[GenXer]

Assuming payment is irrelevant, would I see real world cost savings if I were to drive 90 miles/day round trip. Average speed of 60 mph. There is no charging port anywhere near where I drive or work so all the charging will be done at home.

Besides, brakes, tires, insurance and registration, are there hidden costs in owning a BMW i3 ?

Currently, I spent roughly $10.50/day x 20 days for premium gas on my X1
So I'm spending $210 a month in gas.

Residential electricity of 11.78 cents/Kwh and I charged it up to 40Kwh daily.
So roughly $4.71 per charge x 20 days = $94.24

Will I see an actual savings of $115 a month? is it more or less than that?
Is it worth the inconvenience and the odd looks from my colleagues at work?

[afadeev]

Originally Posted by GenXer

Besides, brakes, tires, insurance and registration, are there hidden costs in owning a BMW i3 ?

Women will love you, men will want to be you.

Originally Posted by GenXer

Currently, I spent roughly $10.50/day x 20 days for premium gas on my X1
So I'm spending $210 a month in gas.

Just checking the math, since things don't add up later:
$10.50/day of premium at a US average of $3.50/gallon = 3 gallons per day. I don't know what ICE car you drive, but assuming 20 mpg around town, that's ~60 mile commute per day.

Originally Posted by GenXer

Residential electricity of 11.78 cents/Kwh and I charged it up to 40Kwh daily.
So roughly $4.71 per charge x 20 days = $94.24

Over 24 months and 20.5K miles of ownership, my i3 averaged 4.8 miles per kWh, or 208 Wh/mile.
60 mile daily commute * 20 days * 0.208 kWh/mile * $0.1178 per kWh == 249.6 kWh * $0.1178 per kWh == $29.40.

Somehow, your electricity cost calculations added up to 3x of mine.

Originally Posted by GenXer

Will I see an actual savings of $115 a month? is it more or less than that?

Over my 24 months long lease, my energy savings were (vs. driving M3):
20,500 miles * [ (1/17.5 * $3.50) - (208 Wh/mile * $0.1178 per kWh) ] = $3,596.90

Or $149.87 / month.
My monthly lease payment was $249 / month, so that made the i3 a sub $100/month lease car, net of energy savings.

Originally Posted by GenXer

Is it worth the inconvenience and the odd looks from my colleagues at work?

Only you can judge.

For the reasons I can't explain: young, attractive women love the i3's, and would randomly approach me on the parking lot to talk about it.
Never EVER happened with the M3.

You've been warned.

a

[Mirrari]

You also need a lv2 charger which will set you back a few hundred bucks (I paid 400ish for my Siemens unit).

As for savings, probably you'll see that. More if you have solar panels. My commute is about 50 miles and with leeching free charge at work I have saved myself from buying 400ish gallons of gas since I got my i3.

No odd looks really in my experience. A lot of colleagues are looking at phevs/electrics currently, especially since the gas prices pushing $4/gallon again

[PBNB]

If you drove up to Vancouver, you could get RUG for $4.60 USD per US gal. It is hovering at $1.70 per liter right now and should hit $2.00 this year.

We are paying between $.0829 and $0.1243 CDN per KwH for electricity. We make a lot of it here in B.C.

I think the EV proposition is much easier to appreciate up here with gas prices so high.

My costs look something like this:
Gas:
1 liter per 10 kms or $0.17 per km. (I am basing this on RUG but I typically use the mid or top grade non-ethanol fuel which is around $1.85 to $1.90 per liter).

Electric:
19 KwH (using the higher rate) gives me ~130 kms which costs $2.36 or $0.018 per km.

My Electric distance/cost works out to ~10% of what I would pay for RUG in a smaller ICE.

If I compared my Honda Element which gets crappy mileage I would be closer to 5% to run a EV over this pig.

My TDI on the other hand is much better and more like ~20% to run an EV in comparison. But then there are the global warming issues.

I got a ChargePoint Lvl 2 charger with Wifi for ~$800 CDN last year. It works great and the connected part really helps to figure out the costs.

The only looks we get are ones of jealousy as we zip along in the HOV lane

GenXer, I think your cost for the electricity is based on the 40 Kwh battery but your round trip wouldn't consume the full charge, maybe 1/2 of that so you wouldn't be charging up 40 KwH each day. I am assuming that you are looking at the new larger battery version of i3.

