[RichP]

I just brought back my extended test drive i3 REx and am going a bit back and forth as to if this is the right car for me (it will be my only car) I make a few longer trips where I may have multiple fuel stops due to the small tank which isn't that much an issue for me.

It was 20-30 degrees out this weekend so I understand the limited battery range in such conditions (display was telling me 60 fully charged). However, the REx had about 5/8 a tank, and yet only showed 30 miles remaining (which would mean filled its about 50 miles. This falls a bit short of the advertised REx range.

Because the REx is charging the batteries (which are cooler) then powering the wheels, is this why there is such a low projected range? is it from driving style and the vehicle only having 150 miles on it?

I can get around the lower cold weather range on the battery but if the REx is also hindered by the cold by a similar amount really reduces effective range.

[jadnashuanh]

The REx specs indicate about 39 USmpg and like anything, your results may vary. At best, with 1.9G, on a good day, you'd about double the battery only range. The CARB rules that BMW wished to solicit the credits from require that the motor assisted range cannot exceed the battery only mode which is why they functionally made the tank smaller than the Euro version. EPA ratings for battery only are in the 80-mile range (again, dependent on weather and driving style). And, consider that when you have run the batteries down, you are relying on 34Hp motor to try to keep the batteries up. That IS sufficient for running around the city, and MIGHT be enough, depending on the terrain and speeds you wish to cover outside of the city, but it may not. As opposed something like the original Volt (and the new one is coming with a bigger motor) that IS designed as an ICE replacement, the i3 was not, the generator in the Volt is nearly 3x the power output of the i3's. While still not as fast as the i3, it can go much further before you have to stop and fill up. Even then, it might run into problems running around the mountains.

[MalibuBimmer]

Too bad BMW didn't make the battery a touch bigger. But that would have required some expensive engineering and trade offs in weight, etc.

[jadnashuanh]

Bigger battery, more weight, more volume (or less passenger/storage *******, bigger brakes to stop the bigger weight, bigger wheels to support the increased weight, bigger bearings, supports, to deal with the increased weight, less efficiency getting all of that mass up to speed, and it goes on and on...

The Tesla has over 3x the battery capacity of an i3, but it gets a lot less than 3x the max range for a reason...it weighs more. The law of diminishing rewards comes into play.

What would work is better batteries. That is slowly happening. Nobody is expecting a major breakthrough, but it may happen.

[JasH]

Originally Posted by MalibuBimmer

Too bad BMW didn't make the battery a touch bigger. But that would have required some expensive engineering and trade offs in weight, etc.

Not really as difficult as you would imagine.

BMW could easily have used the (missing) engine space in the BEV to install an extra battery there. Very annoying that they did not.

And it would be no heavier than the engine from the ReX. Probably still lighter in fact, when you consider fluids etc.

[LowOnCash]

I would have sacrificed some performance for a bigger pack the car should go at min 25 miles on a charge.

[jadnashuanh]

Originally Posted by Idleup

I would have sacrificed some performance for a bigger pack the car should go at min 25 miles on a charge.

The i3 as sold today, easily beats 25 miles on a charge, even in really cold situations!

[MalibuBimmer]

I think we may have i3 and i8 conversations going on at the same time. Idleup has both.