I like the e-Golf and leased one for the 3 years before we got our Model 3. However, the 2015 and 2016 e-Golf had only 84 mile EPA range. 2017-2020 model years have a larger battery that gets 125 miles EPA range. Also, watch out for the cheapest ones, they are mostly 2016 e-Golf SE and they are cheapest when they don't have CCS. That leaves you with only a 24kWh battery pack and only 3.6kW AC charging. That is painful if you ever need to do a trip beyond the single charge range. Every other year and trim comes with up to 45kW CCS charging and 7.2kW AC charging. The 2016 SE was available with "Fast Charge Option" that included the CCS port and 7.2kW OBC.
If you want to stay with German sport cars, the VW E-Golf, it's not a GTI ... but, with 125 Miles of range could be another option.
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BMW I3 with Range extender
- Thread starter Peelz
- Start date
FlatSix911
Porsche 918 Hybrid
Take a look at the new i3 available only in China.
electrek.co
BMW unveils new electric i3 based on 3 Series, but it's only for China for now
BMW unveiled today a new electric BMW i3, but unlike the previous vehicle with that name, this one is based...
electrek.co
I agree with others about avoiding the REX. Perhaps, if you like the i3 looks: Instead, go with the BEV and spend the extra money on getting a charger installed at your work or wherever your round-trip turn-around is. That way you'll have a nice, toasty, fully charged car waiting for you at the end of the day.
I had a '17 ReX. It was my first EV and I had range anxiety, but I never used the ReX. I still read the i3 forums from time to time, and there have been a few problems with the Rex.
I didn't like the skinny tires. They didn't handle like a BMW or ride like one either. And, replacements are only available from one or maybe two sources. If you really want an i3, I'd only consider the BEV.
Or, perhaps a used Chevy Bolt with a new battery. Larger car, more range, better ride, etc.
I didn't like the skinny tires. They didn't handle like a BMW or ride like one either. And, replacements are only available from one or maybe two sources. If you really want an i3, I'd only consider the BEV.
Or, perhaps a used Chevy Bolt with a new battery. Larger car, more range, better ride, etc.
There's nothing sporty about an e-Golf unfortunately. At least not the ones I've driven. They're fine as compliance cars go but that's about all I can say for them. Acceleration is very weak, they really feel underpowered for (non-gridlocked) highway use, which the OP said is important. They handle like crap too, the battery weight really messes with the Golf chassis.
If you want to stay with German sport cars, the VW E-Golf, it's not a GTI ... but, with 125 Miles of range could be another option.
I only drove an i3 once but I remember it being at least better than the e-Golf. Chevy Bolt drives much better than an e-Golf too for that matter. Any Model 3 is in a different league.
Watts_Up
Well-Known Member
If you want to stay German, maybe a good compromise then...
Porsche 911 With BMW i3s Drivetrain Debuts As Electric Restomod
Sofia-based Modern Classics has removed the oily bits from a Porsche 911 (G Model) for an electric drivetrain borrowed from a BMW i3s.
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Oh hell yesIf you want to stay German, maybe a good compromise then...
Porsche 911 With BMW i3s Drivetrain Debuts As Electric Restomod
Sofia-based Modern Classics has removed the oily bits from a Porsche 911 (G Model) for an electric drivetrain borrowed from a BMW i3s.www.bmwblog.com
View attachment 789433
Thanks everyone. Some great info in the last few posts. To be clear, plain ev is not ideal for me. We are in rural Iowa, the only chargers besides the tesla SC across the street from work are 6kw and NOT in great spots. If I go full ev, I have little to no option for faster charging. I often have short notice soccer coaching or work engagements, Id need the REX or a hybrid to get me there.
I'm not buying a car to compare to tesla-this is impossible. Ive never adored a car as much as her Model Y! It just doesn't make sense for me to go that way for a second car, cost vs use is an issue.
At this moment, I am also begrudgingly considering a used prius prime. It's 25 mile range would work, never buying gas, except for the later extra engagements, which are limited to certain parts of the year. 50mpg thereafter I can for sure deal with that. I say Begrudgingly, because the prices are similar, but its BORING. It is however, Prob the more sensible approach. lol Id have to get it in a cool color with the white interior...
Or just a cheap ICE car until the network catches up.
Im all about an old porsche @Watts_Up but, not exactly going to work lol
I'm not buying a car to compare to tesla-this is impossible. Ive never adored a car as much as her Model Y! It just doesn't make sense for me to go that way for a second car, cost vs use is an issue.
At this moment, I am also begrudgingly considering a used prius prime. It's 25 mile range would work, never buying gas, except for the later extra engagements, which are limited to certain parts of the year. 50mpg thereafter I can for sure deal with that. I say Begrudgingly, because the prices are similar, but its BORING. It is however, Prob the more sensible approach. lol Id have to get it in a cool color with the white interior...
Or just a cheap ICE car until the network catches up.
Im all about an old porsche @Watts_Up but, not exactly going to work lol
Watts_Up
Well-Known Member
I noticed a Fiat dealer near my home with several Fiat 500 EVs on the parking lot which seem to be unsold and new (?).