Also, have a closer look at your fuel consumption numbers. It seems that your X1 is giving you some great numbers. Should be about 25 miles mixed hwy and city per gallon according to BMW. That would mean that you are paying about $2.90/gal for premium which is very possible in some areas.

[damageprone]

Originally Posted by afadeev

Women will love you, men will want to be you.

90 miles a day would be cutting it close on a 60Ah battery vehicle IMO. Once you drive this car you'll see what I mean. You can't help but step on it sometimes. The computer then recalculates your range and you'll see you won't have enough range. I still get major range anxiety, but I have the REx.

If you get a 94Ah or 120Ah, then you should be fine.

[GenXer]

My X1 is getting 30MPG at an average speed of 60MPH. Premium fuel has been around $3.50 a gallon. There's no city or traffic where I drive. I drive 90 miles a day round trip. According to the EPA this 2015 i3 with no range extender can only go 117 miles. Given that it's 4 years old and has 30,000 miles on it. I don't expect it to go that far. I'm assuming that I will have to completely charge it every day after driving 90 miles. My electricity rate is 11.78 cents/kwh and I can only guess what the consumption rate for this car is driving 60 mph with AC/heat. I work 10 hours a day and commute for 90 minutes a day. I don't even think I would have enough time to charge it at 110V for the time I'm at home.

[PBNB]

90 miles is a bit of a challenge but at least you have a backup with the Rex. It sounds like you drive on the conservative side so that will help and there are the ECO modes as well.

A level 2 charger is the way to go. Mine puts out 7.2 Kw/hour so it takes only about 3 hours to charge.

Also, the preconditioning in the morning will help with range but I think you need a level 2 charger for that. The little trickle charger wont put out enough juice to allow the preconditioning to work.

[GenXer]

Originally Posted by PBNB

90 miles is a bit of a challenge but at least you have a backup with the Rex. It sounds like you drive on the conservative side so that will help and there are the ECO modes as well.

A level 2 charger is the way to go. Mine puts out 7.2 Kw/hour so it takes only about 3 hours to charge.

Also, the preconditioning in the morning will help with range but I think you need a level 2 charger for that. The little trickle charger wont put out enough juice to allow the preconditioning to work.

The one I'm looking at doesn't have a range extender so given the age and mileage of the vehicle, I might be pushing my luck driving 90 miles a day. Certainly going out of the way is verboten. I drive conservatively with the majority of my commute on rural highways.

Will a 4 year old i3 without REX get at least 100 mile range? I don't even know what the battery capacity or power draw is on this car.

Going with afadeev's 0.208 kwh/Mile and driving 90 miles that's 18.72 kwh x $0.1178 /kwh = $2.21 per day x 20 days = $44.10
That's a significant savings if it's achievable.

[damageprone]

I’d hold out until the right one comes your way.

[afadeev]

Originally Posted by GenXer

The one I'm looking at doesn't have a range extender so given the age and mileage of the vehicle, I might be pushing my luck driving 90 miles a day. Certainly going out of the way is verboten. I drive conservatively with the majority of my commute on rural highways.

Will a 4 year old i3 without REX get at least 100 mile range? I don't even know what the battery capacity or power draw is on this car.

No, you wont normally get 100 miles out of pre MY'17 i3s.
In the summer, without AC or heating, and hypermiling on back roads - sure. Otherwise, no way.

Through MY'16, i3's have 22 kWh (18.8 usable) battery (aka 60 Ah), good for 18.8 * 4.3 = 81 miles. You will get more in the summer, fewer miles in the winter.
MY'17-MY'18 i3's have 33 kWh (27.2 usable) battery (aka 94 Ah), good for 27.2 * 4.2 = 114 miles. Same disclaimer on mileage variation with ambient temps.

Originally Posted by GenXer

Going with afadeev's 0.208 kwh/Mile and driving 90 miles that's 18.72 kwh x $0.1178 /kwh = $2.21 per day x 20 days = $44.10
That's a significant savings if it's achievable.

Worked for me!


