2015 BMW i3 Range Extender - Top 20 Questions Answered!!
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 3 мар 2015
- What's the range extender like? How long to charge? Is it a hybrid or an EV? All that and more answered in this frequently asked questions video.
Be sure to LIKE this video! Liking and subscribing help AOA get access to cars!
More videos: goo.gl/Kj1FlI
Alex's Favorite Cars: goo.gl/uGSNLI
The Best Cars, Trucks & SUVs: • The A List - The Best ...
Want a free AoA sticker? Send a self-addressed stamped envelope (no stamp, no sticker) to:
DykLaine, LLC
Alex On Autos
PO Box 573
Redwood Estates, CA 95044
AOA on Facebook: goo.gl/a47Cu1
Statistics powered by ChannelMeter channelmeter.com 
Авто/Мото
Looking forward to full review.
Thank you, Alex, yet for another great job.
Very thorough review that answered important questions about the range extender capabilities.
Bloody amazing review! Thanks. Answered all my questions.
i can't wait for the detailed review for the i3, it's a very unique car!
Great video, Alex! I'm looking at buying this car within a few weeks or a month, and this made me even more confident that it's the right choice for us.
@7:18 You imply that the battery is unused if you rely on the REx. The REx is in no way connected to the drive train. It is simply a generator which is used to charge the battery while the car is in use. So when the REx is engaged, it's attempting to recharge the battery while you drive but obviously the act of driving depletes the charge. As long as your battery demands are less than the recharge capability of the REx generator you will gain battery charge until you run out of gas. If your battery demands exceed the recharge capability of the REx generator, you will eventually hit that "performance wall" you mentioned. The car will dynamically reduce performance to keep battery demand in line with the maximum charging capability of the REx generator.
Interesting ... looking forward to the review ... although i have already ordered an i3 BEV which should be delivered in May ;). But always a pleasure to watch reviews to ease the wait :).
Thank you for a good video. I currently own a Ford C-Max plugin and the 20-25 electric only range feels short but having gas backup nets me more than 300 miles. I've been pondering the I3 as a car with longer electric range and I think you just sold me on the idea I could take a trip with it (abet filling up a lot more than normal) but at the same time, I can do all electric commuting. The I3 with range extender would be my choice for a longer range car.
Excellent presentation! Thanks so much for this information.
Very comprehensive chat!
Great Review. Very Detailed. Thank You
Super solid review!
Helpful!
This review answered all my confusion but one question I don’t intend to install a charging area in the house but I have a charging station quite around the perimeter of my house like 2 or 3 of them
Bro nailed this review
I'm a LEAF and i3 owner and thought this was an excellent review, cutting through all the usual EV BS and getting right to the heart of the matter without mincing words. I'm glad you made the distinction about this being an EV-X as nobody else seems to understand that it is NOT a hybrid (in ReX form)! I'm subscribing on the basis of this review, keep up the good work.
Hi nooooddy, Please tell me what you think of both and issues, repairs and cost of owning both up to this point in time. I would like to buy a I3 but am afraid of the repair cost. ,,,and what year I3 do you own? I would really appreciate your input! Thanks!
nooooddy “00l ab7suAduhsA z
Heyyyy, how's your i3 going now
6 year ago to now, BMW has "deleted👎the two cylinder engine. This is because of battery technology that has gotten better for more mileage. So, today there is no need for a range extended.
6 year ago to now, BMW has "deleted👎the two cylinder engine. This is because of battery technology that has gotten better for more mileage. So, today there is no need for a range extended.
Great video. I know it is old but there are a lot of people like me that have been looking at used EVs and plug in hybrids as a lot of these cars are coming off lease etc. I ended up buying a second gen Chevy Volt but the i3 was a very close second. I think I prefer the way the i3 looks but I have taken the Volt on longer road trips which would have been more difficult in the i3 and that is one reason I picked it. The other reason is less rational but my previous car was a Fiat and while you can't lump Fiat and BMW together in most categories, I found the Fiat to be expensive to maintain and I was nervous about buying another European car (although generally I prefer them).
Thanks
I was looking for maintenance with respect to the range extender. It is combustion, so is there an oil change interval? Spark plug? etc. I understand about brakes and such, but it's hard to locate info on the range extender maintenance.
Hi Alex,
I love your very detailed and informative reviews and am hoping you can help me with a question that no reviewer has brought up or mentioned in their reviews.
I have a BMW i3 older 60AH version.
Can you tell me if charging this is quicker and cheaper than the 94ah newer 2017 version on a standard slow home charger which is supplied with the vehicle.
