Heated seats.

I’m test driving a i3 tomorrow as I’ve been offered a great lease deal.

I was just reading the standard spec and it was no heater just AC. There is a optional heat pump but I hate paying for options on lease cars.

How good are the heated seats? Are they adequate on their own in cold weather?

Thanks

The heated seats are great, good 'n toasty, and particularly fast to warm up.

You'll still have a heater in an i3 without a heat pump. All i3s have resistive heaters -- at a bare minimum, that would be required to defrost the windows. BEV models have the option for a heat pump. It's been standard on all US BEV models but I've read with the 2019 model year and 120 Ah battery, the heat pump has become an option.

eNate said:

The heated seats are great, good 'n toasty, and particularly fast to warm up.

You'll still have a heater in an i3 without a heat pump. All i3s have resistive heaters -- at a bare minimum, that would be required to defrost the windows. BEV models have the option for a heat pump. It's been standard on all US BEV models but I've read with the 2019 model year and 120 Ah battery, the heat pump has become an option.

Click to expand...

Yes this would be new 120Ah sport, but a uk model.

Tbh I’ve never considered a i3 or any electric car. But for £240 a month including a bmw wall charger, I figured it was worth giving one a test drive.

Surprised the heat pump isn’t standard though.

All EVs use the battery energy for the cabin heat. Heat pump is more efficient than the resistive heater, it improves the cold weather range and saves a little bit on the electricity.

You will love being able to precondition the car (especially when it's on the charger) and having it all nice and comfy right when you get in it. And unlike ICE cars with remote start, you can do it in the garage without killing yourself.

Kev said:

eNate said:

The heated seats are great, good 'n toasty, and particularly fast to warm up.

You'll still have a heater in an i3 without a heat pump. All i3s have resistive heaters -- at a bare minimum, that would be required to defrost the windows. BEV models have the option for a heat pump. It's been standard on all US BEV models but I've read with the 2019 model year and 120 Ah battery, the heat pump has become an option.

Click to expand...

Yes this would be new 120Ah sport, but a uk model.

Tbh I’ve never considered a i3 or any electric car. But for £240 a month including a bmw wall charger, I figured it was worth giving one a test drive.

Surprised the heat pump isn’t standard though.

Click to expand...

Where on Earth.....well in the UK are you getting that deal from please?

Sounds too good to be true.

Kev said:

I was just reading the standard spec and it was no heater just AC. There is a optional heat pump but I hate paying for options on lease cars.

Click to expand...

The heat pump option in the U.S. is quite inexpensive at only $150 which wouldn't add much to a monthly lease cost. It's only a few valves and pipes that use the A/C compressor to transfer heat from the outside air rather than creating heat with resistive elements. The heat pump is ~3 times more efficient than resistive heating in the UK's climate which isn't too cold.

If you would be comfortable using only the seat heater for comfort during winter driving (the steering wheel isn't heated), the heat pump option might not be worthwhile. If you carry rear seat passengers, they would not have heated seats, so they could be cold without heated cabin air.

However, during defogging, heat is used to warm the cabin air after the A/C has chilled and dehumidified it. I'm guessing that fogged windows could be a common occurrence in the UK's humid climate. Without a heat pump, resistive heating would be used for defogging which would reduce one's driving range more than were a heat pump installed.

If the monthly lease cost doesn't increase much with the heat pump option, I'd include it because having warm cabin air without decreasing one's range as much might be nice at certain times.

Yes, you have a heater. BEV has a heat pump, while the REX has the electric heat plus heated seats. Electric heat works very well and heats up quicker than ICE cars in my opinion. No need to wait for the engine to warm up and the heater core to warm up.

Zpmada said:

BEV has a heat pump, while the REX has the electric heat plus heated seats.

Click to expand...

To clarify, all new i3's have electric resistance cabin heating and front seats. Only BEV's have the option of the more efficient heat pump which is used to heat the cabin until the ambient temperature drops so low that resistance heating becomes more efficient.

My 2019 i3 Rex (no heat pump) is AMAZING.

Not only do the heated seats begin to warm in mere seconds, but the heater is instant!! My 2017 X5 35d (diesel) had the extra electric heater, since diesels are SO slow to warm), and I thought that heater was quick to warm... but my i3 begins to pump out warm air by the time I pull out of the garage. It's totally incredible!

Deutsch100 said:

. . . my i3 begins to pump out warm air by the time I pull out of the garage. It's totally incredible!

Click to expand...

Or before you even open the door . . . This morning heading off to school, my daughter says of my preheated i3, "Ooh, the car is warm -- thank you, Daddy."

....Aww. Love that Rob! The i3 is such a great car!