BMW iModels

[snoltor]

Exciting times in the EV world:

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/11/25/bmw-i8-sold-out-i3-records-10k-orders/

Here's one review of the i3:

http://bmwi3.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-la-auto-show-driving-impressions.html

 

[Airton]

I will be driving the i3 on December 11th @ the BMW North America Headquarters here in New Jersey, looking forward to that.
Will most likely drive the Rav (hope they don't mind :? ) there due to cold temps and the 80 mile round trip, just to play it safe.

 

[mark_rivers19]

The design is polarizing.
and i'm on the " it's Ugly" camp.
but i'm sure owners of the Pontiac Aztek will disagree.

 

[mikeEmike]

The design is polarizing.
and i'm on the " it's Ugly" camp.
but i'm sure owners of the Pontiac Aztek will disagree.

Funny you should mention that. The first time I saw the i3, I thought, "Gee, I guess the person who dreamed up the Pontiac Aztek found work somewhere else."

 

[dipper]

Forget the ugly i3. I want the i8, if only I was made of money. Prius Plugin like mpg for a turbo v6 hybrid on hybrid mode. :ugeek: :ugeek: :ugeek:

 

[tjka4231]

Article about BMW i3 doesn't qualify for CA white HOV sticker.

http://www.bmwblog.com/2014/01/10/bmw-i3-range-extender-reportedly-doesnt-qualify-white-sticker-california/

 

[evbuddy]

Test drove the I3. Love it.

Power/acceleration - RAV4 . I3 is still the best after tesla and RAV4. And it is more than good enough.
Noise- I3, pretty close to RAV4, may be bit better.
Visibility- I3
Second row space and trunk: RAV4. I3 rear is cramped. Can't open rear door without opening the front.
Regen breaking: I3 is stronger.
Handling: I3 because of rear drive
Range: RAV4

 

[Airton]

Yup it's hard to compare the them, two very different cars with each having a different purpose. I think anyone that drives one will love it.

I would love to see them both sitting on my driveway side by side some day...

 

[dipper]

Article about BMW i3 doesn't qualify for CA white HOV sticker.

http://www.bmwblog.com/2014/01/10/bmw-i3-range-extender-reportedly-doesnt-qualify-white-sticker-california/

Only with the REX version. The all EV version is qualified.

If that is the case, I am still surprised if BMW still allows battery SOC to 5% before forcing ICE on. They should leave it to Euro spec now.

 

[miimura]

Article about BMW i3 doesn't qualify for CA white HOV sticker.

http://www.bmwblog.com/2014/01/10/bmw-i3-range-extender-reportedly-doesnt-qualify-white-sticker-california/

Only with the REX version. The all EV version is qualified.

If that is the case, I am still surprised if BMW still allows battery SOC to 5% before forcing ICE on. They should leave it to Euro spec now.

Forcing the REx to only come on at low SOC qualifies it for the full $2,500 CA rebate instead of $1,500. Do you still want Euro-spec?
I can't stand the looks, so I wouldn't consider it at all.

 

[dipper]

Article about BMW i3 doesn't qualify for CA white HOV sticker.

http://www.bmwblog.com/2014/01/10/bmw-i3-range-extender-reportedly-doesnt-qualify-white-sticker-california/

Only with the REX version. The all EV version is qualified.

If that is the case, I am still surprised if BMW still allows battery SOC to 5% before forcing ICE on. They should leave it to Euro spec now.

Forcing the REx to only come on at low SOC qualifies it for the full $2,500 CA rebate instead of $1,500. Do you still want Euro-spec?
I can't stand the looks, so I wouldn't consider it at all.

If it was not ugly, I would take the $1000 hit just to have a useful REX. With this design of not running the ICE at a push of a button, I rather buy a Volt 2.0 when it comes out.

 

[n3ckf]

I spent some time at the display of the I3 at CES last week in Las Vegas. I *didnt* drive one.

However i did talk to an engineer, look inside extensively etc.

The price i was quoted was $42K btw. So competitive.
The 80-100 mile range (with a 24KW battery btw) shows that this is a purpose -built electric vehicle thats been optimized (the carbon fiber frame is impressive, they had a "frame" with nothing in it sitting inside the exhibit to look at). Like most carbon fiber designs, its reinforced with metal at hard points but the vast majority of the car is composite material. (other than the engine, seats etc.)

