Drive an i3 with REX for 700+ Miles?

Not cheap, but these 2 gal gas 'cans' fit in the frunk, and also claim leak-proof - no gas smell if inside the car. I know the cheap ones can leak/smell badly - the trip of a block with my lawn-mower gas can, and I have to drive with the window down.
https://www.amazon.com/RotopaX-RX-2G-Gasoline-Pack-Capacity/dp/B003YBMDRU/?tag=myelecarfor-20&

Fisher99 said:

Well, heck, if that Diesel Ram truck can use those Supercharger stations, then my i3 should be able to!

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Don't laugh, but I am actually looking at the OpenEVSE source code this morning for a crazy idea to add a J1772 charging socket to my 4x4 Ram diesel pickup! Since I have a shiny new L2 EVSE in the driveway, I was thinking that I could make a vehicle-side J1772 AC interface to run the truck's block heater and a cab warmer on snowy/cold mornings when the i3 will be staying home.

Speaking of the new EVSE, I need to spend some time today figuring out how to rearrange the driveway so that both EV's will be reachable from the 25-foot cord. With my DW's new Niro EV joining the herd on Friday evening, we now have five registered/insured cars and a 24-foot enclosed race car hauler in what is barely a three car driveway.....

Fisher99 said:

My wife is skeptical of this electric car stuff and says she won't be giving up her 535i anytime soon. But the friend that I'm buying the i3 from (who just bought a Tesla Model 3) says that's what his wife said too, but she ended up loving the i3. We'll see.

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My DW said the same thing, until she drove our new-to-us i3 home from a restaurant a few weeks ago. Two weeks later, her 12-year-old pride and joy ICE vehicle is sitting on our front lawn with a for sale sign on it, and a brand new Niro EV (that neither of us even heard of a few weeks ago) is in her driveway spot. Talk about jumping into EV ownership with both feet.....

Fisher99 said:

I'm thinking about purchasing two 2 gallon cans and filling them before I leave, and carrying one in front and one in the back. . . . Maybe I'm being crazy, but it doesn't seem like this would be too risky.

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The Briggs and Stratton can is 2.5 gal. Since I do a lot of driving at night, it was insurance for a closed truck stop. The problem with inside the cabin is after use (and filling,) there will be gas fumes. In the frunk, not so much.

You might look at Gasbuddy.com to identify truck stops along the way. They tend to be 24x7 with reasonable facilities.

Bob Wilson

Whatever I use for the 2 gallon can will have to be something that I can pick up where I'm picking up the car. I'm flying down there and don't think they'd be too willing to let me board with a couple of gas cans... I plan to do a little research before I go on places to buy and what is available, but will probably just hit a Walmart or auto parts store. And deal with any fumes as best I can. I sure wish the back seat windows opened in the i3...

Got two 240V outlets installed this morning. One inside the garage and one outside. The i3 will be sitting outside and the Ram/Cummins and wife's 535 inside, but figured I might as well put one inside for when she gets thrilled with the i3 and we sell the 535...

Fisher99 said:

...and the Ram/Cummins and wife's...

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Remind me again why you're not just renting a U-Haul car trailer to tow the i3 home? The Cummins won't even break a sweat, and towing up long grades is supposedly a good thing for injector health in the common rail motors!

I was tempted to hitch up my enclosed race car hauler behind my Ram/Cummins when I went to pick up my i3 a few weeks ago, but the route was through New York City at rush hour. Unpleasant on a good day, and not for the faint of heart when driving a 40-foot long combination vehicle in bumper-to-bumper traffic as the visiting team on their home turf.....

That was my original plan. The Ram/Cummins wouldn't even know that the i3 was back there. I use it to pull a 34' travel trailer and it doesn't care that that's back there either. However, when I got a quote for a one way Uhaul car trailer I was floored by the price. I bought a 1 way plane ticket for half the price of the trailer rental. And that doesn't include the cost of diesel on the way down and back. So, decided to just fly down and get it.

Plus, I'm ready for an adventuresome road trip, so this should scratch that itch...

Check the engine oil level before leaving. I had a false "Check Engine" light due to the oil level being too low. Not to be petty but if you get a "Check Engine" light, the rest of the trip will be interesting but not a lot of fun.

Use www.plugshare.com and create a free account. Set the filter to CCS and J1772 and look at your options. Electricity is your backup if a "Check Engine" light comes on. If possible, reach a BMW dealer and ask them to run a diagnostic. Then plan a new approach. <grins>

I envy your adventure!

Bob Wilson

Whatever I use for the 2 gallon can will have to be something that I can pick up where I'm picking up the car. I'm flying down there and don't think they'd be too willing to let me board with a couple of gas cans..

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If you opt for the heavy-duty roto-mold cans, couple of new plastic cans in a suitcase, or even in the taped up box they arrive in should go through as checked luggage. Without ever having gas in them, would think they are just a couple of empty plastic 'boxes' as far as the airline is concerned. Or have them shipped to your pickup point. Not sure I'd want to be trying to drive 700 miles in a car filled with gas fumes - so if you do buy local, get some good ones with good seals, and a package of wet-wipes to clean them of any fuel filling-spills before putting them in the car..

More good comments. Thanks!

