THIS CAR SUCKS! - HAD IT 10 MONTHS, JUST GOT 42 MILES!

[jadnashuanh]

Preconditioning is only useful for comfort if you are not connected to an EVSE. If you ARE connected to an EVSE, the energy used to cool the car would be replaced by the EVSE, and you'd leave with a full battery AND a cool (or warm, depending on the season) vehicle. But, by preconditioning, while you are in the vehicle, you may be comfortable with the a/c in 'normal' mode, verses max, and save some energy in the process while still being comfortable. Once everything in the car gets heat soaked, having just the air temp cool won't necessarily make you comfortable as heat will still radiate from things like the dash and the seats.

In the cold, I've seen my EVSE drawing 20A to warm both the batteries and the cabin up. If you're not connected to the grid, that would be coming out of the batteries. It's not a big a load with a/c though. Now, if you set a departure time and are not connected to the grid via an EVSE, it will only precondition the cabin, and then, only if you've checked that box. Assuming you have a phone with the remote app on it, it only takes a moment to turn on preconditioning. Even doing it as you get ready to leave the building can help a little.

When you did that 42-miles, what was the SOC? The estimated range to empty is based on the last 18-miles, and if most of that was drawing lots of power to cool the car and not moving, your range will be estimated to be much lower than if you took a longer trip or didn't let things return to ambient in between.

 

[DSMLVNV]

When you did that 42-miles, what was the SOC? The estimated range to empty is based on the last 18-miles, and if most of that was drawing lots of power to cool the car and not moving, your range will be estimated to be much lower than if you took a longer trip or didn't let things return to ambient in between.



I don't know what SOC means....But bottom line, what you're doing is justifying the pitiful performance of this vehicle. Does it rocket off the line? Sure does! Does it look super cool? Hell yeah! But is 42 mile ranges what I was told by various parties at BMW USA before purchasing the car? I THINK NOT

 

[I33t]

I don't know what SOC means....

SOC = State of Charge.

You can view it and other interesting information in the hidden menu.

 

[DSMLVNV]

Asked before...Where is this "Hidden Menu?"

 

[DSMLVNV]

How do I access the Hidden Menu?

 

[epirali]

Preconditioning is only useful for comfort if you are not connected to an EVSE. If you ARE connected to an EVSE, the energy used to cool the car would be replaced by the EVSE, and you'd leave with a full battery AND a cool (or warm, depending on the season) vehicle. But, by preconditioning, while you are in the vehicle, you may be comfortable with the a/c in 'normal' mode, verses max, and save some energy in the process while still being comfortable. Once everything in the car gets heat soaked, having just the air temp cool won't necessarily make you comfortable as heat will still radiate from things like the dash and the seats.

In the cold, I've seen my EVSE drawing 20A to warm both the batteries and the cabin up. If you're not connected to the grid, that would be coming out of the batteries. It's not a big a load with a/c though. Now, if you set a departure time and are not connected to the grid via an EVSE, it will only precondition the cabin, and then, only if you've checked that box. Assuming you have a phone with the remote app on it, it only takes a moment to turn on preconditioning. Even doing it as you get ready to leave the building can help a little.

When you did that 42-miles, what was the SOC? The estimated range to empty is based on the last 18-miles, and if most of that was drawing lots of power to cool the car and not moving, your range will be estimated to be much lower than if you took a longer trip or didn't let things return to ambient in between.

Interested forgot about the battery during preconditioning (Leaf doesn't have that). But that is still somewhere around 4KW for both, and not enough to account for that much loss of range.

 

[jadnashuanh]

People unwilling to use search? Here it is, again...

It's available in the service menu - 14.05. This is copied from the FB i3 page:
-------------------------------------
Hidden Service Menu on Instrument Cluster

To enter the menu, hold down the trip meter button on the side of the instrument cluster screen for 10 seconds. From then on, pressing this button means "next" and holding down the button means "select".

To begin with you have only these options available:

1 Identification
1.01 Conv. Index (1/mls)
1.02 SWFL 1
1.03 VIN
1.04 HMI Version
2 System test
3 Start roller
10 Unlock

To unlock the following menus, you will need the VIN from 1.03 above. Add the last FOUR digits together (other BMW models require adding the last five digits) to get your unlock code. e.g if your VIN is L12345, your code is 2+3+4+5=14. If that doesn't work, try adding the last five digits.

