@@masonjenglish9422 So far so good, I've had it nearly 3 years and the car is 4 years old. I've done 20,000 mile give or take and not has a single fault, my only issue is a bit of corrosion on the alloy wheels which I think is due to water getting under the lacquer during jet washing.
I have a 2016 Rex which I purchased in 2017 within 3.5 k on the clock. I’m now at 17k. No faults aside from the petrol filler mech occasionally failing to depressurise and open. Interesting, I have gone in the opposite direction regarding using the Rex. I travel from London to France a few times a year. I started off using the Rex to get me to Folkestone, and then trying to use battery charge from their onwards. Now I prefer to use the battery and charge at DC charge points to cover 96% of the route. I use the Rex during the last leg of my journey which is long than the battery range in winter. Unlike your early experience I have found it possible to maintain 70mph using the Rex (which auto kicks in at 5% battery remaining) with only 1 - 2% battery loss (going up and downhill) with wife, kids and luggage. I must admit that with this strategy although I don’t suffer from range anxiety, I do suffer from Rex-anxiety! This is feeling that the little 2-stroke moped engine making that furious but faint whirring sounds and vibrations behind me could blow up any second and I’ll be stranded on the hard shoulder of French motorway.
@@yellow1one Try using the rex earlier say say 50% then working out when your safe to turn off the Rex when you have built up enough credit miles to get the rest of your trip by EV power. Its actually not a two stroke Moped engine its a 650cc four stroke twin out of the BMW C650GT scooter
@@bobbralee1019 Thanks for the tip. I’ll that on my next trip down to France. Makes sense it’s a four stroke.I had wondered how BMW managed to get rid of the blue smoke and smell! LoL!
@@patrickoconnor5494 but topping up a petrol tank on a long trip is hassle free, my bmw i3 does 100 miles on electric and a hundred miles on petrol, no problem no hunt the charger no waiting for it to charge no range anxiety, that is how exactly....
It's quite logical, enough chargers to go around these days. Drive somewhere and park it next to a charger and plug it in. 10 years ago a range extender made sense, these days it's really not neccesary anymore.
I've also pre-programmed shortcut key 8 to kick in the range extender. Only works when the battery is below 75% I believe. 100% agreed to use the range extender as you described, earlier rather than later (if you know you need to use it!)
@@sag2267 you can't program it to turn on but you can program the shortcut key to hold charge if less than 75% but you need to press the key then press the big console button
Thanks Chris. Really hope you do more real life updates on your cars as it really is of great interest to myself. After your last video I started thinking about an i3 as a replacement for my current diesel car.
I dug in wanting an fully electric car. I wanted german build quality !! So bought the i3 with latest battery. The only problem with it is ?? I cant stop trying to find reasons to drive it !! Ive doubled my normal mileage. I have Fun planing routes to have charging options along the way. Having a charger at home means i always have 170 mile range every morning. And its cheap to run :)
But how do you double the mileage? Can you share what charger that you purchased please and what year your model is for comparison? Please and Thanks in advance
I have had my “Litl’ Blue” 2017 BMW i3 BEV 33Kw 94Ah since 01/25/2021. I bought it in Florida, in showroom condition with 24k on the odometer. I’m 75, and drive it about 30-100 miles a month in Comfort mode with a stomped accelerator, wide open moon roof, and a grin mostly to pick up online ordered groceries and to visit the VA clinic. I use a 240V, 16A (3.84Kw) Level 2 charger in my carport routed inside my house as an ALTERNATE device to my dryer outlet and usually charge once a month. I gain 13.5 miles per hour of charging up to 124 to 137 miles. From home my electric cost is $0.031 per Mile which at an average gas price of $4.00 per gallon equates to 129 MPG. I’m a happy i3 owner totally free of ICE maintenance to say the very least and gladly pay a helper $15.00 a month from my Social Security cash to wash, vac and dry it. If there is a more perfect EV out there, I simply don’t want it! I don’t need more range, acceleration, styling, features, reliability, comfort, handling, or value. Litl’ Blue is obviously my Forever Car. Paid $16,500 but was offered $22,400 by Edmunds/CarMax 4 months ago which tickled my worn out ego. 36% appreciation on a used car in just over a year is certainly a first ever for me even on my ‘69 427ci/435hp Vette back in 1975. You may name yours too as you would any other loved pet. 🚙
I just did my first long journey in my 2015 i3 Rex and learnt the same. The Rex is only a 33 BHP engine, outputting up to 24.5Kw, and is there to simply top up the battery as best it can as you go along, not actually power the car forward. When you know this, you realise the i3 Rex is an EV just with a petrol generator in the boot.
You’re absolutely right about the range extender or REX as we call it! If you live in the California area and I don’t know if it’s the entire US but the EPA made some sort of deal with BMW to get the carpool lane available to the i3 so the deal was the REX could not come on until the battery was at 6% which made the REX pretty useless. Until Beamer code came in with a fix/hack! now I can do what you can do and hold state of charge, which works great!&
You nailed my exact concerns about this car: the range extender MPH - I get what you're saying about turning it on early, and the learning curve you dealt with there. 40mph would be torture if you didn't know it was coming. Thanks!
I currently own an Audi A2 and have done for 15 years. It’s been better than sliced bread but may need a replacement, to ‘keep up with the Jones’s, and am thinking of as late an i3 as I can afford but unsure of the range extender as it seems a ‘cop out’. Have BMW cracked the limited range issue the early ones had with the larger battery now? My commute can be around the 50 miles as a round trip so an EV will need to be able to do a minimum of about 75 miles in Winter was my thinking as charging at home is possible. Which rules out PHEVs and early EVs. The comparison with the A2 is interesting as that is still a fine car, no rust or mechanical issues even after 215,000 miles :-)
John Kellett i agree !! Its also 120kg of weight in the rear :( so your permanently carrying 2 or 3 passengers :( many people love their range extenders ! I haven’t in 9,000 miles of pure electric miles.
John Kellett There was a battery upgrade (to 94ah) in the summer of 2016 giving 50% more range to 120 miles (falling to nearer 100 in winter) and another giving 33% more range to 160 miles (130 in winter) in Nov 2018. BMW have said there will be a further upgrade in the next couple of years.
Well my 1990 Citroen 2CV6 has the same 29 HP and can be driven flat out for 230 miles at 68 mph and fills up 5 gallons in 3 minutes and rides fabulously. Plus the seats slide out for picnics and it weighs 600 kgs ... Huge fun... i3 personality and progress?? with less practicality 50 design years later.
Serial hybrids have an internal combustion engine (ICE) that only acts as a generator to add electricity to the battery and not power the drivetrain directly like parallel hybrids (the majority of hybrid vehicles). Since the Chevrolet Volt was discontinues, there are very few serial hybrid vehicles which is a shame because, to me, serial hybrids make the most sense. I think the Honda Clarity is still available in that form. Both parallel hybrids and serial hybrids can be created as plug-in hybrids where they have a battery pack sized to give a specific electric-only range (such as 30 or 50 miles) but then also have an ICE available to power the vehicle once the plug-in battery depletes. An i3 without REX (Range EXtending engine) is a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV); truly an electric-only vehicle. An i3 with REX is a plug-in serial hybrid because it runs first off the battery and then off of gas engine once the battery pack depletes. Whether or not you ever use that engine (by keeping the battery charged between drives) doesn't change the definition of the vehicle. I think that it's great to have the choice of electric-only or one with a REX as different buyers have different needs. Disappointing that BMW discontinued the REX. I wish other manufactures would make a plug-in serial hybrid.