Yes, I do have checking the oil on my check list for things to do before I start the trip homeward. I'm also taking my tire pressure gauge so that I can ensure proper tire pressure. And I think I have decided to go with just 1 gas can rather than 2. Something that will fit in the frunk, like the Briggs & Stratton mentioned earlier. I see that Walmart carries those and there is a Walmart located conveniently about 40 miles into my trip.

Fisher99 said:

Thinking of buying an i3 with REX from a friend who lives about 700 miles away. Looks like a U-Haul car trailer will run about $650 and I can buy a 1 way airline ticket for far less than that. Is the REX capable of keeping you running at, say 70 mph once the battery runs out? I don't mind the thought of stopping for gas every 70 or so miles but wouldn't want to be stuck driving at 40 mph (or whatever) when the battery runs out of juice. Is it feasible to make a trip of this distance without stopping to re-charge? It has the 120v charger so no quick charge capability.

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Do it. I have done 400 miles while charging it once along the way. Also I have never experienced lack of power going on the 101 from LA to Berkeley. I drove the car at a steady 70 mph and in ECOPro+ mode all the way. Carried a 2 gallon container in the frunk and all was good.
I have coded the car so hold SOC when you can and keep filling gas. You could find a Fast Charger (level 3) along the way or even level 2 to charge it for an hour and head out again. Good luck!

Fisher99 said:

I see that Walmart carries those and there is a Walmart located conveniently about 40 miles into my trip.

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If you are planning so tightly, I would pre-purchase the can online for pickup at that specific walmart location; sometimes they might be out of the cans.

Srivenkat said:

Fisher99 said:

I see that Walmart carries those and there is a Walmart located conveniently about 40 miles into my trip.

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If you are planning so tightly, I would pre-purchase the can online for pickup at that specific walmart location; sometimes they might be out of the cans.

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Great suggestion on the pick up in that store.

Thought I'd bring this thread to a close. I just returned from the 700+ mile trip with the new (to me) 2014 i3. Did 300 miles the first day (got a late start) and 400 the second day. All went extremely well. Bought a 2 gallon can, filled it, and put it in the frunk, but only used it once when the small town that I was aiming for turned out to not have any gas stations. I could have gotten to the next town on battery, but figured since I had the gas I'd use it. I did run the gas down to zero once (thus shutting down the REX) but continued on for the next 5 miles to the next town where I re-fueled.

Lots of stop and go with A/C and climbing a 5000+ foot pass the first day, and being new to battery/gas management, I arrived at my overnight stop with battery at 38%. Found a free L2 charger and boosted up to 84%. The next day, at the end of that 400 mile leg, I still had 74% left on the battery. I'm definitely getting more used to how this all works.

The drive was great! The car is fantastic! I figured I'd be wishing I was in the wife's 535 for a 700 mile trip, but this thing is amazing. A little more sensitive to cross winds than the 535, but still has BMW handing. Part of my trip was on freeways and part on windy 2 lane roads and it handled both with ease. I ran on cruise at 5 over most of the time, which meant 70 to 75 mph. Hit 95 passing on a 2 lane road once. I never once felt that I needed more car. Just maybe more range. This would make a wonderful 300 mile BEV.

Anyway, the car is now it its new home. The trip was fantastic. And although it's likely to never go on a trip this long again (at least while I own it), it was definitely doable. Thanks again for all of the information and encouragement from this forum!

Fisher99 said:

Thought I'd bring this thread to a close. I just returned from the 700+ mile trip with the new (to me) 2014 i3.

...

Anyway, the car is now it its new home. The trip was fantastic. And although it's likely to never go on a trip this long again (at least while I own it), it was definitely doable. Thanks again for all of the information and encouragement from this forum!

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Freaking awesome! That has been a big worry for me; a longer trip relying on REx. Sounds like you handled it without issue and then some!

Thank you for the update here. I've been following this thread with anticipation.

Congratulations on getting your car home!

One last piece of advice. Take the Cummins out for a drive every few weeks, to keep the battery charged and tires from getting flat on the bottom. I took mine out for a drive around the block last weekend, and have only driven it 7 miles total since picking up my i3 about a month ago. I figure that the ~28 gallons of diesel left in the tank may last until winter at this pace.....

vreihen said:

Congratulations on getting your car home!

One last piece of advice. Take the Cummins out for a drive every few weeks, to keep the battery charged and tires from getting flat on the bottom. I took mine out for a drive around the block last weekend, and have only driven it 7 miles total since picking up my i3 about a month ago. I figure that the ~28 gallons of diesel left in the tank may last until winter at this pace.....

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Ha! Well, since it is now officially camping season, the Ram will start getting a good workout pulling the 34' travel trailer. No huge trips planned this year but lots of 3-4 day trips, and mostly up into the mountains, so the Cummins will get to stretch its legs. Not that it really notices or cares that the TT is back there.

Roger that. Mine has made every interstate mountain grade I've driven here on the east coast towing the 24-foot race car hauler at 65+ MPH, in 6th gear (G56 manual) with the cruise set pulling like it was on flat ground.....

Nice truck. What's in the race trailer?

Fisher99 said:

What's in the race trailer?

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A roller toolbox stack, cabinets, generator, air conditioner, popup canopy, pit cart, and all of the other usual sundries:





(The beat up traffic cone was under the hood to keep it from locking closed, since it is impossible to unlock the car to get it out of the trailer with a dead battery. I have since installed a 50A Anderson connector behind the air dam, so that I can plug in a common racing starter battery if the on-board one goes dead between events.)