I was going to say this could be an other possibility for a cheap urban EV, but the low range would certainly be an issue in your case.
The Fiat 500e is certainly a fun around-town EV, however, in addition to its short range and no fast charging capability, getting service can be tough. I've heard that the Omaha-Council Bluffs-area Fiat dealer has committed to take care of them though.
If the OP wants to try Italian retro-chic instead of teutonic classy - and has a trailer to tow it to Omaha for service (verification recommended - my info is a couple of years old), it might be a cheap option to play with. It would definitely be unique in the area and fun to drive up to the soccer fields.
FlatSix911
Porsche 918 Hybrid
No need to settle for a Resto-mod with poor performance. (6.8 seconds 0-60 mph)If you want to stay German, maybe a good compromise then...
Porsche 911 With BMW i3s Drivetrain Debuts As Electric Restomod
Sofia-based Modern Classics has removed the oily bits from a Porsche 911 (G Model) for an electric drivetrain borrowed from a BMW i3s.
View attachment 789433
Porsche is already developing the next generation 911 EV with stellar performance.
Porsche is reportedly working with Quantumscape to develop an electric 911 powered by solid-state batteries
Reports of future Porsche EVs have emerged, potentially including an electric 911 with the help of Quantumscape's solid-state batteries.
electrek.co
NY_Rob
Member
I currently have a 2017 i3 REX... bought it in Sept 2021, it had 36K mi on it.. paid $22K for it.
FWIW, I've owned a 2012 Plug-in-Prius, a 2014 Volt, a 2017 Bolt and a 2021 Model Y. We currently have a 2021 Model 3 along with the i3 REX.
I bought my i3 as a "holdover" car to use between when I sold my Model Y in Sept 2021 and whenever my Rivian R1T gets delivered (which is now scheduled for Q4 2022) as my occasional (I work mostly from home, but go in once/month or so) 50 mi round trip to work and local running around car. I liked the idea of the REX because I had that in my Volt and it worked out great, no range anxiety whatsoever.
In 2017 BMW increased the battery capacity of the i3, I get about 110mi EV range, then another 70+mi out of the REX. BMW increased the battery capacity again in 2018, so you have three different battery sizes in the i3's... 2014-2016 = 60aH, 2017 = 94aH, 2018-2022 = 120aH. The REX size never changed, but in 2017 they enabled the full capacity of the 2.5gal fuel tank to be used where it was software limited to 2.0gal in earlier i3's.
As another poster noted, i3's before 2017 had 3G modems and have lost app connectivity since Feb 2022, my 2017 i3 has a 4G modem and the phone app (for conditioning, car locator, door locks, etc..) still works perfectly.
Since purchasing in in Sept of last year I've put about 2.5K mi on the i3, and it's actually been flawless for me. The longest trip I took in it so far has been about 95mi round trip, I could have made it on all electric, but I did some programming in Bimmer Code to let me turn on the REX at any time as long as the battery is below 75% so I was able to use it early on that trip and I came home with 50+mi left on the battery.
The interior is a breath of fresh air design wise, the car is small on the outside but large, open, bright and airy with great visibility on the inside. I find the seats very comfortable, much more comfortable then the Chevy Bolt seats that gave me leg pain issues. Everyone who's driven in my i3 has commented on how inviting and warm the interior is... it's just a nice environment overall.
My i3 has the 19" wheels, and AFAIK there is only one manufacturer that makes tires for that car. I would advise anyone who has an i3 to buy a used wheel on ebay, etc.. and put a new tire on it and keep it handy as a spare, because nobody keeps these tires in stock, not even BMW. You can get them from tirerack.com at a reasonable price.
As of last month when gas hit $5/gallon here I have officially handed my i3 over to my daughter for her daily 51mi round trip work commute. She comes from a Mazda CX-3.. She loves the i3, thinks it's much nicer than the Mazda and is super happy to be driving for free (my rooftop solar pays for all our electricity). She usually comes home with 50% left on the battery, and now that it's getting warmer she made it a full two days commute (104mi) without recharging or the REX firing up at the end of the second day. Nice thing is, with the REX, she can game it as she likes to see how much she can get out of the battery but not worry about being stranded like she would be without the REX backup.
All in all, the i3 has been a really great little commuter, run-around car for us, other than the lack of choice on replacement tires.. I only have good things to say about it!
When my Rivian finally comes late this year (hopefully) we have decided to keep the i3 in the family and sell the 2019 Mazda CX-3. It's a perfect commuter car for my daughter, it's in great condition, costs her nothing to drive and should last for a very, very long time with the carbon fiber frame.
FWIW, I've owned a 2012 Plug-in-Prius, a 2014 Volt, a 2017 Bolt and a 2021 Model Y. We currently have a 2021 Model 3 along with the i3 REX.
I bought my i3 as a "holdover" car to use between when I sold my Model Y in Sept 2021 and whenever my Rivian R1T gets delivered (which is now scheduled for Q4 2022) as my occasional (I work mostly from home, but go in once/month or so) 50 mi round trip to work and local running around car. I liked the idea of the REX because I had that in my Volt and it worked out great, no range anxiety whatsoever.