After having run a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV for 5 years, took the plunge and bought a 3rd hand i3 (120Ah - battery only - no REx). One of the best cars we’ve had. Easy driving - we default to ECO Pro mode when driving and this winter - even when cold - an easy 160mi range of mixed driving. Warmer weather has pushed this to nearer 190mi range. We’re not deliberately light footed, but do anticipate and rarely touch the brakes - using the regen nearly all the time. A 32A single phase 240v 7.4kW charger at home means a usual turn around time of just 5 hours to 100% - occasionally 6 hours if we’ve cut things very fine and come back with under 10 miles. Range anxiety easing now, with InstaVolt stations being easily the best - and quick. Park, start charge, go and get a comfort break and a coffee, and by the time you’ve finished - there’s another 60+ miles added. Total cost including the coffee and a sticky bun - about £20! In all, I really don’t know why we didn’t do this earlier. As for performance - it’s not a hot hatch but it’s very nippy, got a fantastic turning circle, it’s a nice place to sit in - and it always brings a smile to your face...
How was the mitsu outlander phev to drive? Lots of them on the market and looking at them as an alternative to my diesel kia ceed. Hoping to be able to make my 6 miles daily commute with electricity only but I do a lot of longer distance driving to visit family.
i agree i have an bmw i3 rex which is a proper ev (the petrol engine never powers the wheels) so no downside we have the best of both worlds. as you say the changes in weather conditions or even if the battery losses some capacity the rex is always there...
I own an i3S Rex and I absolutely love it!. I get a lot more EV range than you are quoting mine is a 2018 version, so perhaps a larger battery? I have driven from Warrington to Cornwall, which is a 330 mile journey and back again. Going down I had to use the range extender on the way back it was all on electric.
You have the S so it’s presumably 33 kWh. His looks like the 22 kWh. To confuse things BMW calls them 60Ah Rex and 90Ah Rex. The newer i3 is 42 kWh (120Ah) and has no range extender option. Your version gets about 50 miles more range than the newer model with no range extender. The older Rex model (in this video) with range extender gets about the same range overall as the newer model with no range extender. Some may argue yours is the sweet spot. At least until a newer again model adds more range, I guess (at more cost no doubt).
As far as winter tires and do they matter? They absolutely do. I had a BMW 3 series which at the time was rear drive only, but like the i3 50/50 weight distribution. When I added 4 winter tires, the car went from almost undriveable in slick condition, to more confident then any AWD car without winter tires. I could literally get up inclined roads that other vehicles could not. But the most important factor was being able to come to controlled stops. You simply cannot stop effectively in any vehicle without winter tires in snowy conditions. ABS and traction control help, but they are nothing compared to a decent brand of snow tires. Once you get into one winter accident will understand this!
Actually, this old i3 REX with the 60Ah battery is still what I call "good enough". When you use the REX like shown in the video, you can travel long distances. Plus you can cover all local driving on electricity alone and all of the 170 little horses will be at your service any instant you like.. Unlike most PHEVs where you need the gas engine to wake up all horses...
Just upgraded my Rex 60Ah and fitted a 120 aH battery. I had to find an expert as BMW refused to do it. Anyway, the car is now the best of all worlds..
Ive seen ALOT of these in my area being sold at around 47k-55k miles for less than $13k. Is there something that happens with the battery system at around this mileage range?
Some of these early ones are now outside their battery warranty of 7 years. Any news of these early ones having major problems? I’m getting an electric as a 5th car for driving into the city. But not spending big money, early i3 look attractive for the money but worried about battery warranty. Thanks
Nice review. Liked it. I really like to buy this car as it is coming in my range for a used car. i have few queries: 1. Do we need to pay road tax on this? 2. can we see how much petrol left in RE? 3. if i want to use only Battery, will it give atleast 60? (for 2014-2015 model) thanks, murali
early 22kwh with rex uk no road tax latter 33kwh with rex £170 road tax yes you can see how much petrol you have left but it shows as range not liquid yes the 2014/15 will give you 60 miles but not much more in winter.. no hassle with a rex you may have guessed i have an i3 rex, (2018) i will never public charge ,i drive to suit me not suit the car...
So .... I drive a Audi A2 1.4 Tdi , 90 bhp , which I really love .... but at 16 years old , and 200k miles it’s time for it to take a back seat and enjoy the latter part of its life My job is mainly about running around the county meeting clients, driving around 100-150 miles a day I do drive like a granny , keeping speeds at 60mph on the motor way , hardly use the brakes and don’t have loads of stuff in the car , just myself and sandwiches! Really looking at the 33kw with the range extender cir 2016 car , what can I expect range wise , and whats the charger positions like in the big wide world of the uk ...
I think about buying used from 2015-2016, right now I spend around 60-100 gbp a month for fuel for my car. Nice thing about electric is that my workplace provide free charging for EV. 10k-12k for 2016 model is a good price or should I wait and see?
I have one. It's just ok. Noisy, poor stability in a side breeze. Cheap to run alright. Re-sale value is awful. People expect to buy cheap but sell expensive. Nonsense.
Looking at the size of the REX motorcycle motor (647 cc - which one can turn on to charge the battery) it is obvious that you are not able to run this car (consitering it's weight, close to 3000 lb + the meat on board) on "normal" speed for long without decreasing the charge on the battery - it's pure physics. So, as you have found out (the hard way) one should turn on the REX as early as possible (75% charge left) and start using the motor when you know that you have a long distance to cover - letting it drain the battery as slowly as possible and refuel the car as often as possible to get the most out of the charge ("original"). One of the main factor to get further is to keep the speed down (all speed above 80 km/h and you are just "asking for it", draining the battery per km/mile - much fastere) so that the air "hitting" the car (air pressure) does not create as big of a resistance to the movement (increasing in a power (exponentially) with the speed when going above about 80 km/h or so). And of course do not run any electrical equipment /heater etc./.
Was this your experience of running one? I've a 2018 with the larger 33kwh battery and I've done long journeys in mine with the range extender running and can easily do 70mph without battery range/charge going down. Your comment about not running any electrical equipment is not what I've found. I think you must have an issue with your car.
@@jimf4748yes it is my experience - please note that Im running on the smallest battery+REX and Im living in a rather cold climate with mountainious area (Iceland). I see a large difference if I turn the aircon on say +20 C then I see the range estimate going down by some 20 km. The electrical range on the car now is at best 110 km (8 years old) in the summer time. And I always want to run as much as possible on the electricity.
@@axelviarhilmarsson6317 Thanks for clarifying. I live in Southern Scotland and using the Rex and the battery I can get 180 miles (289km) all year round and over 200 miles (320 km) in warm weather. I can fully understand your issues given where you live, the small battery and the age of the battery. Hopefully it is adequate for your needs.
