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      11-20-2020, 04:19 PM   #45
JasH
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Originally Posted by MolarBear View Post
Eric - the roadster is 60kg from than the LCI (from what I can gather). I wonder if this changes things much? I believe the original was 150kg lighter than the roadster so that must make the LCI 90kg more?
That is quite possible. BMW added the steel bracing underneath the floor to the new model, for production reasons again i.e. Roadster needed it due to loss of roof, so they added it to both.

Same with the worse aero and lack of bonnet vent.

Cheaper to make them the same.

IMO the old coupe is better than the new coupe, except for the electric range.
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      11-20-2020, 08:52 PM   #46
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I can’t figure out why anyone would give a rat’s ass about battery range. I can’t believe that BMW built this car thinking that anybody would buy it as an EV when it will only travel 15-20 miles on the battery alone. The EV range is a joke.

The battery and electric drive I believe were designed just to assist the tiny fuel efficient 3 cylinder engine. Enabling the car to perform like a less fuel efficient car with a much larger gas guzzling engine.

What BMW created was a relatively high performance sports car that is inexpensive to own and operate.
And a lot of fun to drive!

Last edited by Coastali8; 11-20-2020 at 11:09 PM..
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      11-21-2020, 01:18 AM   #47
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Ähm, that's a personal view. I didn't buy the first i8 because of the ridiculous battery range. I drive the i8 as an EV on my commute. The Nav interacts with the engine strategy (if on) to avoid local emissions in populated areas. All that works much better with larger battery range. And in Germany you need the 50km to get the benefits of an E license plate. That makes a commercial difference as well as gives you some extra rights. The old i8 doesn't qualify. And don't get me wrong, I like my i8 a lot but it is everything but a high performance sports car. It has wheels like a bicycle, is too heavy for the combined engines and sounds like something hard to define. It was designed as a maximum efficiency technology sample and has a wide range of characters you can choose from. But for every discipline you will find a much better, much cheaper car. BUT, not for all the i8 can be. That needs a fleet, especially with the roadster.
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      11-21-2020, 02:47 AM   #48
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coastali8 View Post
I can’t figure out why anyone would give a rat’s ass about battery range. I can’t believe that BMW built this car thinking that anybody would buy it as an EV when it will only travel 15-20 miles on the battery alone. The EV range is a joke.

The battery and electric drive I believe were designed just to assist the tiny fuel efficient 3 cylinder engine. Enabling the car to perform like a less fuel efficient car with a much larger gas guzzling engine.

What BMW created was a relatively high performance sports car that is inexpensive to own and operate.
And a lot of fun to drive!
I guess it depends the purpose of it - if commuting / as your only car, the range for my longer journeys means it's £1000 a year in fuel difference (12,000 miles) even after paying more tax (in the UK at least - the UK had a weird tax change that pre March 2017 models paid £0 tax).

If your typical journey between charges were < 15 miles or much more than >60 miles regularly it would make little to no difference. But if you're between this sweet spot you get a decent return using EV mode for these miles.

Again, for people using it for:
  • A weekend drive only
  • A minimal distance a year
  • A 'super/sports car' experience
  • A second car
  • Super short journeys
  • >60 miles journeys

Then the bigger battery is completely pointless. But as a main car, commuting range between these, it's pretty awesome. If I'm going to be cruising on the motorway for 30-60 minutes, why not do it for pennies? It's not especially enjoyable to me to be going insane speeds on a motorway.

On a weekend drive, it's a different scenario completely. If you saw a nice fun road, you'd be mad to keep it in EV mode. These cars are 100% meant to be enjoyed in sports mode! I have a rule - if I see a fun road, I HAVE to enjoy myself. If you just used EV mode on these roads, you've just bought yourself a £120,000 Nissan Leaf.

But for cruising for miles on straight commuting road, EV mode has many benefits and few drawbacks.
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      11-21-2020, 05:19 AM   #49
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MolarBear View Post
I guess it depends the purpose of it - if commuting / as your only car, the range for my longer journeys means it's £1000 a year in fuel difference (12,000 miles) even after paying more tax (in the UK at least - the UK had a weird tax change that pre March 2017 models paid £0 tax).

If your typical journey between charges were < 15 miles or much more than >60 miles regularly it would make little to no difference. But if you're between this sweet spot you get a decent return using EV mode for these miles.

Again, for people using it for:
  • A weekend drive only
  • A minimal distance a year
  • A 'super/sports car' experience
  • A second car
  • Super short journeys
  • >60 miles journeys

Then the bigger battery is completely pointless. But as a main car, commuting range between these, it's pretty awesome. If I'm going to be cruising on the motorway for 30-60 minutes, why not do it for pennies? It's not especially enjoyable to me to be going insane speeds on a motorway.

On a weekend drive, it's a different scenario completely. If you saw a nice fun road, you'd be mad to keep it in EV mode. These cars are 100% meant to be enjoyed in sports mode! I have a rule - if I see a fun road, I HAVE to enjoy myself. If you just used EV mode on these roads, you've just bought yourself a £120,000 Nissan Leaf.

But for cruising for miles on straight commuting road, EV mode has many benefits and few drawbacks.
I enjoy the silence driving a nice side road with the roof down through a forest in EV mode. To everyone his own...
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      11-21-2020, 12:35 PM   #50
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Originally Posted by Leto1701 View Post
I enjoy the silence driving a nice side road with the roof down through a forest in EV mode. To everyone his own...
Amen
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      11-21-2020, 02:28 PM   #51
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Originally Posted by MolarBear View Post
if I see a fun road, I HAVE to enjoy myself. If you just used EV mode on these roads, you've just bought yourself a £120,000 Nissan Leaf.
100% agree. I always knock it into Sport mode for such sections/roads.

Equally, in traffic I just let it drive on its e-motor.

I only rarely use the actual e-drive mode. Usually when doing the last 1mile to home as it's a slow drive anyway.
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      11-21-2020, 02:30 PM   #52
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JasH View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by MolarBear View Post
if I see a fun road, I HAVE to enjoy myself. If you just used EV mode on these roads, you've just bought yourself a £120,000 Nissan Leaf.
100% agree. I always knock it into Sport mode for such sections/roads.

Equally, in traffic I just let it drive on its e-motor.

I only rarely use the actual e-drive mode. Usually when doing the last 1mile to home as it's a slow drive anyway.
The Ev mode is so underpowered it's only useful for town and commuting. For fun stuff it's really handicapped and the wet it's useless!
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      11-21-2020, 02:31 PM   #53
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Leto1701 View Post
I enjoy the silence driving a nice side road with the roof down through a forest in EV mode. To everyone his own...
My choice for a quiet forest road




But yes, I get what you mean, and did the same in the park in Munich in an i8 Roadster..... only to be told later that cars were banned in there
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