First impressions

[I33t]

335d BMW (if E90): 2760mm wheelbase vs i3 @ 2570mm. We are now talking 8 inches longer wheelbase...

20" wheels have even smaller sidewalls than the 19's and will exhibit harder ride than the 19's

Even lighter steering than the i3 would be a worry for me, I find the i3 very light.

Remember that the i3 is significantly lighter than the Volt. ~1200kg vs ~1700kg. This lower mass will alter the ability of the suspension to absorb impacts.

 

[stumbledotcom]

While I've noticed the i3 exhibits a bit of chop over very broken pavement (SF streets are a mess from construction these days), I find it downright plush compared to my E90 with sport suspension over the same route. Then again, I once had a VW GTI Mk1 so everything is long wheelbase and plush in comparison.

 

[danix]

I'm doing another test drive from a different dealer who had a model with the 19s. The 20" wheels do indeed make for a much harsher ride.
After back to back drives in the Volt and i3, the i3 has far better steering, but the Volt is still the more comfortable vehicle for extended highway driving.

I've got until Wednesday, we'll see how it goes.

 

[lencap]

My wife's car is a 2011 335D, and I have the i3 BEV. The 335d is very different from the i3 in every way, especially road feel.

I'm not surprised that you found your initial i3 ride "uncertain" -I did too. I'd strongly suggest shifting to the 19" wheels - much less harsh, similar to the difference between base and M sport suspension, but the i3 will never be as "smooth" as the larger 3 series car.

Having said that, I still chose the i3 after leasing a Leaf and extensively test driven the Volt/Tesla/Ford EV cars (over 100 miles on Teslas, 50+ on Volt). I agree that the Volt is a solid car, but for me, the materials and interior look/feel were not appealing. My commute is city/suburbs - typically under 50 miles total daily. I've commuted in a Mini Cooper and compared to that the 19" i3 is a limousine. The slightly jarring ride is offset by the acceleration, interior design, and "zen" of the i3. They may not matter as much to you.

The Leaf felt like a low end car dressed up with batteries - which is what it really is: a Versa donor car. The Volt is several steps above that, but not quite satisfying - at least for me. The Tesla is a different car entirely - one that I'm sure you'd enjoy, but at a very high price point. I also didn't fit the Tesla - I sit too low in the car and the back seats are even lower. I also found the range choices lacking - 150 miles is all I'd need - the base car has more than that at a higher cost. If I wanted it to replace my wife's 335d I'd want greater than 285 mile range - and that's not available.

For now I chose the i3 - still not the perfect EV, but for my needs it has a very soothing interior, high quality materials, state of the current art features,and on balance the least number of drawbacks versus the competition. The lease deals are very attractive. I chose 2 years and by then we'll have more choices.

I also suggest something different -a VW Passat TDI which I owned prior to the i3. I bought a 6 speed manual and found it to provide a great highway ride, plenty of room, and all of the torque I could handle. Highway mileage reached 50-53 MPG on cruise control at 70 MPH. I even took it to Virginia International Raceway and a friend reached 106 MPH top speed with everything stock on the car (top speed is manufacturer listed at 113). Lap times were in the 2:40 range for the full course - that's a lot of fun for not much money. Yes, I know it's not an EV, but your driving pattern isn't really ideal for the Volt either. You're running the ICE quite a bit. Why not consider a car that may be better suited to your driving needs while duplicating what you like about the 335d? VW also has an aggressive lease option - it's worth a look. After all, you did ask for options in your post!

Feel free to PM me if you'd like to chat.

 

[jadnashuanh]

I've never really been impressed with GM's interiors, and in the case of the VOlt, I find the door opening to be too low. I'm quite long-waisted, and do not bend very well, and getting into and out of it was a pain, not counting the fact that it was much lower seating position than either of my two cars. I realize I'm in the upper few percentiles of height, but find it very annoying that few vehicles are really designed for easy entry/egress. As it is, with the seat down as far as it will go, and the backrest where I can comfortably reach the steering wheel, I'm looking through the middle of the rear-view mirror, so that gives you an idea. FOrd is one of the few companies that tends to use a double-pivoted mirror, and I like those, as you can essentially have it right up at the roof liner, or down a ways, but, not available on either of my BMW's. My goal was to eliminate the engine, oil, muffler, etc. from my daily use car - my mostly short trips just play hell with those things, and in the BEV, I can easily go anywhere I normally go, and if I'm going elsewhere, I drive my ICE. The design of the VOlt was towards a very different goal than the i3. It suits more people if they want or can only have one vehicle. It can serve the EV mode for many, but has a large enough engine and gas tank to keep you going on a trip. Personally, I wouldn't take an i3 the distance you could go on the REx, but for some, it works fine. Having or renting a second vehicle is a luxury, but one I am able to obtain. In this manner, I can match the tool to the task at hand, and not have to deal with compromises. I get enough of those in my life, this one, I can afford to avoid.

 

[danix]

Thanks. I'm a bit surprised that on a full charge I am only seeing 63 miles estimated on battery (comfort, drive it like you stole it).
With the software fixes unlocking the full gas tank capacity, what's the REX range?

