Hwy 680
3. Exited 680 to Livermore and then took Vasco Rd to Antioch and then Hwy 160 to Sacramento
- this is a little slower, but a beautiful route along the river and @ 50-55 Mph it is more efficient
4. Turned on REX @ 50% SOC
5. Merged onto Hwy 80 and headed to Roseville for the 1st charge
6. Turned off Rex with @ 39 miles to go with an aim to arrive at arounf 15% SOC
7. Arrived at the Drive the Arc / Evgo charger at Whole Foods with 17% SOC
8. Charged (for free, thanks Drive the Arc), for 45 mins while we had lunch
9. Set off to our next charge at Nyack with 92% SOC and ~ 35% gas
10. Got to Nyack after climbing many feet and using the REX a little to be safe. We came in at ~ 25% SOC.
11. Charged for 25 mins (also for free). walked our dog for a pee break, then filled up on gas, as this is also a Shell station.
12. Set off to Tahoe with ~ 92% SOC and made it to our destination with 45% SOC and a full gas tank.

Totals to get to Tahoe from Los Gatos
100% Charge + 2 free rapid charges + ~ 2.2 gallons of premium =~ $7.5
Time ~ 5.5 hours, including lunch and cruising the river delta

The way home was even easier, thanks gravity

1. Started with 100% charge and full gas tank (i3 is coded, full ~= 2.9 gallons)
2. Drove 103 miles to Sacramento all electric and stopped with 20% SOC to charge (for free), also refueled ourselves with lunch
3. Set off with 95% SOC and we decided to take Hwy 160 again, via Downtown Sacramento and a few miles on Hwy 5
4. At 50% SOC we turned on the REX. Also as the temperature got into the mid 80s we turned on the AC
6. At 30 miles from home we turned off the Rex and returned home with 15% SOC and ~ 20% gas

Totals to get from Tahoe to Los Gatos
100% Charge + 1 free rapid charges + ~ 2.5 gallons of premium =~ $8.5
Time ~ 5 hours, including lunch and cruising the river delta
 
Yep, with a little planning, you can go just about anywhere in a REX. I also have 2015 REX and recently went on the 1650 mile round trip on I-90 Washington to Montana and back with several mountain passes and cold temperatures (in the teens overnight). Piece of cake. Did a write up here:

https://www.mybmwi3.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=16717&p=63462#p63462
 
Yep, Last summer I drove my 2014 ReX from Sacramento to Portland and back, and the next day left for Salt Lake City and back. A challenge, especially between Elko and Salt Lake when there was no working fast charger in Wendover!
 
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