@@jimf4748 No this small "old" car is the perfect car for hte city driving and as the Reykjavik area is not that large the 100 km electrical range is adequed and then I have the REX - but I almost never use it (normally it is the cars computer turning it on for the required minimum lubricating maintenace intervals). This is the best city car to own in my opinon - turning radious, the size (able to put large things into it etc.), the look, the interiour, the logical layout and the list is endless, there are few drawbacks. I have had it for 8 years and it has only 80.000 km on it .... the maintenance has only been two things - one battery (the small one :) ) and the rubber around the front wheels dampers (which was a common problem) ... no break change or anything, except oil changes and filters. The electicity in Iceland is priced rather low (0,15 eruos kWh) but the petrol price is very high (close to 2,5 USD per liter) so this car has probably paid it self all ready. Regards from Iceland
@@axelviarhilmarsson6317 That's great to hear. I love my i3 and agree with all your comments, possibly the best car I've owned. Like you, I seldom have to use the Rex unless on a long trip. Your electricity is a good price. My son and his wife have recently returned from a holiday to Iceland and are still raving about it. The photos are stunning and Reykjavik looked really nice too. All the best and I hope your i3 runs for many more years!
What lets this car down, and many others (excepting Tesla) is that the car manufacturers rely on third party electrical charge station suppliers leading to problems such as differing plug points, charging time, having to download apps. to use the charger, if you find a charger suitable for your car. Look at Tesla who have their own charge points over a growing number of places, simply scan your bank card and charge your car. Unless other manufacturers follow suit then Tesla will be the less hastle car to have in regard to charging your battery. Maybe manufacurers can emulate Tesla in uniformity of charging stations for charging any brand of vehicle ( petrol cars have a uniform petrol entry port enabling fills at any station irrespecrive of station owner) but don't hold your breath.
Hi there, I'm a big Audi lover ( always was) But ☝ for the past few months I start to really consider to buy bmw. Few simple reasons My personal view and feelings for quality of BMW cars Driving position Extras and sound system Driving experience... Lots more Any how I start to think about I3 Try to go Greene little bit My question is Are you able to drive only on petrol engine? Mainly I would like to use car for work and school runs But I knew already how I like this car So I wish to use for longer trips too How all this looks in real life Please if you can describe and explain bit more Thank you Happy watcher
Just seen a review claiming the i3 is the worst vehicle on the market for depreciation. While I like the look of the i3, the depreciation is what's deterring me from buying one - and from buying BEVs in general. What's your experience of reselling BEVs, Chris?
I bought a 2014 Rex with 56k miles for $14k. I wish I could buy a model 3 with 56k for $14k. I think at this point it's a fair price for the car. It only gets about 65 miles with heat on.
Great car. I speak as a petrol head who would never considered an EV until I had the offer to test drive one whist my car was in for a service. Originally had a 60ah REx like Chris but now have a 94ah i3s REx which drives a lot sharper and has a far more reassuring range. Only downside is that they are expensive and only seat 4.
@@sjale2007Yes, mine is an i3s with a sunroof so added weight and wider tyres. In the Summer I aim to get 120/125 miles of electric range although the REx will automatically kick when the range falls to 7% - which effectively gives 115 miles. The range can fall to as low as 100 miles on the coldest Winter days (and having the wipers, heating and lights on will not help). REx probably adds 60 miles so = 160 miles although you can carry on by topping up the 10 litre petrol tank. With the rise in public charging rates it is usually cheaper to add petrol than pay for a rapid charge to cover the same distance. Frankly you will never suffer from range anxiety with the REx - nor the inconvenience of finding a charging point or having to queue. The pure BEV is a little sweeter to drive - and the 94ah lighter weight makes it nicer than the 120ah. I would definitely recommend the LCI (facelifted) post Nov 17 built cars but there were less than 1000 RExs imported into the UK as they were only on sale for 12 months before the 120ah came along. I’m intending to keep mine indefinitely - although I now have another EV for longer distances. Just this morning looking for a parking space I was able to squeeze into a place that probably no other car would have got into - although helped by lady who having just parked her car got back in and moved back a couple of feet.
Thanks for the video. A really good update on how the car is treating you. I like the i3 but struggle to let go of the power/torque/range in modern turbo diesels. Hope to make a change in the future though.
@@Hali88i3 rex is the best of both worlds faster cleaner quieter cheaper to run less servicing. 70 mph on the motorway all day no charging just top up the petrol tank ..
4:24 you can simply call it hybrid charging system because the car its 100% operated by the electric motor where as a regular hybrid motor both engines are helping out each other with torque and horsepower bmw really nail it , mine has 87k miles bought it with 30k with regular maintenance this cars are beautiful to own the batteries last forever thanks to them being cooled down and when you use the slow level 1 charger it really helps out the longevity and to balance the cells , also the materials inside feel very good and high quality, its my first electric vehicle but i think if i where to trade it i probably will get a tesla model 3 something not that big and keep using electric cars for now , i have other gas cars that i love a tiny more hehe lol.
GrahamKirk not a problem with the subsequent 94 ah (post July 16) car which has 50% greater range c 120 miles or current (post Nov 18) car c 160 miles. Another battery upgrade promised.
I've had 6 EV's and I've always loved the I3, however, the quality appears to be crap and they are expensive to repair. The whole idea that they put in a cable so that when you can't get into the charger location you can bypass is just plain nuts. There are tons of videos of complaints regarding the quality, of issues with the range extender motor, etc. I wish there was a Japanese equivalent and I'd buy it. I hear the battery degradation is crap too. I now have a used Chevy Bolt and thus far seems like a better solution. I'm not a Tesla fan boy, but they sure nailed the battery and charging technology and infrastructure. Nice job on the video, wish everyone well!
I have the 2017 i3 Rex too here in the US and love it!. As well a 2008 335i my question is which scanner to purchase or dongle would be ideal for either car to add more functional things like hold charge etc I am planning for when my warranty expires this fall. Can you please do a video on this subject.
I bought and use vgate icar OBDII reader and it works like a charm. I'm in the states and programmed the extender to be available at 75%, added the extra capacity in the gas tank, increase temp for seat heaters and changed the splash screen to M series display. Amazon was the site. I had to pay $25 to actually use it meaning the app on my phone, but very much worth it. Hope that helps
REx has been discontinued in Europe since the 42.2kWh battery pack came out. You can easily do 150 miles on a charge, in Summer 200 miles is doable if you go easy on the right foot.
I want to replace mine but a private sale is proving to be very expensive. People are offering 8k or thereabouts. 2015 one cost me 14k a year ago. Everybody is trying it on "Oh mate, you know there's a recession on?". There you go. BTW, his comment that it is quiet is just not true. it's a noisy car.
Thanks for the question. Only one set of wheels at the moment - and yes it is a bit of an inconvenience to change the tyres twice per year! But on balance still worth it.
I have a 2015 i3 as well and love it. It’s a shame BMW is ditching them and will just make “normal” EVs based on their ICE models. But I am definitely in the fully electric camp (as opposed to the REX). REX adds extra bulk, maintenance, etc. + the public charging infrastructure is at the point in the UK that it’s totally fine to have a fully electric car now.
I plan on buying one, still thinking here in montenegro where not yet much charging points, should i go for 94ah+rex or 120 ah full electric - how much of that rex engine is it hassle really?
I have an i3 rex.. Fully charged and full gas the range is almost 400km...what more do you need? I charge mine twice a month and it's not even empty(down to 20%battery left)..
No. Comparable with my previous MINI Cooper S. Yes, I guess major repair costs are high - certainly once you have damaged the carbon shell but plastic body panels clip on so are cheap and easy to replace. I suspect the profile of the average buyer is a reasonably insurance risk which helps keep premium’s sensible. From what I gather some insurers are EV adverse but I’m with Aviva who are competitive as are Direct Line, LV and specialists such as PlugInsure.