 

[WoodlandHills]

dvdinmotion have not yet released the fuel tank upgrade to their REx Hold software AFAIK, so I haven't tried it yet. The change has been coded directly, but none of those who have done so have reported back on how many more miles they actually got. My assumption is that it would be the same as a EU market REx now and there are several posts in the archives about their performance and range.

 

[pancakes213]

Having said that, I still chose the i3 after leasing a Leaf and extensively test driven the Volt/Tesla/Ford EV cars (over 100 miles on Teslas, 50+ on Volt). I agree that the Volt is a solid car, but for me, the materials and interior look/feel were not appealing. My commute is city/suburbs - typically under 50 miles total daily. I've commuted in a Mini Cooper and compared to that the 19" i3 is a limousine. The slightly jarring ride is offset by the acceleration, interior design, and "zen" of the i3. They may not matter as much to you.

The Leaf felt like a low end car dressed up with batteries - which is what it really is: a Versa donor car. The Volt is several steps above that, but not quite satisfying - at least for me. The Tesla is a different car entirely - one that I'm sure you'd enjoy, but at a very high price point. I also didn't fit the Tesla - I sit too low in the car and the back seats are even lower. I also found the range choices lacking - 150 miles is all I'd need - the base car has more than that at a higher cost. If I wanted it to replace my wife's 335d I'd want greater than 285 mile range - and that's not available.

For now I chose the i3 - still not the perfect EV, but for my needs it has a very soothing interior, high quality materials, state of the current art features,and on balance the least number of drawbacks versus the competition. The lease deals are very attractive. I chose 2 years and by then we'll have more choices.

I also suggest something different -a VW Passat TDI which I owned prior to the i3. I bought a 6 speed manual and found it to provide a great highway ride, plenty of room, and all of the torque I could handle. Highway mileage reached 50-53 MPG on cruise control at 70 MPH. I even took it to Virginia International Raceway and a friend reached 106 MPH top speed with everything stock on the car (top speed is manufacturer listed at 113). Lap times were in the 2:40 range for the full course - that's a lot of fun for not much money. Yes, I know it's not an EV, but your driving pattern isn't really ideal for the Volt either. You're running the ICE quite a bit. Why not consider a car that may be better suited to your driving needs while duplicating what you like about the 335d? VW also has an aggressive lease option - it's worth a look. After all, you did ask for options in your post!

Feel free to PM me if you'd like to chat.

Nice to hear comparisons between many EVs. Did you get a chance to try the Rav4EV before they sold out? Big car with quick acceleration and the longest range. It had a cheap feeling interior but it was definitely a very well done package.

I was once recommending TDIs also but it depends where you live. In California where I live, diesel was a good deal but has recently shot up to outrageous prices. It can be $1/gallon or more than premium gas nowadays. So while I like the torque of TDIs, it's no longer the economical choice for me.

 

[jadnashuanh]

Diesel has to compete with heating oil in the winter for supply, and thus, at least in the USA, the price changes a lot season to season. In Europe, their refineries are optimized to produce more diesel, so the supply isn't as volatile. Here, our refineries are optimized for gasoline, and diesel is more of an afterthought.

The availability of various EVs changes state-to-state. WHere I live, you really only have a few choices. At least a few of the manufacturers are not selling their EVs everywhere. FOr example, the new MB EV is only being sold in about 5-states the first year. Who knows how that will do, and if they'll expand distribution. I give BMW come credit by making the i3 available everywhere in the USA. In Canada, for example, it's only available in a few areas, and if you're out of that service area, a local BMW dealer can't sell you one, or service it.

 

[MikeS]

Thanks. I'm a bit surprised that on a full charge I am only seeing 63 miles estimated on battery (comfort, drive it like you stole it).
With the software fixes unlocking the full gas tank capacity, what's the REX range?

If you get “63 miles estimated on battery (comfort, drive it like you stole it)’ then you should be delighted. In a UK winter which is relatively mild (around 0 to 4 deg C) I’m lucky to see that is Eco Pro +.

 

[danix]

Thanks. I'm a bit surprised that on a full charge I am only seeing 63 miles estimated on battery (comfort, drive it like you stole it).
With the software fixes unlocking the full gas tank capacity, what's the REX range?

If you get “63 miles estimated on battery (comfort, drive it like you stole it)’ then you should be delighted. In a UK winter which is relatively mild (around 0 to 4 deg C) I’m lucky to see that is Eco Pro +.

I'm in California and it's practically summer (20C), so 63 miles is somewhat underwhelming.

 

[stumbledotcom]

I'm in California and it's practically summer (20C), so 63 miles is somewhat underwhelming.

For what it's worth, I noticed the predicted range for my BEV shot up over the weekend. As I've noted in other threads, I've been seeing mid to high 60 mile predictions since the end of traditional summer months. Sunday when I unplugged and started up, I was surprised to see a 75 mile range prediction. Even more intriguing, by the time I got to the top of my underground garage's ramp and the i3 had a wireless signal to the mothership, the range estimate suddenly showed 80 miles. The ambient temperature at the time was only 1 or 2 degrees warmer than the previous week. But the forecast for the region was much warmer. I'm guessing the BMW mainframes are favoring macro regional forecasts over actual temperatures when estimating range. That explains why I'm seeing these big swings despite the ambient temps in SF proper not varying all that much.