11 Consumption
11.01 Consumption dist. (l/km)
11.02 Consumption time (l/h)

12 Range
12.01 Range consumption (l/100km)
12.02 Range (km)

13 Fuel Tank/Battery
13.01 tank left (ohm)
13.02 tank right
13.03 tank left (litres) - zero
13.04 tank right 7.9l
13.05 tank total
13.07 display value
13.07 tank phase. 1
13.08 Batt. Kapa. Max. 19.8 kWh (maximum designed battery capacity)
13.09 State of charge
13.10 Batt. Ladung (battery charge)
13.11 Batt. Anziege (battery meter indication)

14.01 O. Temp. Sensor
14.02 O. Temp. Raw data
14.03 coolant temp
14.04 oil temp
14.05 batterietemp

15.01 litre counter
15.02 time counter
15.03 distance counter
15.04 kWh-Zaehler ("kWh counter")

16.01 v CAN (km/h)
16.02 v Display (km/h)
16.03 Cruise Control (km/h)
16.04 Rev. Counter (1/min)

17 System Voltage
17.01 Ubatt (V)

18 Accoustics
19 DTC
20 Dimming LCD
20.01 LCD temp. Sensor (ADC)
20.02 LCD temperature (C)
20.03 Light sensor
20.04 LCD luminance

21 Dimming PWM
21.01 Dimming wheel
21.02 Display
21.03 Scales/pt. orange
21.04 Underfloor pointer
21.05 Status lights
21.06 Status lights blue

22 CBS (condition based service)
22.01 km/year short term (km)
22.02 service call status
22.03 Limit, time (Month)
22.04 Limit, distance (km)

23 Check
24 Correct. Factor (careful!)
25 software reset

FWIW, if you have the latest software update, you can read out the SOC without any messing around with the service menus...it will be an option from the stalk button on the left-hand stalk of the steering wheel. A very good approximation of that number is to just read the bar graph's length...each segment is 25% and extrapolating that into a number is reasonably accurate.

 

[jadnashuanh]

Interested forgot about the battery during preconditioning (Leaf doesn't have that). But that is still somewhere around 4KW for both, and not enough to account for that much loss of range.

The original Leaf did not have active battery conditioning, and is the main reason some living in the desert SW USA had problems. The newest ones have something, but I'm not sure how comprehensive...anything had to be better than the old one.

The i3 can both heat or cool the batteries to keep them within the desired temperature range for maximum life and viability. It does NOT condition the batteries when you use the app to initiate preconditioning...only when you set a departure time and then, only if it is connected to the EVSE. It can condition them, as required, while in READY mode, but it's better for range to do it beforehand to keep the battery capacity up. Just the act of discharging the batteries will heat them, so that normally isn't done...cooling, on the other hand, can happen, especially in Las Vegas in the summer.

Setting a departure time will optionally condition the cabin IF you select that option when setting a departure time. Preconditioning the cabin is an easy to access feature from the main screen when you open the app - slide the fan icon beneath the car up, then click active preconditioning...it will then give you the status as it connects with the server, then that connects to the car. As long as you have good connectivity, it takes all of about 30-second to get a response that the preconditioning started. It will run for a max of 30-minutes, then shut off if you haven't gotten in to drive away.

 

[DSMLVNV]

Just so everyone knows, I got into the Hidden Menu, and the numbers regarding battery % used are dead-on when compared to the normal blue bars and guess-o-meter.

Conclusion? - No need to take it to BMW for servicing. It is what it is...A huge rip-off that I'd have to take a $6k hit on to get rid of. Not to mention by the time my loan is at break-even, the i3 will probably have a better battery which will send used car buyers away from mine.

 

[I33t]

Sounds like you didn't take one for an extended test drive.

With the information in this thread, you should be able to improve your range quite a lot.

Good luck and please report back.

 

[dutyfree]

I have same issue, mine never go over 65 miles range for a full charge since new. Regardless which mode I select, ECO PRO, or ECO PRO+, it will only added few miles (less than 5 miles) to the poor range.

My other Spark EV does not have this issue, about same EPA 82-83 miles range as i3, with the same driving style (air conditioner on, radio on, constant speed or stop and go traffic), I can always managed getting close to 100 miles range on a full charge in the summer.

