[Coastali8]

I’ve read just about everything on the i3 that I can find and only have one question.
The car will be driven primarily by my wife for short around town distances. The REX will probably never be used because the drive battery will be charged frequently.
My question is.... is there any way to exercise or test start the REX without depleting the drive battery? Just so I know if it will start before she takes the car on a longer trip where the REX might be needed.

Thanks

[GPVG39]

Hi. The REX will cycle once in a while by itself if it’s not used. So not to worry about it. Another way of doing it is if you hav3 it coded for the Rex to maintain charge whenever, you can activated yourself whenever you want! Good luck with your purchase! It’s a great piece of machine.

[vreihen16]

Have you considered skipping the REX and going with a straight BEV?????

[Coastali8]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

Have you considered skipping the REX and going with a straight BEV?????

Thanks for the responses.
The i8 will fire up the ICE on occasion also if it hasn’t been used for a while. I didn’t know that the i3 REX would do the same thing.

Yep.. considered an i3 without the REX. Decided that having a way for the wife to go without stopping at a charging station, if she had a longer trip she needed to take was a good safety backup.

[soheil]

Originally Posted by Coastali8

Thanks for the responses.
The i8 will fire up the ICE on occasion also if it hasn't been used for a while. I didn't know that the i3 REX would do the same thing.

Yep.. considered an i3 without the REX. Decided that having a way for the wife to go without stopping at a charging station, if she had a longer trip she needed to take was a good safety backup.

Yes, it really depends on your driving habit and style. We (well my wife) have a 2018 i3 REX, so it has a lower range than current model (110 mile ish on battery, add another 60 or so with REX). When we were looking to lease it, our/her driving was mostly in town specially since she worked close to our home so REX was definitely not necessary. Right after we got it, she changed her job and now has a 50 minute commute each way. Her workplace doesn't have anywhere to charge so by the time she gets back the battery is almost done, now if she didn't have the REX it would mean come straight home, no downtown shopping (well at least pre pandemic), no go out with friends, no take a break during lunch and go run errands. But luckily she has the REX so she can do all of that.

So again highly depends on your situation.

Just a fair warning though about the REX: it is loud as hell, shakes the car a bit on slow speeds and to be honest you can also smell the fumes of gas burning which to us completely defeats the purpose of going electric! We read all of these about the REX but went with it anyways because we thought people are exaggerating but they clearly weren't! Now we are always ashamed of driving somewhere with the REX on I don't know about i8 but in i3 the generator is right next to you! So make sure you test a REX before you get it!

[Coastali8]

Made the decision to purchase a 2018 “S” with the REX. Amazing car and really fun to drive. Handles better than I expected and is stable at freeway speeds. When the REX fires up it is super quiet and keeps the car traveling at freeway speeds.
If your REX is “loud as hell” you might want to have it checked out. I can barely hear mine.

[Zabi]

Don't buy a Rex, keep it simple s*****. Bev is lighter less complex and a blast around town. Don't buy a REX

[Coastali8]

Originally Posted by Zabi

Don't buy a Rex, keep it simple s*****. Bev is lighter less complex and a blast around town. Don't buy a REX

Too late.
Glad I did, otherwise I wouldn’t have made it home from the dealership without a charging stop.
“Simple s*****” does have its advantages I’ll admit, but not stopping for a s***** charge does too.

[soheil]

Originally Posted by Coastali8

Made the decision to purchase a 2018 "S" with the REX. Amazing car and really fun to drive. Handles better than I expected and is stable at freeway speeds. When the REX fires up it is super quiet and keeps the car traveling at freeway speeds.
If your REX is "loud as hell" you might want to have it checked out. I can barely hear mine.

Congrats either way, REX is a good choice, gives that piece of mind and as you've experienced first hand already can come handy in some situations.

My loud as hell comment was obviously exaggerated and is subjective. But try going to a friend's house on a Sunday morning for brunch with REX on, then you can definitely grab the attention of the neighbors playing outside with their kids.

You're gonna love the car for sure

[Zabi]

You are going to love it! Rex, Bev are both awesome pieces of engineering.

[Miata13]

We'll likely consider a BEV for replacing my wife's ICE Volvo. Given we have two other vehicles, the BEV would be used for all the local driving around chores. As I see it, IF you do have a ICE vehicle for the longer drives, the simplicity of adding a BEV (no complicating ICE bits and pieces and their ICE maintenance) seems the optimal solution for us to accompany the MINI Roadster and 230 ICE vehicles.