For what it's worth, I'm averaging 0.28 kWh/mile in Tesla Model 3 Performance (heavier, bigger, way faster, more aerodynamic).
Then again, that average includes a few autoXs and 0-XXX runs to amuse friends and family. I think Tesla advertises that model for 0.242 kWh, but I can't drive that slow in THAT car.


a

[PBNB]

Originally Posted by GenXer

The one I'm looking at doesn't have a range extender so given the age and mileage of the vehicle, I might be pushing my luck driving 90 miles a day. Certainly going out of the way is verboten. I drive conservatively with the majority of my commute on rural highways.

Will a 4 year old i3 without REX get at least 100 mile range? I don't even know what the battery capacity or power draw is on this car.

Going with afadeev's 0.208 kwh/Mile and driving 90 miles that's 18.72 kwh x $0.1178 /kwh = $2.21 per day x 20 days = $44.10
That's a significant savings if it's achievable.

Perhaps the next bump to a 2017 with the larger battery would make more sense. Or a Rex with the battery. The other day I jumped into the i3 and saw a combined range of 140 miles Battery and Rex. But it does drop by at least 25% when it gets cold. I would have no problem with the 90 mile commute with mine but I would be leaning on the Rex for the last bit of the trip and to ease my range anxiety.

Using the gas in the Rex would change your saving calculations as well.

[PBNB]

Originally Posted by afadeev

For what it's worth, I'm averaging 0.28 kWh/mile in Tesla Model 3 Performance (heavier, bigger, way faster, more aerodynamic).
Then again, that average includes a few autoXs and 0-XXX runs to amuse friends and family. I think Tesla advertises that model for 0.242 kWh, but I can't drive that slow in THAT car.


a

The Model 3 sounds like a riot to drive!

[tankertoad]

Originally Posted by PBNB

The Model 3 sounds like a riot to drive!

It is.

[Re-Volted]

Originally Posted by PBNB

Perhaps the next bump to a 2017 with the larger battery would make more sense. Or a Rex with the battery. The other day I jumped into the i3 and saw a combined range of 140 miles Battery and Rex. But it does drop by at least 25% when it gets cold. I would have no problem with the 90 mile commute with mine but I would be leaning on the Rex for the last bit of the trip and to ease my range anxiety.

Using the gas in the Rex would change your saving calculations as well.

25% more range loss in the winter seems low to me. Preconditioning won't help me drive fast in heavy rain on a cold day. Feel a lot better with a car that has more like 40% more range. So I wouldn't even chance the 94ah battery alone. Leaves you with the 94ah REX, 120ah BEV, or different car like my Volt or a Tesla. IMO.

[jmg]

Originally Posted by GenXer

My X1 is getting 30MPG at an average speed of 60MPH. Premium fuel has been around $3.50 a gallon. There's no city or traffic where I drive. I drive 90 miles a day round trip. According to the EPA this 2015 i3 with no range extender can only go 117 miles. Given that it's 4 years old and has 30,000 miles on it. I don't expect it to go that far. I'm assuming that I will have to completely charge it every day after driving 90 miles. My electricity rate is 11.78 cents/kwh and I can only guess what the consumption rate for this car is driving 60 mph with AC/heat. I work 10 hours a day and commute for 90 minutes a day. I don't even think I would have enough time to charge it at 110V for the time I'm at home.

I had a 2015 i3 REx before my 2018. My commute was around 80mi/day and if I didn't use the free work charger, my REx would kick in about 10 miles from home. Granted, the BEV i3 weighs less and you would get slightly more range than my REx, If you are doing 90 miles you will not make it IMHO or you would have legitimate range anxiety. With the newer models you would be fine. I currently get home with miles to spare and my REx is not needed in my 2018 model.

I switched to a off-peak program at home and the cost for charging has been largely negligible.

If I were you I would look for a REx for a 2015 or get a newer one with the bigger battery.

Hope this helps!

[Obioban]

As others have said, a pre 2017 BEV isn't going to cut it-- you need a REX or later/larger battery. Where do you live? If it's an area that gets exceptionally cold, the 2017-2018 BEV may not cut it, either.

-100 miles/day commuter

edit: that said, the savings are real. I've saving far more than $400 per month for gas, even after you subtract out electricity cost. I specifically avoided the REX, as part of my savings is not having to maintain this car, either