I’m sending my leased GTE back next month (really enjoyed running it - up less than 1000 miles on the petrol engine in 2 years) looking at a used i3 as it will cope with my pattern well. Considering costs and depreciation would u recommend an older i3 Rx or a newer one with the bigger battery?
Why not buy a Model 3? or how about a Taycan?? Or a yacht??? ;) I have a model 3 (which I love), but the i3 is super cool. I'd like to get one for around town and general driving fun. Do you recommend a certain year range?
Car innovation (internal space and construction/engineering) : Austin Mini, Audi A2, BMW i3. What next? All new EVs look like ICE cars. Why? I am not fond of backwards thinking and running out of suitable alternatives to my A2 other than an i3.
Hi nice work ty I wanted to buy this car but only thing holding me back is 4 seater I got family 4 but sometimes if I need to can I put 5 people in car will it be illegal thanks
manish kayasth sadly yes. Only two rear seat belts although frustratingly BMW elected to put two cup holders in middle of rear bench which is wide enough to accommodate three abreast.
Like your video however you are not well experienced in driving the BMW i3 to understand it's savings and the battery extender there's much more to it and it's much more complex than that in there a few learning curves that you would need and adjust while driving that doesn't need to necessarily stay to that 70 mph range put is far more sustainable with a small hack you can extend the amount of fuel usage in your extender in order to gain more range
I think you are referring to the hack to allow more fuel into the tank? If so, I think that is in the USA only. The European market has a larger capacity tank.
Hi Chris, love your honest opinion of the i3 Rex, and look forward to regular updates. I was surprised when BMW stopped making this model, and decided to produce the battery version only (Albeit the bigger battery now has greater range). I still feel that during this transition period from ICE to Electric, that your vehicle type provided another option for buyers. Anyway keep up the good work.
Michael, that is a bit of a surprise as the REx is still available in the US in recognition of the longer distances driven. I presume that the EV rapid charge infrastructure is still in its infancy in SA.
@@richardpiper4828 We actually have the craziest car-to-charger ratio in the world. One public charger per five cars! It sounds less crazy when you realize there are only 1000 EVs in the country ;-). Still waiting for Musk to bring his cars home, too.
Michel Clasquin-Johnson oh really? There is of course a huge difference between fast and rapid chargers - the latter of which are essential for inter city travel. All the more amazing that the Rex has been dropped when your national electricity grid is creaking and unreliable. No Tesla’s in SA? Is this again due to the unsuitability of the power network for Superchargers?
It's obviously a hybrid if you have the REX. It's a combination of electric and gas. It's actually more of a hybrid than a standard Prius because those can only use gasoline therefor the only real hybrids are cars that plug in AND have gas motors as well.
Good for you! Buy what you like, and don't fall for the lame opinions out there that require all men to drive amorphous vehicles and sport scruffy facial hair. Be an individual!
So Chris you enjoy driving the coal power station powered electric car? You would be just as environmentally friendly driving a petrol or a diesel car plus electric cars are pretty useless ‘range wise’ they’re boring & far too expensive!👍🏻
TERRYBOY 123 the UK hardly uses any coal generated electricity nowadays and diminishing quantities of oil and gas. Most EV charging at night from renewable energy. Like Chris I bought my i3 because it is such fun to drive - instant acceleration and very fast off the line. I have the i3s with wider wheels, wider track and lower suspension which with the very low centre of gravity because of the underfloor batteries makes for pretty good handling. Not quite a tight as on my previous MINI Cooper but not far off and if anything quicker up to 60mph. You need to try one.
Dreadful ! The adverts give it away: an irrelevant, and unbelievably ugly dog, with an even more unbelievably ugly owner. Repeated AD NAUSEAM at every break in evening Dave. I actually switched away, after being subjected to this garbage 18 times in one evening. And I worked out that I will be paying a part of the costs of this nonsensical advertising expence each time I buy a car through Car Gurus. There are a number of much better 'car accumulator' sites you can use. So, for this one: A V O I D ! ! !
Recently just bought i3 two weeks ago absolutely fantastic love it❤️
What I found with the I3 is that it feels like you're driving something "Special" and in a world full of boring dull cars, I really like that :)
Is it reliable ?
@@masonjenglish9422 So far so good, I've had it nearly 3 years and the car is 4 years old. I've done 20,000 mile give or take and not has a single fault, my only issue is a bit of corrosion on the alloy wheels which I think is due to water getting under the lacquer during jet washing.
I have a 2016 Rex which I purchased in 2017 within 3.5 k on the clock. I’m now at 17k. No faults aside from the petrol filler mech occasionally failing to depressurise and open. Interesting, I have gone in the opposite direction regarding using the Rex. I travel from London to France a few times a year. I started off using the Rex to get me to Folkestone, and then trying to use battery charge from their onwards. Now I prefer to use the battery and charge at DC charge points to cover 96% of the route. I use the Rex during the last leg of my journey which is long than the battery range in winter. Unlike your early experience I have found it possible to maintain 70mph using the Rex (which auto kicks in at 5% battery remaining) with only 1 - 2% battery loss (going up and downhill) with wife, kids and luggage. I must admit that with this strategy although I don’t suffer from range anxiety, I do suffer from Rex-anxiety! This is feeling that the little 2-stroke moped engine making that furious but faint whirring sounds and vibrations behind me could blow up any second and I’ll be stranded on the hard shoulder of French motorway.
@@yellow1one Try using the rex earlier say say 50% then working out when your safe to turn off the Rex when you have built up enough credit miles to get the rest of your trip by EV power. Its actually not a two stroke Moped engine its a 650cc four stroke twin out of the BMW C650GT scooter
@@bobbralee1019 Thanks for the tip. I’ll that on my next trip down to France. Makes sense it’s a four stroke.I had wondered how BMW managed to get rid of the blue smoke and smell! LoL!
Surprised 'range extenders' haven't become popular - as for me it eliminates the dreaded range anxiety.
exactly
how exactly? this i3 can do about 70 miles or 140 miles with REX. A modern EV will do 250 miles 😕
@@patrickoconnor5494 but topping up a petrol tank on a long trip is hassle free, my bmw i3 does 100 miles on electric and a hundred miles on petrol, no problem no hunt the charger no waiting for it to charge no range anxiety, that is how exactly....
It's quite logical, enough chargers to go around these days. Drive somewhere and park it next to a charger and plug it in. 10 years ago a range extender made sense, these days it's really not neccesary anymore.
I've also pre-programmed shortcut key 8 to kick in the range extender. Only works when the battery is below 75% I believe. 100% agreed to use the range extender as you described, earlier rather than later (if you know you need to use it!)
Hi could you please tell me how you programmed it please
@@sag2267 you can't program it to turn on but you can program the shortcut key to hold charge if less than 75% but you need to press the key then press the big console button
The i3 is not a Hybrid. A hybrid powers the engine. The engine in the i3 powers the battery like a generator. So there’s a difference
Thanks Chris, really handy update. I have been looking at an I3 and these videos have been extremely helpful! 👍
Thanks Chris. Really hope you do more real life updates on your cars as it really is of great interest to myself. After your last video I started thinking about an i3 as a replacement for my current diesel car.
I dug in wanting an fully electric car. I wanted german build quality !! So bought the i3 with latest battery. The only problem with it is ?? I cant stop trying to find reasons to drive it !! Ive doubled my normal mileage. I have Fun planing routes to have charging options along the way.