So basically I want to know if it will cost more and take longer to charge the higher capacity battery version on the home charger or on any of the faster chargers.
Regards
Can you plug it into the dryer 30apm plug with an adapter
I know this is very late but did you notice any suspension issues? I recently got an i3 as a loaner car from BMW and I found the suspension to be incredibly bouncy and uncomfortable. Did you experience this issue as well?
Alex, how did you get the front trunk to release with the fob? Mine only releases the rear hatch
Is there a maintenance schedule with this vehicle? And if so, do you have to take it in to the dealer? What would be the cost? Thanks!
Can the US version of the I3 be manually set to gas around 75% battery through the settings?
QQ: does the gas engine need any maintenance?
I am concerned that if I drive it electric only for a few months the gasoline may go stale or the engine may not like to just sit there doing nothing. So, does it automatically turn itself on every now and then? Or do I have to run out of battery on purpose so that the engine turns on and burns some gas so I can add some fresh fuel?
thank you for this break down!!! priceless. you went above and beyond breaking it down for me.
since i cant afford the Tesla, and because its still banned in Texas, having to decide or shop for an electric car has been difficult. I was hoping to lease an electric car for 2 years, and HOPEFULLY by then, the Tesla ban in texas will have gone away.
alex, A very detailed review but I would like to know the maintenance of the gasoline engine? how frequent does the 2 cylinder engine needs to be attended to? 5,000 miles, 10,000 miles? oil changes? how many quarts of oil does the engine take. thanks.
BMW calls for an annual oil change. I believe this assumes occasional use. The engine is intended as “back up plan” or “insurance” and not something you use every day.
1:25
i wonder if the car can be re-coded to behave like it does in the EU? it'd be an excellent volt alternative then
Ryukachoo Yes it can. They can also recode the capacity the fuel tank as it is electronically limited in the USA.
yes you can reprogram it.
if your an American that wants it recoded watch this youtube video to learn more [BMW i3 REx roadtrip, charging, coding, and range test.]
@@johnr1066 has been watching the 8bit guy
the reason the front tyres are so narrow is to stop the car rolling over if you swerve as with the smart for two ... good grip on the front over it goes....
wy no mention of the volt? it got the larger batterypack from all of them ( beside this i3 ) and long range on petrol ( unlike the i3 )
I like it
You do great reviews, often anticipating my questions as I watch. You read my mind regarding keeping gas in the "frunck".
The problem I'd have with the I3 is with the road trips we take 3 or 4 times a year from San Diego to Scottsdale. It's 400 miles with long stretches, so re-filling between gas stations would be a must, and something of an ordeal in itself. I wouldn't let my wife do this on her own. Too bad it doesn't have a 5 gallon tank. I have a Volt that works great, but this I3 would be a nice upgrade if not for the tiny tank. Also, like others have said, I've read that the pure gas mode can go into limp mode quickly, maybe more likely when full of passengers and luggage?
BMW will give you a loaner car up to 4 times a year if the electric i3 cant make the journey.
The idea is that you buy a vehicle for the 98% or more. So a few times a year either rent or borrow a vehicle for a longer trip. Why buy something for the less than 2% of use need unless you have the cash to do so?
Thanks Alex !
How do you think this will do as comparison to the New 2016 Chevy volt with its stated 50 mile EV range and purposed 41 MPG
rating on Regular Fuel ?
Joe
Semi Prepping The Volt is very different, it is a hybrid with a big battery. Not only does it operate perfectly fine on gasoline only, but it actually performs better in hybrid mode than in EV mode. The i3 is an EV with a backup plan.
TechExplorer The new Volt is likely to remain a plug in hybrid for all practical purposes while the i3 is an EV with a backup plan. The Volt will have a bigger gas tank and the hybrid system is very different. It is a mechanical power split hybrid system with a clutch pack to enable a serial hybrid mode. The Volt will operate as both a serial or a parallel hybrid depending on the need at the time.
Isn't the ground clearance of this a problem ?
How many miles you get on a charge
Hi alex , I am little confuse so can you drive the i3 with gas only ? like aprox how many miles can u go with gas alone? also Does that mean that with full electric charge + gas u can go over 150 miles? 80 from electric and 60 from gas only?
junqi huang Yes you can,. It's 70-80 miles on a tank of gas and you can just keep refilling it over and over,.
What I didn't like about your review was not giving any real life numbers. I didn't know whether this can get me from Phoenix to SF and I still don't. I'm assuming I'd be forced to add 1.5 gal every 40 miles to get the extender to feed the battery?!!
The 1st row has to be opened first to let a 2nd row person out correct?
That's correct!