Glad we have time to see what BEV offerings are soon to be available in the market.

[JohnWasser]

If you want to test-run the REx, use the "Emission Test Mode":
Get into the car and close the door.
Press the trunk/hatch release button
Press the Start/Stop button (BRAKE NOT PRESSED)
Press and hold the accelerator pedal.
Press and release the brake pedal.
Press and release the brake pedal again.
Press and hold the brake pedal.
Release the accelerator pedal.
Press the Start/Stop button.

The REx should start and run at a low idle.

If you press the accelerator pedal the REx switches to a high idle.

The REx will stop in 20 minutes or when you press the Start/Stop button.

Be sure to close the trunk/hatch when you are done.

[Coastali8]

I finally got a chance to give the “emission test mode” a try.
The REx started right up. Great way to do a test and warm the oil prior to an oil change. I also coded the car for the hold state of charge at 75%. Very easy to do.

So far we love the i3s. My wife drives it everywhere and says it is faster (around town) and handles as well or better than her previous car which was a 2006 Porsche Boxster. Lots more room for groceries too.

[Noggie]

Good thing you are happy with it.

I agree that it's a nimble, fun practical "city car".

My two cents is that the 120ah version is enough for probably 95% of normal use.
How often do one do more than 290km/180mi a day.....
That range also cover most longer trips, but it's not really a car for longer trips, I thinks it's not comfortable enough so I use the M5 for longer trips.

The 60ah and 93ah versions I see that the Rex is the way to go.
Unless you live in Norway, not sure there is a single i3 Rex in the country. (tax related) so its not an option.

[ovekvam]

Even if you have only one car, and need to go a lot longer than 290 km in one day, you just need to allocate time for some charging stops. If you need to go 600 km, you can probably make it easily with two 45 minute stops, and you should have those stops for eating/rest anyway.

[TruckerAlex]

Originally Posted by soheil

Yes, it really depends on your driving habit and style. We (well my wife) have a 2018 i3 REX, so it has a lower range than current model (110 mile ish on battery, add another 60 or so with REX). When we were looking to lease it, our/her driving was mostly in town specially since she worked close to our home so REX was definitely not necessary. Right after we got it, she changed her job and now has a 50 minute commute each way. Her workplace doesn't have anywhere to charge so by the time she gets back the battery is almost done, now if she didn't have the REX it would mean come straight home, no downtown shopping (well at least pre pandemic), no go out with friends, no take a break during lunch and go run errands. But luckily she has the REX so she can do all of that.

So again highly depends on your situation.

Just a fair warning though about the REX: it is loud as hell, shakes the car a bit on slow speeds and to be honest you can also smell the fumes of gas burning which to us completely defeats the purpose of going electric! We read all of these about the REX but went with it anyways because we thought people are exaggerating but they clearly weren't! Now we are always ashamed of driving somewhere with the REX on I don't know about i8 but in i3 the generator is right next to you! So make sure you test a REX before you get it!

Who are you people with a "loud as hell" rex?! You need to get to a shop! This thing is definitely not loud, did you ever drive a volt? Plus it shuts off when you're stopped.

[Coastali8]

Originally Posted by Noggie

Good thing you are happy with it.

I agree that it's a nimble, fun practical "city car".

My two cents is that the 120ah version is enough for probably 95% of normal use.
How often do one do more than 290km/180mi a day.....
That range also cover most longer trips, but it's not really a car for longer trips, I thinks it's not comfortable enough so I use the M5 for longer trips.

The 60ah and 93ah versions I see that the Rex is the way to go.
Unless you live in Norway, not sure there is a single i3 Rex in the country. (tax related) so its not an option.

That’s interesting that in Norway you pay more in tax for a REx. Here in Oregon the REx has a lower tax because it’s considered a hybrid. Pure electric cars pay a higher tax because they don’t use any gasoline and therefore no road tax is collected with the gas sale. A hybrid uses gas so some road tax is collected but not very much because the REx seldom is used. So in the end the REx is cheaper.
In Norway the government rewards you to be environmentally friendly. Here in the US the government makes it more expensive to be environmentally friendly.