Having a charger at home means i always have 170 mile range every morning. And its cheap to run :)
I am with you, I had and still have the same experience even though I am having the small battery.
I just bought the 2016 i3 REX and I'm constantly trying to figure out new places to go. It's such an enjoyable car to be in.
YAY!!! I am getting ready to purchase one and this comment excites me!!!!
But how do you double the mileage? Can you share what charger that you purchased please and what year your model is for comparison? Please and Thanks in advance
This is like the first useful video I've found on youtube on i3!! 👍 Please make more!!
I have had my “Litl’ Blue” 2017 BMW i3 BEV 33Kw 94Ah since 01/25/2021. I bought it in Florida, in showroom condition with 24k on the odometer. I’m 75, and drive it about 30-100 miles a month in Comfort mode with a stomped accelerator, wide open moon roof, and a grin mostly to pick up online ordered groceries and to visit the VA clinic.
I use a 240V, 16A (3.84Kw) Level 2 charger in my carport routed inside my house as an ALTERNATE device to my dryer outlet and usually charge once a month. I gain 13.5 miles per hour of charging up to 124 to 137 miles. From home my electric cost is $0.031 per Mile which at an average gas price of $4.00 per gallon equates to 129 MPG. I’m a happy i3 owner totally free of ICE maintenance to say the very least and gladly pay a helper $15.00 a month from my Social Security cash to wash, vac and dry it.
If there is a more perfect EV out there, I simply don’t want it! I don’t need more range, acceleration, styling, features, reliability, comfort, handling, or value. Litl’ Blue is obviously my Forever Car. Paid $16,500 but was offered $22,400 by Edmunds/CarMax 4 months ago which tickled my worn out ego. 36% appreciation on a used car in just over a year is certainly a first ever for me even on my ‘69 427ci/435hp Vette back in 1975. You may name yours too as you would any other loved pet. 🚙
I’m about to purchase a 2017 i3 RE. Thank you for your review. I’ll be keeping it in mind!
What’s the update do you like it ?
I just did my first long journey in my 2015 i3 Rex and learnt the same. The Rex is only a 33 BHP engine, outputting up to 24.5Kw, and is there to simply top up the battery as best it can as you go along, not actually power the car forward. When you know this, you realise the i3 Rex is an EV just with a petrol generator in the boot.
yes perfection...
Definitely a future classic
You’re absolutely right about the range extender or REX as we call it! If you live in the California area and I don’t know if it’s the entire US but the EPA made some sort of deal with BMW to get the carpool lane available to the i3 so the deal was the REX could not come on until the battery was at 6% which made the REX pretty useless. Until Beamer code came in with a fix/hack! now I can do what you can do and hold state of charge, which works great!&
Mike McHale I’m about to buy one of these. What’s the hack? Sounds like I’ll need it
Is there a video how to do this? The videos I have found are not detailed enough.
@@acaciadaniels7619 you only need the hack in america , europe cars are fine.
You nailed my exact concerns about this car: the range extender MPH - I get what you're saying about turning it on early, and the learning curve you dealt with there. 40mph would be torture if you didn't know it was coming. Thanks!
I currently own an Audi A2 and have done for 15 years. It’s been better than sliced bread but may need a replacement, to ‘keep up with the Jones’s, and am thinking of as late an i3 as I can afford but unsure of the range extender as it seems a ‘cop out’. Have BMW cracked the limited range issue the early ones had with the larger battery now? My commute can be around the 50 miles as a round trip so an EV will need to be able to do a minimum of about 75 miles in Winter was my thinking as charging at home is possible. Which rules out PHEVs and early EVs. The comparison with the A2 is interesting as that is still a fine car, no rust or mechanical issues even after 215,000 miles :-)
John Kellett i agree !! Its also 120kg of weight in the rear :( so your permanently carrying 2 or 3 passengers :( many people love their range extenders ! I haven’t in 9,000 miles of pure electric miles.
John Kellett There was a battery upgrade (to 94ah) in the summer of 2016 giving 50% more range to 120 miles (falling to nearer 100 in winter) and another giving 33% more range to 160 miles (130 in winter) in Nov 2018. BMW have said there will be a further upgrade in the next couple of years.
Well my 1990 Citroen 2CV6 has the same 29 HP and can be driven flat out for 230 miles at 68 mph and fills up 5 gallons in 3 minutes and rides fabulously.
Plus the seats slide out for picnics and it weighs 600 kgs ...
Huge fun... i3 personality and progress?? with less practicality 50 design years later.
Serial hybrids have an internal combustion engine (ICE) that only acts as a generator to add electricity to the battery and not power the drivetrain directly like parallel hybrids (the majority of hybrid vehicles). Since the Chevrolet Volt was discontinues, there are very few serial hybrid vehicles which is a shame because, to me, serial hybrids make the most sense. I think the Honda Clarity is still available in that form. Both parallel hybrids and serial hybrids can be created as plug-in hybrids where they have a battery pack sized to give a specific electric-only range (such as 30 or 50 miles) but then also have an ICE available to power the vehicle once the plug-in battery depletes. An i3 without REX (Range EXtending engine) is a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV); truly an electric-only vehicle. An i3 with REX is a plug-in serial hybrid because it runs first off the battery and then off of gas engine once the battery pack depletes. Whether or not you ever use that engine (by keeping the battery charged between drives) doesn't change the definition of the vehicle. I think that it's great to have the choice of electric-only or one with a REX as different buyers have different needs. Disappointing that BMW discontinued the REX. I wish other manufactures would make a plug-in serial hybrid.
A great car, future classic.
Wont last that long haha
@@MikelDog Which bit compared to other cars? Haha
After having run a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV for 5 years, took the plunge and bought a 3rd hand i3 (120Ah - battery only - no REx). One of the best cars we’ve had. Easy driving - we default to ECO Pro mode when driving and this winter - even when cold - an easy 160mi range of mixed driving. Warmer weather has pushed this to nearer 190mi range. We’re not deliberately light footed, but do anticipate and rarely touch the brakes - using the regen nearly all the time. A 32A single phase 240v 7.4kW charger at home means a usual turn around time of just 5 hours to 100% - occasionally 6 hours if we’ve cut things very fine and come back with under 10 miles.
Range anxiety easing now, with InstaVolt stations being easily the best - and quick. Park, start charge, go and get a comfort break and a coffee, and by the time you’ve finished - there’s another 60+ miles added. Total cost including the coffee and a sticky bun - about £20!
In all, I really don’t know why we didn’t do this earlier.
As for performance - it’s not a hot hatch but it’s very nippy, got a fantastic turning circle, it’s a nice place to sit in - and it always brings a smile to your face...
How was the mitsu outlander phev to drive? Lots of them on the market and looking at them as an alternative to my diesel kia ceed. Hoping to be able to make my 6 miles daily commute with electricity only but I do a lot of longer distance driving to visit family.
i agree i have an bmw i3 rex which is a proper ev (the petrol engine never powers the wheels) so no downside we have the best of both worlds. as you say the changes in weather conditions or even if the battery losses some capacity the rex is always there...
I own an i3S Rex and I absolutely love it!. I get a lot more EV range than you are quoting mine is a 2018 version, so perhaps a larger battery? I have driven from Warrington to Cornwall, which is a 330 mile journey and back again. Going down I had to use the range extender on the way back it was all on electric.
