First Post: Long Distance in i3 94aH Rex

[paulnsenior]

This is my first post...

I just got an i3 94aH Rex and took it on a 202 mile roundtrip journey from Oxford to Portsmouth in the UK.

I drove at around 70-75mph almost all of the way and I am pleased to report that I made it home, with just a brief 90 min (10%) charge from a 13amp point in Gun-wharf Mall in Portsmouth. Note: Only one of the two Polar points was actually in service, and there was a Leaf using the 7kW socket.

The Rex was completely full when I started and completely empty when it switched off. I ran it for 20 miles on the way down and ran till empty on the way back. I filled it to the brim today and managed to get 9.49 litres in it (which cost £11). That is actually more than 2 UK gallons (2.5 US gallons). I was interested to see that I did 20 miles without it showing any usage on Rex fuel gauge. Is this normal?

My guess is that I did 90 miles on the Rex and around 110-ish on pure electric - with the quick (10%) top-up.

Anyone else done a similar trip? Is this typical?

Regards,

Paul.

 

[Gif]

Those figures are pretty much in accord with the official numbers. With a 110% charge it should do around 140 miles but at 70mph+ you're not at the most economical speed so 110 miles is not surprising. You don't mention which mode you were in.

Around 90-100 from the Rex is pretty standard too I've found. Again it depends on speed, temp etc.

You should be able to check your consumption / efficiency from the car or app. How many miles per kWh was it reporting? Community average overall is 4.1. I've bettered this easily but overall I'm bang on the average.

If I'm doing any distance and I've got time, I cruise at around 60mph as it's much more efficient and relaxing. Locally when range is immaterial, I am working on wearing out the rear rubber ASAP :lol:

 

[paulnsenior]

I was in Eco Pro mode, and was also three-up with my Son and Wife and his University clobber.

Best I have managed to date is 5.1mi/Kwh on a commute into the office (50 miles one way). I only used 30.5% of the 94aH battery Rex was showing 122 miles. Average speed was 46mph.

We just also switched over to Eon as our supplier and if the car charges on Economy 7 it's now 5p per Kwh, so I calculated that 8.2 kWh x 5p = 40p to travel 50 miles....

This has to be some record!

P.

 

[Gif]

Im on E7 too (or at least I will be when they start billing me) but with Ovo and on a 100% green tariff so a little more expensive than you. But as you say, it's a no brainer. Went to Bath on Sunday. 116 mile round trip, free Pod-Point charger in the car park so the driving cost ended up at £1.80. Diesel SUV in the garage would have been a minimum of 10 times that.

Since I've had the car, the SUV has been out once for 12 miles just to charge the battery and load carry. I'm even thinking bout SORNing it now or even selling it which I never dreamed I would do. The only thing putting me off is the depth of winter weather where I would rather have the certainty of 4x4 in Wales. Maybe I'll sell it and buy an old tax free Landy

 

[jadnashuanh]

If you've got a fair amount of snow, you definitely want to consider buying some winter tires (and maybe wheels) for your i3! There are only two companies that make them in the size required: the OEM supplier Bridgestone (you might have two choices, in the USA, there is only one from them) and the Nokian R2. I have the Bridgestone, but should I wear those out, I'd probably go for the Nokian ones. No idea what the prices are like where you are.

While an all-wheel drive vehicle has the chance of getting you out of a nasty situation, I've found the winter tires on the i3 have not let me down. In the last two winters, we had over 110" of snow one year, and a mild one last year of only about 50". I have the advantage of being retired, so I may hold off going out during most storms until some cleanup has been done, but not always.

 

[Gif]

Been looking at the winter tyres and I'd always go for winter tyres as the first upgrade as IMO a two wheel drive with winters is often better than a 4x4 with summers which is what they sell as stock in the UK. That said, I run Vredestein All Season Quatracs on my SUV and it's like a cat with velcro on its feet.

 

[paulnsenior]

My other car is a Mercedes AMG E63s estate, so the difference when commuting is rather extreme...
I did 23k miles in the amg over the last 12 months in the AMG (100 per day round trip most days).
Truth is I can buy and run the i3 for much less (£££s) than the fuel bill on the AMG...!
I also have to say, that the i3 is just as comfortable in traffic, and in town handles very well.
Not gone completely ECO. This weekend the AMG is getting tweaked up to 750hp.

P.