BMW i talks about larger EV, increased i3 range in 2016

[psquare]

i5 could become a reality sooner than previously thought. Also, sounds like i3 is to get a range boost in 2016, if this is to be believed. Below is the translation of the German "Automobil Produktion" post.

I will post about the mentioned article in "Die Zeit" once I got it.

translation: https://translate.google.com/translate? ... edit-text=

Original in German: http://www.automobil-produktion.de/2015 ... t-bringen/

[psquare]

Update: I just read the mentioned article in "Die Zeit" (not available to non-subscribers at the moment) and here is an excerpt about the increased range in German, translation below.

Krüger: Die Batteriezelltechnologie entwickelt sich weiter. Eine Erhöhung der Reichweite beim i3 wird schon im Jahr 2016 kommen. Ein weite­rer Technologiesprung kommt sicherlich schon in drei, vier Jahren. Dann kommen Sie pro Ladung schon bald doppelt so weit, ohne dass sich das Gewicht der Batterie weiter erhöht.

ZEIT: Kann ich dann die Batterie meines i3 gegen den besseren Akku austauschen?

Krüger: Mit dieser Frage beschäftigen wir uns gerade.

Krüger: The battery cell technology is evolving. An increase in range of the i3 will come in the 2016. A bigger technological leap is likely to happen in the next three or four years. You can then travel almost twice the distance without a further increase in battery weight.

ZEIT: Can I then replace the battery of my i3 against the better battery?

Krueger: We are currently dealing with this question.

[justanotherdrunk]

interesting thanks

[WoodlandHills]

And this is why one does not buy an EV......

[psquare]

And this is why one does not buy an EV......

And instead giving away £5000 to the leasing company, who would have taken the UK government subsidy? I don't think so.

I did the figures and buying the i3 as a company car instead of leasing it was the better option over 3 years. I got my accountant to double-check it and he confirmed it was wiser to purchase than lease.

Everyone's mileage varies.

[jadnashuanh]

And this is why one does not buy an EV......

I've owned a personal computer since the early 1980's...the same thought applied then with those...if you just wait a little bit, the new one will be better, faster, cheaper.

If it meets your current needs, buy it and don't look back. If it doesn't meet your needs, don't buy it and don't complain about it, either. It's a fact of life on evolving technology. My first hard drive was 5M and cost me over $500. I didn't complain about it then and I knew that the new ones would be bigger and cheaper, but it meet my needs. My i3 meets my needs. Would it be nice to have bigger range with no increase in price? Yes, but it wouldn't really change how I use my i3. That may not be true for others. At this point, I do not look on the i3 as an all-around ICE replacement. Even with the REx, the size and convenience just isn't there for me for long trips that I take periodically. Eventually, if the CCS situation significantly improves AND the range is significantly greater, maybe, or a hybrid with bigger all-electric, but until then, the right tool for the job, and that's rarely one pair of pliers in your toolbox. With my ICE, an unexpectedly closed gas station would rarely disrupt my trip...a missing EVSE or CCS station could, radically. In most places...the recharging infrastructure just is not fully viable for all EV use except local in the USA. I can find a gas station nearly anywhere.

[WoodlandHills]

If I could have leased my 286,386,486 and all the little Pentiums I certainly would have. At the very minimum I would not have been stuck with obsolete equipment to dispose of and I probably would have spent the same or less. At least I am not forced into the same situation with EVs.

Here in CA I got a pretty decent chunk of the Federal incentive as a lessee: company cars are practically unheard of here......

Of course the i3 is getting a bigger battery, how else will they market i3's in a world of 200 mile Bolts? The surprise is that it is coming so quickly, I hope that does not mean a 5% or 10% increase when they are going to need to get the range up above 150 miles. Simply saying that the i3 is a "Mega City" car as an excuse for short range is not going to cut it with consumers when a cheaper Chevy gets 200 miles.

[busaman]

i agree 200 miles is the benchmark to aim for..

[janner]

In this interim upgrade for the i3 it seems to me that 30% range increase would be most likely giving something like 105 miles (90-120).

[psquare]

BMW Blog has an a post on this now, too.
http://www.bmwblog.com/2015/10/22/bmw-i ... w-battery/

With regards to range increase, I think we will be talking about an improvement in the region of 10-20%, not more. It will provide more than enough to keep pace with the next Leaf and Bolt (for which we so far only have manufacturer's range promises), but nothing beyond that.

In terms of retrofits (and if these will be offered - a BIG if), the next big question is how much BMW will give you as a trade-in. In general, dealerships will be keen to once again get customers on the phone and through the door, reengage with them. BMW on the other side may decide to simply offer the extended battery as a new model or an extra. My guess is that the latter is more likely.

Unless the potential range increase is significantly higher than 10-20%, most REx drivers will pass on a potential battery upgrade, as they parted with more money and already get decent mileage if needed, albeit burning fossil fuel. In my mind, the main target market for a battery retrofit are the BEVs, which may be able to get a boost to a 120 mi real-world range.

If however this new i3 2016 evolution includes more fixes and updates than merely the battery, then an interesting upgrade cycle might emerge, as many lease deals will end by late 2016.

One problem that Krueger might have created for himself now is that i3 sales may be hampered or damaged for 9-12 months, as people will either wait for the next model and go elsewhere. An announcement in January of Feb 2016 may have proved wiser. Dealers (particularly in the US, where stocks appear to be high) will have to adjust prices. This could end up as a i3-deal bonanza, who knows?