You have the S so it’s presumably 33 kWh. His looks like the 22 kWh. To confuse things BMW calls them 60Ah Rex and 90Ah Rex. The newer i3 is 42 kWh (120Ah) and has no range extender option. Your version gets about 50 miles more range than the newer model with no range extender. The older Rex model (in this video) with range extender gets about the same range overall as the newer model with no range extender. Some may argue yours is the sweet spot. At least until a newer again model adds more range, I guess (at more cost no doubt).
I’m definitely getting more than 200 miles combined range, which is plenty.
Great video, that’s was an excellent help. Also looking at these for short trips.
As far as winter tires and do they matter? They absolutely do. I had a BMW 3 series which at the time was rear drive only, but like the i3 50/50 weight distribution. When I added 4 winter tires, the car went from almost undriveable in slick condition, to more confident then any AWD car without winter tires. I could literally get up inclined roads that other vehicles could not. But the most important factor was being able to come to controlled stops. You simply cannot stop effectively in any vehicle without winter tires in snowy conditions. ABS and traction control help, but they are nothing compared to a decent brand of snow tires. Once you get into one winter accident will understand this!
ABSOLUTELY true, it’s hard to explain just how much better the winter tires perform in the snow. They are game changers.
I just bought a BMW i3 2016 thank you!
Hey Guys! How safe it is to drive it on highways? Is it possible to cruise on 80m/h ? Thanks
Actually, this old i3 REX with the 60Ah battery is still what I call "good enough". When you use the REX like shown in the video, you can travel long distances. Plus you can cover all local driving on electricity alone and all of the 170 little horses will be at your service any instant you like..
Unlike most PHEVs where you need the gas engine to wake up all horses...
I have a hybrid (Lexus CT,
yes perfection
Just upgraded my Rex 60Ah and fitted a 120 aH battery. I had to find an expert as BMW refused to do it. Anyway, the car is now the best of all worlds..
how much did you pay?
@@sebastian3004 €10’000
Ive seen ALOT of these in my area being sold at around 47k-55k miles for less than $13k. Is there something that happens with the battery system at around this mileage range?
They're probably company cars on a three year lease
People just want more than 80 miles range. Especially if they don't have range extender
What year is this i3? The i3 originally had a 60 Ah battery, 2017 went to 94Ah, and 2019 120 Ah.
Some of these early ones are now outside their battery warranty of 7 years. Any news of these early ones having major problems? I’m getting an electric as a 5th car for driving into the city. But not spending big money, early i3 look attractive for the money but worried about battery warranty. Thanks
First class, truthful account, thanks 😊
I look forward to your test of MX30-R-EV, head-to-head with i3 😁
Nice review. Liked it. I really like to buy this car as it is coming in my range for a used car. i have few queries:
1. Do we need to pay road tax on this?
2. can we see how much petrol left in RE?
3. if i want to use only Battery, will it give atleast 60? (for 2014-2015 model)
thanks,
murali
early 22kwh with rex uk no road tax
latter 33kwh with rex £170 road tax
yes you can see how much petrol you have left but it shows as range not liquid
yes the 2014/15 will give you 60 miles but not much more in winter..
no hassle with a rex
you may have guessed i have an i3 rex, (2018)
i will never public charge ,i drive to suit me not suit the car...
So ....
I drive a Audi A2 1.4 Tdi , 90 bhp , which I really love .... but at 16 years old , and 200k miles it’s time for it to take a back seat and enjoy the latter part of its life
My job is mainly about running around the county meeting clients, driving around 100-150 miles a day
I do drive like a granny , keeping speeds at 60mph on the motor way , hardly use the brakes and don’t have loads of stuff in the car , just myself and sandwiches!
Really looking at the 33kw with the range extender cir 2016 car , what can I expect range wise , and whats the charger positions like in the big wide world of the uk ...
I think about buying used from 2015-2016, right now I spend around 60-100 gbp a month for fuel for my car. Nice thing about electric is that my workplace provide free charging for EV. 10k-12k for 2016 model is a good price or should I wait and see?
i would love to own one of these
What car do you drive
I have one. It's just ok. Noisy, poor stability in a side breeze. Cheap to run alright. Re-sale value is awful. People expect to buy cheap but sell expensive. Nonsense.
I am really thinking about buying one before I move. I wonder how it would be driving from Colorado to Orlando Florida.
Looking at the size of the REX motorcycle motor (647 cc - which one can turn on to charge the battery) it is obvious that you are not able to run this car (consitering it's weight, close to 3000 lb + the meat on board) on "normal" speed for long without decreasing the charge on the battery - it's pure physics. So, as you have found out (the hard way) one should turn on the REX as early as possible (75% charge left) and start using the motor when you know that you have a long distance to cover - letting it drain the battery as slowly as possible and refuel the car as often as possible to get the most out of the charge ("original"). One of the main factor to get further is to keep the speed down (all speed above 80 km/h and you are just "asking for it", draining the battery per km/mile - much fastere) so that the air "hitting" the car (air pressure) does not create as big of a resistance to the movement (increasing in a power (exponentially) with the speed when going above about 80 km/h or so). And of course do not run any electrical equipment /heater etc./.
Was this your experience of running one? I've a 2018 with the larger 33kwh battery and I've done long journeys in mine with the range extender running and can easily do 70mph without battery range/charge going down. Your comment about not running any electrical equipment is not what I've found. I think you must have an issue with your car.
@@jimf4748yes it is my experience - please note that Im running on the smallest battery+REX and Im living in a rather cold climate with mountainious area (Iceland). I see a large difference if I turn the aircon on say +20 C then I see the range estimate going down by some 20 km. The electrical range on the car now is at best 110 km (8 years old) in the summer time. And I always want to run as much as possible on the electricity.
@@axelviarhilmarsson6317 Thanks for clarifying. I live in Southern Scotland and using the Rex and the battery I can get 180 miles (289km) all year round and over 200 miles (320 km) in warm weather. I can fully understand your issues given where you live, the small battery and the age of the battery. Hopefully it is adequate for your needs.
@@jimf4748 No this small "old" car is the perfect car for hte city driving and as the Reykjavik area is not that large the 100 km electrical range is adequed and then I have the REX - but I almost never use it (normally it is the cars computer turning it on for the required minimum lubricating maintenace intervals). This is the best city car to own in my opinon - turning radious, the size (able to put large things into it etc.), the look, the interiour, the logical layout and the list is endless, there are few drawbacks. I have had it for 8 years and it has only 80.000 km on it .... the maintenance has only been two things - one battery (the small one :) ) and the rubber around the front wheels dampers (which was a common problem) ... no break change or anything, except oil changes and filters. The electicity in Iceland is priced rather low (0,15 eruos kWh) but the petrol price is very high (close to 2,5 USD per liter) so this car has probably paid it self all ready. Regards from Iceland
@@axelviarhilmarsson6317 That's great to hear. I love my i3 and agree with all your comments, possibly the best car I've owned. Like you, I seldom have to use the Rex unless on a long trip. Your electricity is a good price.
My son and his wife have recently returned from a holiday to Iceland and are still raving about it. The photos are stunning and Reykjavik looked really nice too. All the best and I hope your i3 runs for many more years!
