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Some extra points
1: Eco Pro dials down climate control and a few incidental systems. But its biggest effect is a change in throttle response. Youll notice the torque difference between the two modes. Theres also a third setting (Eco Pro +), which turns off climate control completely and adds a 55 mph electronic speed limiter.
2: I have a REx, but I get around 80 miles on battery on most days. I had an ActiveE and I used to get 120 miles with it, but the i3 has fewer battery cells than the E did and a much less aggressive regen brake than the E. I dont worry about range anymore with the genny on board, but from my experience with the ActiveE (same basic systems) the counter is pretty accurate so long as your driving is solid. Ive done around 6K miles in my i3.
3: I was part of the ActiveE program, so our cars were sold to us at MSRP with the "Electronaut" Package. So I got the DC fast charge and a few incidentals for free from BMW, so its like I got a discount. But your experience will vary, BMW treated us prototype drivers like gold.
4: sorry cant help there, im a fluids guy, not an EE.
5: BMW elected to use the new J1772 DC fast charge standard. The i3 is the first car to use this standard. Note that J1772 has been around for a while, but not in level 3 form. The i3 can charge in any standard level II charging station in the country. Every electric car, bar the Tesla, use the J1772 plug, so theyre everywhere.
Fuji is building J1772 DC fast charge (level III) stations under contract from BMW. The pilot install program is starting in California with 100 stations being put in place starting in a couple months.
So to answer this question fully, you cant use the DC fast charge on the i3 in the US yet. But the infrastructure will be put in quickly if past experience is to be believed. The same thing happened when J1772 was first agreed upon a few years ago. The NYC area, where I live, went from around 50 charging stations to several hundred over the course of two years. You bought that option for the near future, im sorry to say.
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