Ivan Vojt It is sort of like having a 2 door coupe but easier. In any 2 door car you have to open your door, take off your seatbelt, get out of the car and release the seat forward to let any rear passenger out. In the i3 all you have to do is open your door, release your seatbelt and the rear passenger opens the rear door and gets out. The driver or front passenger does not have to get out of the car.
you can run the i3 on range extender alone without charge the battery?
It's supposed to turn on when the battery is low, but I don't know if it'll start the car.
Would you pick the i3 over the 2nd gen Volt?
RIGHTTT I cant decide
This guy must be tiny, he makes the car look enormous. I have seen one in the flesh and it is way smaller than in the videos!!!
What a great video, I own an i3 and previously a LEAF and your video was very informative and well delivered. Usually it is some bimbo that knows nothing wasting my time.
If running on range extender only, how often do you have to stop for gas?
+bruintoo Gas will extend the range 60 to 80 miles. Gas tank is kept small to comply with getting the full EV credit.
You shouldn't drive only on the gas engine because it's not powering the wheels. It's acting like a generator, so you're going to kill tbr battery by always keeping it low and driving on it. Also, your power is severely limited.
So you can drive it without electricity, just in gas?
nope because the gas engine does not power the wheels but the gas engine can recharge the battery to power the electric motor to run the car which means that if you hack the car to reenable hold mode and increase the gas tank size back to full then it's the same as the eu version which is not illegal if you have a rex 94 because the battery's still bigger then the range extender's gas range on a single tank but you can drive it on full electric without any gas as the tanks gas is gravity fed to the range extender so no worry's about damaging a fuel pump
What about if you have to repair the body? Can ir be expensive?
carbon fiber so...
Great video. I'm an owner lease owner myself and I really do like the car. That being said if you regularly have to drive distance it's not the best idea but that's pretty much any electric car right now other than a Tesla. On that note I'm not sure how you like i3 better than the Tesla. Even though I have an i3 there really is no question that the Tesla is a better car other than the price difference.
I'm still confused.
So if you deplete the battery, park and let the Range Extender run will it eventually charge the battery to some percentage greater than 6% ?
237k BTU'S IN 1.9 gal of Gas
at 25% efficiency = 59.3k BTU's
3.412 BTU'S IN 1 Kwh
59.3/3.412 = 17.38 kWh
22kWh/17.38kWh = 0.78
so theoretically you could charge
to 78% SOC using the full 1.9 Gals of gas ?
and yeah, the silliness and inefficiency of charging an EV Battery with petrol is evident.
No, I don't think that's how it works. You can't leave the gas engine running - to charge the battery - while the vehicle is unattended. Too dangerous.
My understanding is the gas engine doesn't produce max power, so while you can zip down the road at 55mph, you won't have max power. You're kinda in a limp mode situation.
So it has a small petrol engine to run a generator which charges the battery and runs the traction electric motor?
I'm pretty disappointed that the Volt was never mentioned in this whole review. I'd like a comparison test.
+derka7 Yes, I agree. I'm a much more Germanic leaning type guy, but I think the latest Volt has some very strong arguments: 50 or so miles on electric for weekday commuting, and another 300 or so with gas for long range work. Proper width tires for highway cross winds, and seating for 5. Bring on a week long test comparing both of these machines!
I'm a little confused so you are able to drive the car regularly even with a completely depleted battery
sstevenn1212 Yes, despite the complaints from some, I never had a problem driving it for 60 miles, filling it with gas, driving 60 miles, filling it with gas, etc.
I've done almost 20 searches for bmw i3 and I can only find reviews on the bmw 13 rex. Searches without the range extender are not allowed. Why?
Just remember that if you have the Rex the gas only lasts about six months so you should recode the hold state to run the Rex when you can. If you don’t do this and the gas goes bad, it is an expensive fix. I know this first hand. In spite of that it is a fantastic and fun car to drive.
Update on services ?
@@jermaineervin9474 what do you mean about services?
@@davidferguson7075 as far as expensive services have you had to take it in to get fixed/serviced ??
@@jermaineervin9474 the car tells you the services to work on. Oil and general service every few years. The nice thing is that breaks will last a very long time since you never really use them
@@davidferguson7075 that’s what’s up! What’s the typical price on an oil change ? Also are the tires really not reliable?? I’m currently i3 shopping around the 20k range and mostly the 14-16 pops up with fair miles. I’m a first time buyer and most dealers don’t know much about the car
warning he does not mention that the coupling that connects the motor that runs the generator can break apart and fail leaving you stranded on the side of the road the only option thus if you want the backup plan of the range extender then you have to buy and install an after market coupling for that problem to be solved or it will strand you on the side of the road as the range extender fails you have a dead battery as the range extender turns on only if the battery's depleted so some back-up plan that's why you cannot use it all the time as it will fail and recoding it to the eu version also gives you more range with the range extender cause then you use all the gas in the gas tank instead of the 1.9 gallons of gas in the tank which is what you use with the north American version they do it cause some how it makes the car more fuel efficient in the bylaws even though it makes no sense at all to any reasonable person as you carrying gas around that you cannot use
Wow! That’s a very long sentence indeed. No full stop, no commas, no pause.