What lets this car down, and many others (excepting Tesla) is that the car manufacturers rely on third party electrical charge station suppliers leading to problems such as differing plug points, charging time, having to download apps. to use the charger, if you find a charger suitable for your car. Look at Tesla who have their own charge points over a growing number of places, simply scan your bank card and charge your car. Unless other manufacturers follow suit then Tesla will be the less hastle car to have in regard to charging your battery. Maybe manufacurers can emulate Tesla in uniformity of charging stations for charging any brand of vehicle ( petrol cars have a uniform petrol entry port enabling fills at any station irrespecrive of station owner) but don't hold your breath.
Hi there, I'm a big Audi lover ( always was)
But ☝ for the past few months I start to really consider to buy bmw.
Few simple reasons
My personal view and feelings for quality of BMW cars
Driving position
Extras and sound system
Driving experience...
Lots more
Any how
I start to think about I3
Try to go Greene little bit
My question is
Are you able to drive only on petrol engine?
Mainly I would like to use car for work and school runs
But I knew already how I like this car
So I wish to use for longer trips too
How all this looks in real life
Please if you can describe and explain bit more
Thank you
Happy watcher
Definitely a cool car. As long as the battery doesn't degrade to badly, it seems like a great used option
Just seen a review claiming the i3 is the worst vehicle on the market for depreciation. While I like the look of the i3, the depreciation is what's deterring me from buying one - and from buying BEVs in general.
What's your experience of reselling BEVs, Chris?
I'm hoping I can fix my range extender so I can use it sooner. Mine only turns on at 6 miles left of range.
pretty sure the range extender will hold charge if you drop speed just a little to say 65 mph
Can you buy a rack to hold a jerry can on the hatch?
More A2 videos please. Also, can Mr Prosser do a video on his Alpine and also his car history? Cheers
I bought a 2014 Rex with 56k miles for $14k. I wish I could buy a model 3 with 56k for $14k. I think at this point it's a fair price for the car. It only gets about 65 miles with heat on.
Great car. I speak as a petrol head who would never considered an EV until I had the offer to test drive one whist my car was in for a service. Originally had a 60ah REx like Chris but now have a 94ah i3s REx which drives a lot sharper and has a far more reassuring range. Only downside is that they are expensive and only seat 4.
Do you still.own it? I plan now to buy one 94 ah+rex what is the real range?
@@sjale2007Yes, mine is an i3s with a sunroof so added weight and wider tyres. In the Summer I aim to get 120/125 miles of electric range although the REx will automatically kick when the range falls to 7% - which effectively gives 115 miles. The range can fall to as low as 100 miles on the coldest Winter days (and having the wipers, heating and lights on will not help). REx probably adds 60 miles so = 160 miles although you can carry on by topping up the 10 litre petrol tank. With the rise in public charging rates it is usually cheaper to add petrol than pay for a rapid charge to cover the same distance. Frankly you will never suffer from range anxiety with the REx - nor the inconvenience of finding a charging point or having to queue. The pure BEV is a little sweeter to drive - and the 94ah lighter weight makes it nicer than the 120ah. I would definitely recommend the LCI (facelifted) post Nov 17 built cars but there were less than 1000 RExs imported into the UK as they were only on sale for 12 months before the 120ah came along. I’m intending to keep mine indefinitely - although I now have another EV for longer distances. Just this morning looking for a parking space I was able to squeeze into a place that probably no other car would have got into - although helped by lady who having just parked her car got back in and moved back a couple of feet.
I don’t think a Rex generator makes the i3 a hybrid because it not assisting the electric motor to turn the wheels, it merely is just a generator.
Thanks for the video. A really good update on how the car is treating you. I like the i3 but struggle to let go of the power/torque/range in modern turbo diesels. Hope to make a change in the future though.
up to about 50mph, the i3 is quicker than almost any diesel BMW, but if you do lots of motorway then a diesel is much better suited than an i3
@@Hali88i3 rex is the best of both worlds faster cleaner quieter cheaper to run less servicing. 70 mph on the motorway all day no charging just top up the petrol tank ..
@@whocares264 it's got a tiny fuel tank and a small generator, you can't drive at 70mph all day without any charge
@@Hali88 it can just top up the petrol tank
How does the Rex go with car tax think I see it very much depends on age with pre 2017 paying nothing and post 2017 paying £120 or £135 for road Tax
4:24 you can simply call it hybrid charging system because the car its 100% operated by the electric motor where as a regular hybrid motor both engines are helping out each other with torque and horsepower bmw really nail it , mine has 87k miles bought it with 30k with regular maintenance this cars are beautiful to own the batteries last forever thanks to them being cooled down and when you use the slow level 1 charger it really helps out the longevity and to balance the cells , also the materials inside feel very good and high quality, its my first electric vehicle but i think if i where to trade it i probably will get a tesla model 3 something not that big and keep using electric cars for now , i have other gas cars that i love a tiny more hehe lol.
Very informative. I've been thinking about one of these but my 100 Mile round commute might mean I have to nag work to let me charge it up there.
GrahamKirk not a problem with the subsequent 94 ah (post July 16) car which has 50% greater range c 120 miles or current (post Nov 18) car c 160 miles. Another battery upgrade promised.
Thinking of buying an i3 range extender but I live 1/4 off a dirt road. Thoughts please.
I've had 6 EV's and I've always loved the I3, however, the quality appears to be crap and they are expensive to repair. The whole idea that they put in a cable so that when you can't get into the charger location you can bypass is just plain nuts. There are tons of videos of complaints regarding the quality, of issues with the range extender motor, etc. I wish there was a Japanese equivalent and I'd buy it. I hear the battery degradation is crap too. I now have a used Chevy Bolt and thus far seems like a better solution. I'm not a Tesla fan boy, but they sure nailed the battery and charging technology and infrastructure. Nice job on the video, wish everyone well!
I have the 2017 i3 Rex too here in the US and love it!. As well a 2008 335i my question is which scanner to purchase or dongle would be ideal for either car to add more functional things like hold charge etc
I am planning for when my warranty expires this fall. Can you please do a video on this subject.
I bought and use vgate icar OBDII reader and it works like a charm. I'm in the states and programmed the extender to be available at 75%, added the extra capacity in the gas tank, increase temp for seat heaters and changed the splash screen to M series display. Amazon was the site. I had to pay $25 to actually use it meaning the app on my phone, but very much worth it. Hope that helps
At what mileage commute would you say the REX doesn't make any sense to use as a daily driver.
REx has been discontinued in Europe since the 42.2kWh battery pack came out. You can easily do 150 miles on a charge, in Summer 200 miles is doable if you go easy on the right foot.
Hello, I just bought a I3 in the US. So how do you program your I3 to run on fuel first instead of electric?
Helpful summary- thanks
Can somebody tell me how to program number 8 button to the range extender please
V informative
Really helpful feedback. thank you
I want to replace mine but a private sale is proving to be very expensive. People are offering 8k or thereabouts. 2015 one cost me 14k a year ago. Everybody is trying it on "Oh mate, you know there's a recession on?". There you go.
BTW, his comment that it is quiet is just not true. it's a noisy car.
With the range extender kicked in from the get go with full charge, how many miles can it do combined before the petrol run out?
Nice video. Are we going to get a more recent update any time soon?
Do you have a second set of wheels for the summer tyres? If not, doesn't having the tyres changed twice a year become expensive and inconvenient?
Thanks for the question. Only one set of wheels at the moment - and yes it is a bit of an inconvenience to change the tyres twice per year! But on balance still worth it.