[Noggie]

Originally Posted by Coastali8

That’s interesting that in Norway you pay more in tax for a REx. Here in Oregon the REx has a lower tax because it’s considered a hybrid. Pure electric cars pay a higher tax because they don’t use any gasoline and therefore no road tax is collected with the gas sale. A hybrid uses gas so some road tax is collected but not very much because the REx seldom is used. So in the end the REx is cheaper.
In Norway the government rewards you to be environmentally friendly. Here in the US the government makes it more expensive to be environmentally friendly.

Norway has a "complicated" car tax system that makes "normal" cars VERY expensive, i.e. 2-3 times what they cost in the US.
1. 25% VAT on the cost on the vehicle price from the factory
2. tax on the vehicle weight
2. tax on Co2 emissions
3. tax on Nox emissions

EV's have been, and still are, VAT and tax exempt, Hybrids aren't, so ev's pretty much cost the same as in other countries.

A regular i3 is VAT and tax free, with discounts a well equipped i3 is $42.000.
A i3 REx, being a hybrid, would have to pay 25% VAT, tax on weight and the emissions from the Rex unit.
Quick check indicates that the Rex would be about $10.000 more than a regular i3.

EV's also had a lot of benefits, such as:
- you can drive in the bus lane
- no road tax (we pay a fixed yearly road tax of $400 pr vehicle)
- no toll road fees
- free ferries
- free parking, often with free charging on dedicated ev spots.

Last couple of years some benefits have changed, so you now pay 50% road tax, on ferries and toll road fees, free parking w/ charging is gone. You can still drive in the Bus lane though

Me being a "petrolhead" took some time to get my first EV.
The Norwegian EV market started booming in 2014, now in 2021 there are fast DC chargers almost everywhere and most people install type 2 chargers at home. I have one that can charge up to 17Kw in my garage and I have never used a public charging station since I got my i3s in November last year.

As I said, I was slow getting an EV, mostly because the early cars had such low range. Once the range tipped 180mi/300km I found them to be sufficient enough for my needs.
I would never be one of those with the 60Ah i3 that drive in the winter with thick jackets, a hat and gloves in a cold car to maximize range, I want comfort.

I was never a fan of the Teslas so that was not an option.

Looking at the next gen ev's, like the Mercedes EQS, which will come with up to 770km/470mi rage, it's becoming a car that will cover any use I can think of, so perhaps the M5 and i3s will be replaced by an EQS in a year or so.

[Noggie]

Originally Posted by ovekvam

Even if you have only one car, and need to go a lot longer than 290 km in one day, you just need to allocate time for some charging stops. If you need to go 600 km, you can probably make it easily with two 45 minute stops, and you should have those stops for eating/rest anyway.

Yes, that is not a problem.
I do not find the i3 to be a great touring car though, so not a car I would take on a holiday trip or cross country trip where you drive all day.
The i3 is a "city car" in my mind and perfect for daily chores and I would probably not take it on any drive longer than 250km in a day.
So a trip to Kristiansand (220km) is probably the longest I would consider taking the i3s for.

[ovekvam]

Originally Posted by Noggie

Yes, that is not a problem.
I do not find the i3 to be a great touring car though, so not a car I would take on a holiday trip or cross country trip where you drive all day.
The i3 is a "city car" in my mind and perfect for daily chores and I would probably not take it on any drive longer than 250km in a day.
So a trip to Kristiansand (220km) is probably the longest I would consider taking the i3s for.

That makes sense with the other cars you have, but it is different for those who only have one car.

[Noggie]

Originally Posted by ovekvam

That makes sense with the other cars you have, but it is different for those who only have one car.

I guess so.

I have done Haugesund a couple of times (100km each way) it was ok.
The i3 has thin seats that are not that comfortable and lack the side support you find in a normal 1/2/3/4/5-series.
I think other manufacturers have small ev cars better suited for a "one car household" in the same price range, i.e the e-Golf, or the new VW ID.3/ID.4.

I do not see myself do the 600km trip to Oslo og 1000km trip to Trondheim in the i3s, but thats not why I bought the i3s either.

I guess I will get a bigger ev next time, but if BMW continue with their new design, I will buy a different brand for sure and 20 years with BMW's come to an end.

[garys3]

I don't want to hijack your post, but am another guy looking really strongly at an i3, preowned for first one, and would like to know if there is a way to tell what state the battery pack is in. Don't really want to buy one that is getting ready for a replacement. TIA