I’ve never heard of the coupling failure you speak of. If it was truly prone to failure, there would be videos warning about it and the Internet would have a field day condemning the BMW i3 REx version.
Please elucidate if you can.
@@datathunderstormdude can write for 80 miles with zero Commas or Periods.
So basically this is the same as any fully electric car, except it comes with a generator. Literally the same as carrying an inverter gen with you in any electric car as a backup, except this one is installed in the car and not portable. We need a new chevy volt.
I just saw one of these used for $24,000 seemed like an okay price
2014 model is now $15,000 average price in CA.
Frankie Ho ...10k now.
What type or gas it take ?
premium only
first question should be, the range.
Best to wait until they produce, a battery with a 300 mile range, which they will do, within the next few years, all lower range electric cars, will depreciate massively, and most likely will become unsaleable.
Okay I’m making my mom buy one
for $15K you can get a smart with more range, but only 2 passengers, I get 400+ miles on 8 gallons of gas and 300+ miles in the winter. I can drive 400 miles, stop, refuel in 3 minutes and drive til I'm tired of driving ( I rarely exceed 500 miles a day)
It's like the car is being sabotaged by regulations
Years later and it's range looks crippled compared to other hybrids that have 500-600+ Miles
I nearly bought won of these but in the end I just not get over the fugly.
This BMW is nutty looking. Here again we find an automotive truth; if it's got a revolutionary drivetrain, it needs to look like a revolutionary freakshow. This is why the Prius succeeded, and the Volt failed. The Volt needed to look like a spaceship or clown car, but it looked too normal. The Prius looks like a cartoon, and that's a good thing.
I just noticed my theory is shot to hell by the first gen Honda Insight. And my theory is somewhat challenged by the Mitsu iMiev or whatever you call that abortion. Oh well, it's just a theory.
The Prius 2nd Gen does indeed look like a Star Trek Shuttlecraft on wheels. The cockpit like dashboard carried on the theme. The shape was obviously dictated by astute aerodynamics. And that’s worked out well overall. Mine is 12 years old with 66.8mpg on the MFD as I type. I got 586 miles out of my last 45 litre tank of fuel. I’ve had 600+ miles.
Best vehicle I’ve ever purchased. Clearly over engineered and ultra-reliable too.
Yes, it looks out of this world, but I personally (being almost 60 years old) expected all vehicles to look like this in 2020 😳.
Being a certifiable sci-fi freak, I’m happy to be driving something that looks like I was built by the Vulcans! 😜👍
I’d buy the BMW i3 REx in a heartbeat, as it has that same futuristic evolutionary look 🤓
datathunderstorm I wrote that 5 years ago, but I mostly stand by it still. The Star Trek reference is apt; if we were all rational Vulcans all cars would be Priuses (Priusi?). They tick every rational box. But some of us are Klingons, so we drive monster trucks and Challengers. Some of us are Kirk, who would probably drive some kind of Alfa. Picard, I suppose, would drive the i3 and just talk the tow truck driver to death when it broke down - which it would because it’s German. While all this was happening, Ham Solo would show up in a rusty Fox body Mustang, steal a hanfull of dilithium crystals, and grab a couple handfuls of Uhura boob on the way out.
I Want This Car So Bad But Getting It Insured Is Expensive 😩
The entire video and he never said how many miles he got in it
why put gas if it’s an electric car ?
Never carry gas in your car unless it's in your gas tank.
Its totaly legal to carry 2 gallons in a metal purpose built container.