Yes, oil change, filter, & gas in an "all" electric car? Defeats the main goal IMO.
no one that owns a i3 rex uses the rex much but it is there if you need it .
@whocares264 Why do you need it (REX) in an electric car 🤔
@@sweetcostarica i will never public charge, i drive a car to suit me not to suit it.
@@whocares264 Final word, *_who cares._*
@@sweetcostarica ♥
Hi, if you don't mind me asking, what sort of price for the same spec of yours would I expect to pay for say a 2016/17 model?
what is mpg for the rex when battery runs out. tx
I have a 2015 i3 as well and love it. It’s a shame BMW is ditching them and will just make “normal” EVs based on their ICE models.
But I am definitely in the fully electric camp (as opposed to the REX). REX adds extra bulk, maintenance, etc. + the public charging infrastructure is at the point in the UK that it’s totally fine to have a fully electric car now.
I plan on buying one, still thinking here in montenegro where not yet much charging points, should i go for 94ah+rex or 120 ah full electric - how much of that rex engine is it hassle really?
The A2 was the last Audi that I liked and the I3 was the last BMer that I liked. I must be getting old...
Range and charge time need to improve before a lot of us will buy any kind of plug-in car.
I have an i3 rex.. Fully charged and full gas the range is almost 400km...what more do you need? I charge mine twice a month and it's not even empty(down to 20%battery left)..
Thanks for this. Because of build is the insurance high?
I'd like to know this aswell.
If if their was chassis damage it's not like cutting a steel or aluminium part away and replacing with new..
No. Comparable with my previous MINI Cooper S. Yes, I guess major repair costs are high - certainly once you have damaged the carbon shell but plastic body panels clip on so are cheap and easy to replace. I suspect the profile of the average buyer is a reasonably insurance risk which helps keep premium’s sensible. From what I gather some insurers are EV adverse but I’m with Aviva who are competitive as are Direct Line, LV and specialists such as PlugInsure.
Thanks for the responses all 👍
Do the Sunroofs leak? doors?
I’m sending my leased GTE back next month (really enjoyed running it - up less than 1000 miles on the petrol engine in 2 years) looking at a used i3 as it will cope with my pattern well. Considering costs and depreciation would u recommend an older i3 Rx or a newer one with the bigger battery?
Why not buy a Model 3? or how about a Taycan?? Or a yacht??? ;)
I have a model 3 (which I love), but the i3 is super cool. I'd like to get one for around town and general driving fun. Do you recommend a certain year range?
Because the i3 is 15k and a Tesla is 35k lol
From what I'm hearing the 2016-2017 ones get the most range
Abnormal summer weather? Do you mean sunshine for more than 2 days at a time? Enjoyed both videos.
How do you program the rex to work? Not easily seen in the manual.
You have to code it thru bimmercode
. Google search it. It's so easy.
Car innovation (internal space and construction/engineering) : Austin Mini, Audi A2, BMW i3. What next? All new EVs look like ICE cars. Why? I am not fond of backwards thinking and running out of suitable alternatives to my A2 other than an i3.
Hi nice work ty
I wanted to buy this car but only thing holding me back is 4 seater I got family 4 but sometimes if I need to can I put 5 people in car will it be illegal thanks
manish kayasth sadly yes. Only two rear seat belts although frustratingly BMW elected to put two cup holders in middle of rear bench which is wide enough to accommodate three abreast.
Like your video however you are not well experienced in driving the BMW i3 to understand it's savings and the battery extender there's much more to it and it's much more complex than that in there a few learning curves that you would need and adjust while driving that doesn't need to necessarily stay to that 70 mph range put is far more sustainable with a small hack you can extend the amount of fuel usage in your extender in order to gain more range
I think you are referring to the hack to allow more fuel into the tank? If so, I think that is in the USA only. The European market has a larger capacity tank.
Hi Chris, love your honest opinion of the i3 Rex, and look forward to regular updates. I was surprised when BMW stopped making this model, and decided to produce the battery version only (Albeit the bigger battery now has greater range). I still feel that during this transition period from ICE to Electric, that your vehicle type provided another option for buyers. Anyway keep up the good work.
They still make them, just not for all markets. I can buy a 120 aH with REX here in South Africa.
Michael, that is a bit of a surprise as the REx is still available in the US in recognition of the longer distances driven. I presume that the EV rapid charge infrastructure is still in its infancy in SA.
@@richardpiper4828 We actually have the craziest car-to-charger ratio in the world. One public charger per five cars! It sounds less crazy when you realize there are only 1000 EVs in the country ;-). Still waiting for Musk to bring his cars home, too.
Michel Clasquin-Johnson oh really? There is of course a huge difference between fast and rapid chargers - the latter of which are essential for inter city travel. All the more amazing that the Rex has been dropped when your national electricity grid is creaking and unreliable. No Tesla’s in SA? Is this again due to the unsuitability of the power network for Superchargers?
does it have a small scooter-like NOiSY engine?? i read that somewhere.
it is a 650cc 4-stroke motorcycle engine, so not small, unless compared to an automotive engine.
You can Installed LPG on this car
Any updates Chris ?
There's an update video coming this week - explaining why I've recently changed the i3 for another car. Stay tuned! Chris
Are tyres expensive and readily available?
300 euro one.
Do people do not have 2 cars? I dont. Could you drive from where you live to Northern Scotland in the i3 in the day?
Is your car an original 60 Ah model?
Hi, yes it is. More details here: ruclips.net/video/O3wFxmPM928/видео.html
Thanks
Problem is with a used one and you have to replace the batteries at 5,000 to 7,000 dollars!
So 9 litres of fuel gives 70 miles of range? That doesn't sound very efficient in such a small car.
It's obviously a hybrid if you have the REX. It's a combination of electric and gas. It's actually more of a hybrid than a standard Prius because those can only use gasoline therefor the only real hybrids are cars that plug in AND have gas motors as well.
6 months is not that long though. Still appreciate the update
whats that disgusting mess at 1:26 ?
It is an electric car with a get out of jail free card
Man’s got too much money having two sets of tyres lol..
But it's not an electric car!
Model 3
Good for you! Buy what you like, and don't fall for the lame opinions out there that require all men to drive amorphous vehicles and sport scruffy facial hair. Be an individual!
Pointless review basically
So Chris you enjoy driving the coal power station powered electric car? You would be just as environmentally friendly driving a petrol or a diesel car plus electric cars are pretty useless ‘range wise’ they’re boring & far too expensive!👍🏻
TERRYBOY 123 the UK hardly uses any coal generated electricity nowadays and diminishing quantities of oil and gas. Most EV charging at night from renewable energy. Like Chris I bought my i3 because it is such fun to drive - instant acceleration and very fast off the line. I have the i3s with wider wheels, wider track and lower suspension which with the very low centre of gravity because of the underfloor batteries makes for pretty good handling. Not quite a tight as on my previous MINI Cooper but not far off and if anything quicker up to 60mph. You need to try one.
Dreadful !
The adverts give it away: an irrelevant, and unbelievably ugly dog, with an even more unbelievably ugly owner. Repeated AD NAUSEAM at every break in evening Dave. I actually switched away, after being subjected to this garbage 18 times in one evening.
And I worked out that I will be paying a part of the costs of this nonsensical advertising expence each time I buy a car through Car Gurus.
There are a number of much better 'car accumulator' sites you can use. So, for this one:
A V O I D ! ! !