Chevrolet Spark EV can easily achieved 5.0+ miles/kWh while i3 only able to get around 3.0-3.5 miles/kWh.

Something must be wrong with i3.

 

[Jeffj]

3.0 mi/kWh is extremely low for the i3. I drive in comfort, on a lot of hills and relatively short distances with a REx in CO in the summer (95 today, lots of sun, A/C on 70 or 72) and I get 4.2 or so.

Sounds like you need to get it checked out.

 

[jadnashuanh]

Community average is little over 4mi/kw. To get a lot less than that, you'd need to be very aggressive in your take off and be using the actual brakes a lot, or be very short stop and go traffic with some big hills. The Smart weighs about 1/3 less than an i3, so the physics mean it will take less energy to accelerate than an i3.

 

[epirali]

I have same issue, mine never go over 65 miles range for a full charge since new. Regardless which mode I select, ECO PRO, or ECO PRO+, it will only added few miles (less than 5 miles) to the poor range.

My other Spark EV does not have this issue, about same EPA 82-83 miles range as i3, with the same driving style (air conditioner on, radio on, constant speed or stop and go traffic), I can always managed getting close to 100 miles range on a full charge in the summer.

Chevrolet Spark EV can easily achieved 5.0+ miles/kWh while i3 only able to get around 3.0-3.5 miles/kWh.

Something must be wrong with i3.

Stupid question but what is your tire pressure? How hot is where you live?

 

[uktechie]

Just done 50 miles and left with 50% SOC. New personal range record. :mrgreen:

 

[dutyfree]

I have same issue, mine never go over 65 miles range for a full charge since new. Regardless which mode I select, ECO PRO, or ECO PRO+, it will only added few miles (less than 5 miles) to the poor range.

My other Spark EV does not have this issue, about same EPA 82-83 miles range as i3, with the same driving style (air conditioner on, radio on, constant speed or stop and go traffic), I can always managed getting close to 100 miles range on a full charge in the summer.

Chevrolet Spark EV can easily achieved 5.0+ miles/kWh while i3 only able to get around 3.0-3.5 miles/kWh.

Something must be wrong with i3.

Stupid question but what is your tire pressure? How hot is where you live?

Tire pressure is front 33 psi and rear 41 psi. match factory recommendation on 20".

I am in Southern California, so weather is not an issue.

I have checked my i3 hidden menu, there is no SOC 13.09 on the menu, maybe my software is not the most update; however, according to previous post:
13.08 Batt. Kapa. Max. 19.8 kWh (maximum designed battery capacity)

My i3 (BEV) indicated 17.9 kWh on 13.08 menu, is this normal? Do I have a bad battery? I have the car for only few months (less than 3 months), should I take this car to dealer to find out what is going on?

Thanks

 

[cove3]

>>>be using the actual brakes a lot, >>

My understanding is it's practically impossible to brake hard enough to get pad to metal. Normal braking will always regen with the needle staying in regen range. So braking shouldn't account for poor range.

Ron

 

[mindmachine]

Only getting 3 mi/kWh suggests something is wrong. My lifetime average is 4.4 mi/kWh over 11 months of ownership.

I did a short trip yesterday 21.2 miles, over a combination of city streets and state routes, temp around 80 deg F and I averaged 5.5 mi/kWh with AC on.

 

[epirali]

>>>be using the actual brakes a lot, >>

My understanding is it's practically impossible to brake hard enough to get pad to metal. Normal braking will always regen with the needle staying in regen range. So braking shouldn't account for poor range.

Ron

I believe in the i3 whenever you touch the brake you are using actual brakes, that only release of accelerator causes regen. This was done probably for better control and to prevent the "mushy" brake feeling.

Can someone confirm or correct this?

 

[i3atl]

>>>be using the actual brakes a lot, >>

My understanding is it's practically impossible to brake hard enough to get pad to metal. Normal braking will always regen with the needle staying in regen range. So braking shouldn't account for poor range.

Ron

I believe in the i3 whenever you touch the brake you are using actual brakes, that only release of accelerator causes regen. This was done probably for better control and to prevent the "mushy" brake feeling.

Can someone confirm or correct this?

That's correct - if you're pressing the brake pedal, you're using the friction brakes. Thankfully the i3's brake pedal does not blend regen with hydraulic braking.