Why does california carb feel the need to categorize and set manufacturing specifications. Is seems bass-ackwards to me. Bureaucrats trying to tell BMW how to innovate. BMW should be able to compete for customers regardless of the someone at CARB thinks should be done. Let CARB regulate emissions, not manufacturers. Set specifications and let competetion commence. Let the engineers engineer. Maybe Im underinfomrerd, but all I think their regulatory practices are stifling. For example in modern california diesel engines new filter technology called DPFs and EGRs reduce NOX emissions but eliminate the ability to make and use homemade or community made biofuels. Biodiesel is cleaner than diesel coming out of a modern DPF and EGR system, but the homogenized solution has become the state standard. Now biofuel is all but eliminated save for a few HVO stations in the bay and LA, and a few hold outs in the mendo hills. Who benefits from these regulations, who makes the decisions, and what is the agenda and the vision? Is it something we can all agree on and afford? Is is inclusive of everyonem including manufacturers? Or does is have a clear and slanted bias? Im frustrated by the tech climate in Califonia. It feels like everyone and everything needs a permit, and if you dont drive a tesla you are not hip new social order. See: Iwatch+iphone 19+macbook super pro+crossfit yoga ayahuasca coffee enema tech retreat circuit in Tolum. Lets let people be people and choose the tech they want. Less laws. More regulation around what actually matters (emissions). More good ideas. Less stopping creative thought. (was that a rant?)
Legislation and taxpayer money contaminated everything
Fun full time gas...
80 mile on 2. 1/2 g
32 mpg..45000 ÷.03cpm=1.5 mil mile
÷ 25000 7 cpm .35 mil mile
Gas 4 times cheaper
It's only a 4 seater!
Alex said he'd take the i3 over the Model 3, yet he just bought a Model 3. 🤔
Narrow look cause skinny
This guy knows how to drive cars ?
I love my i3. Best car ever, but the ride is not very good. I believe is because of the stupid low profile tires. they aren't even recommended by BMW or Bridgestone for rural roads and rough highways. What a joke!
The choppy ride is also due to the short wheelbase
It did not need to be so damn ugly! The interior is sharp, the exterior is just a fail!
Question: Who is this car for?
Answer: It is for a person who got an "F" on all his Math tests, because the money that you overpay for this car will never return.....
They offer great lease deals. Does not make sense to buy but makes perfect sense to lease in the US. $200/mo lease for 24mo, no gas cost and no maintanance cost.
Remember that the world doesn't stop at the US border. Only dictatorships and USA has cheap fuel (gas, petrol, diesel). It cost me the equivalent of 140USD to fill up my car (75litres). The BEV costs me about 260USD a year compared with 2200USD a year in diesel that's for 9000 miles. Perhaps you can see the numbers stack up now.
I, for one sadly purchased an I3 and it gave me so many issues..., I thank the lord I was able to sell it before the warranty expired.
Dear ALL,
Please STAY AWAY from this car I wasted time and money.i will soon create a video on why you shouldn't buy this car
What were the issues?
Dead Headlights, engine light will, will make loud noise, my range reduced overnight regardless of weather when winter or summer was worst, then bmw did not want to buy back, due to different error code would come up Everytime I brought into service... And this is just half of the story
how did you manage selling it?
That's a tough one, I tried dealshirps including a BMW and they refused to buy it...so a friend of mine deals w/ eBay In a major scale so he bought it then he auctioned. Oh my, total nightmare not to mention It lost over 15k usd in 11months, if you or someone you know and you love is trying to buy it advise them not to, but Tesla 3 instead which promises way more and a decent price
Ivan Rosa just recently got one used in the check engine light went on, i hope its nothing major, the weird thing about it, when i check the status of the car it states that everything is good & plus i discovered i can't even to dc fast charging😐, it's a 2014.
The petrol generator version has been deleted as a new larger batter is now fitted.
It had a 2.4 litre tank which can only use 1.9 litres. This can be fixed with a software update.The petrol generator is only running when the battery is almost empty unless you update the software so it runs on demand. These two software updates are apparently illegal.
The i3 is ugly and stupid and is a dumb purchase at huge expense.
I'd rather not risk a house fire charging electric cars at home.
Walter Black I charge 2 cars at home all the time, one being a i3. It is no more dangerous than using your clothes dryer.
+Walter Black I guess you dont charge any phones, or any electrical equipment for that sake at home either then?
Saw one of these today in the parking lot. Really cheap looking.
Nope! Ill pass on this car
Well duh Mr. Obvious, its 2023 and this review is 8 years old dude....lots of newer EVs have come out since 2015.
you can run the i3 on range extender alone without charge the battery?
Juan Carlos Beltrán M. Good question!
Yes you can, especially if you do long range trips. Since the rex version is a serial hybrid you see even less battery wear. Still I would recommend running it with electricity when drive in the city. Rex operation is most effective if you run it continuously for a longer period of time. Keep in mind the rex need a couple of minutes to warm up. In that time it's not very efficient.
Not really. The car is designed to run on battery with the gasoline generator only time to time in emergency use or in case your battery is too low. The is is to use in the city. Run errands and come home and charge. Like a cell phone is charged.