I asked an engineer "how loud is the REX in operaton"? He said "very loud". which is what i expected. Its a motorcycle engine. I think i would NOT get it were i buying this vehicle (especially since you dont get white stickers for it).

I did sit in the vehicle and the visibility appears quite good (even better than the Rav4). People were driving them they appear quite quiet in electric drive (which you'd expect). I don tthink the REX was installed in any of the vehicles they had there.

Inside they had the charger choices, where were a 30Amp Leviton branded BMW.

So overall the story is, decent car, i probably wouldnt buy one due to the decreased range over the RAV-4 (and i dont need to pose in a Bmmer), however i expect a *lot* of my fellow Google employees to buy them at that price. (its a BMW, it has *decent* accelleration numbers, its got better range than the Leaf, and we get free charging. Whats not to like?)

The REX is a gimmick. (I could actually use it to extend the range to 120+ miles to reach my house in the mountains, but if its noisy, that'd be annoying).

 

[cwerdna]

I spent some time at the display of the I3 at CES last week in Las Vegas. I *didnt* drive one.

However i did talk to an engineer, look inside extensively etc.

The price i was quoted was $42K btw. So competitive.
The 80-100 mile range (with a 24KW battery btw)
...

Why didn't you drive it? I was at CES and test drove it 2x (lined up twice).

As for "24KW battery", http://www.bmw.com/com/en/newvehicles/i/i3/2013/showroom/technical_data.html says "Capacity of lithium-ion battery in kWh 18.8", which I assume is usable capacity, not total (Leaf's is ~20 kWh usable out of 24 kWh).

As for range, I wouldn't expect its EPA range to be significantly more than the Leaf's. It'll likely be real similar, possibly slightly less.

See below (partly quoted from one of my posts):
Re: '13+ Leaf 75 mile EPA rating and the 80% and 100% averaging, see http://insideevs.com/2013-nissan-leaf-rated-at-75-miles-but-84-miles-using-the-old-system/.
Re: not getting one's hopes up about the i3 not having significantly more range than the Leaf, see below:
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=312272#p312272
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=312327#p312327
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=13264&start=30 (remember that "200 km" ("124 mile") Leaf is the same car that is EPA rated at 75 miles, just the 200 km is on very inflated European test cycles.)

'14 Leaf's EPA range "increased" :roll: due to Nissan apparently ditching the option to charge to 80% :roll: : http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1089545_2014-nissan-leaf-electric-car-84-mile-range-aroundview-standard.

Anyway, the i3 is quite fast and definitely faster than my Leaf (just as the acceleration times I've seen vs. the Leaf would suggest). Didn't have a chance to test out its handling much but it was definitely a lot better than I'd expect for its skinny tires. RWD means no weight transfer off the driving wheels when accelerating hard. I'm sure you Rav4 EV owners have seen how easy it is to light up the front tires on hard acceleration and experience torque steer.

BMW is putting in some serious Euros into the i3 effort w/the CFRP and purpose-built chassis. Let's hope that they've fixed all the problems w/the ActiveE, which is notoriously unreliable.

 

[n3ckf]

Why didn't you drive it? I was at CES and test drove it 2x (lined up twice).

The two times i walked by it looked like they had a good number of people waiting, and i wanted to spend time on the show floor.

However if i want to drive one, i'm sure that 5 or 10 people at Google will have them the week they introduce them

 

[Airton]

BMW is putting in some serious Euros into the i3 effort w/the CFRP and purpose-built chassis. Let's hope that they've fixed all the problems w/the ActiveE, which is notoriously unreliable.

They did, mine was in once for a software update and has never given us a problem the car has been rock solid for 2 years 30k miles and going....

 

[TonyWilliams]

BMW is putting in some serious Euros into the i3 effort w/the CFRP and purpose-built chassis. Let's hope that they've fixed all the problems w/the ActiveE, which is notoriously unreliable.

They did, mine was in once for a software update and has never given us a problem the car has been rock solid for 2 years 30k miles and going....

Unfortunately, your experience doesn't match the huge number of broken motor drives and battery replacements.

The ActiveE has an abysmal record.