In 2017 BMW increased the battery capacity of the i3, I get about 110mi EV range, then another 70+mi out of the REX. BMW increased the battery capacity again in 2018, so you have three different battery sizes in the i3's... 2014-2016 = 60aH, 2017 = 94aH, 2018-2022 = 120aH. The REX size never changed, but in 2017 they enabled the full capacity of the 2.5gal fuel tank to be used where it was software limited to 2.0gal in earlier i3's.
As another poster noted, i3's before 2017 had 3G modems and have lost app connectivity since Feb 2022, my 2017 i3 has a 4G modem and the phone app (for conditioning, car locator, door locks, etc..) still works perfectly.
Since purchasing in in Sept of last year I've put about 2.5K mi on the i3, and it's actually been flawless for me. The longest trip I took in it so far has been about 95mi round trip, I could have made it on all electric, but I did some programming in Bimmer Code to let me turn on the REX at any time as long as the battery is below 75% so I was able to use it early on that trip and I came home with 50+mi left on the battery.
The interior is a breath of fresh air design wise, the car is small on the outside but large, open, bright and airy with great visibility on the inside. I find the seats very comfortable, much more comfortable then the Chevy Bolt seats that gave me leg pain issues. Everyone who's driven in my i3 has commented on how inviting and warm the interior is... it's just a nice environment overall.
My i3 has the 19" wheels, and AFAIK there is only one manufacturer that makes tires for that car. I would advise anyone who has an i3 to buy a used wheel on ebay, etc.. and put a new tire on it and keep it handy as a spare, because nobody keeps these tires in stock, not even BMW. You can get them from tirerack.com at a reasonable price.
As of last month when gas hit $5/gallon here I have officially handed my i3 over to my daughter for her daily 51mi round trip work commute. She comes from a Mazda CX-3.. She loves the i3, thinks it's much nicer than the Mazda and is super happy to be driving for free (my rooftop solar pays for all our electricity). She usually comes home with 50% left on the battery, and now that it's getting warmer she made it a full two days commute (104mi) without recharging or the REX firing up at the end of the second day. Nice thing is, with the REX, she can game it as she likes to see how much she can get out of the battery but not worry about being stranded like she would be without the REX backup.
All in all, the i3 has been a really great little commuter, run-around car for us, other than the lack of choice on replacement tires.. I only have good things to say about it!
When my Rivian finally comes late this year (hopefully) we have decided to keep the i3 in the family and sell the 2019 Mazda CX-3. It's a perfect commuter car for my daughter, it's in great condition, costs her nothing to drive and should last for a very, very long time with the carbon fiber frame.
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A Google search says i3 uses 360V battery packs. So 2014-2016 = 21.6 kWh, 2017 = 33.84 kWh, 2018-2022 = 43.2 kWh.
Back in 2014 when wife and I tested an i3 it seemed absurdly overpriced for its meager battery capacity compared to a Model S, not to mention the sheer size difference and Tesla's budding supercharger network. Yes the Model S cost more, but still seemed much better value. I think your positive points are all valid though, I remember liking the i3 a lot more than I expected (relatively speaking).
We bought a Model S then and I haven't followed the i3 since, but I still see i3 around all the time. Which makes sense now knowing the battery size increases, and I assume its pricing became more competitive at some point (whether via incentives or overall market changes).
NY_Rob
Member
NY_Rob
Member
I don't own an i3 but seriously considered them for a while before pulling the trigger on a reasonably priced Model 3. If anyone who ones one of these has any corrections, feel free to jump in!
The major flaws w/ the REX that make it not particularly useful that I saw:
EDIT: Oh, and as someone else in the thread mentioned, finding tires is an issue. There is I think literally one tire available (Bridgestone Ecopia) and maybe a winter tire too? Current prices were expensive but not insane ($200 or so/tire) but I would be worried about future availability and pricing. End of the day, a Chevy Bolt or Prius would be a far more sensible option. i3 is definitely more interesting, unique, fun though.
The major flaws w/ the REX that make it not particularly useful that I saw:
- Unable to force REX to stay on and charge the battery. There's a hold state of charge option that can be enabled, but still requires <75% battery. This means that if you're on a long trip using only gas, you'll slowly deplete the battery. Once you get down towards the bottom of the pack, the REX isn't strong enough to keep the battery charged at highway speeds and you'll be stuck in the right lane doing 55 on up-grades
- Small gas tank. Can be "hacked" to increase size to 2.4gal but this is still less than 100 miles at highway speeds. Imagine starting every trip with 1/4 tank of gas. Or, compared to the Model Y, starting every trip at 30% state of charge.
EDIT: Oh, and as someone else in the thread mentioned, finding tires is an issue. There is I think literally one tire available (Bridgestone Ecopia) and maybe a winter tire too? Current prices were expensive but not insane ($200 or so/tire) but I would be worried about future availability and pricing. End of the day, a Chevy Bolt or Prius would be a far more sensible option. i3 is definitely more interesting, unique, fun though.
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I found the ReX strong enough to keep up with 70 mph driving, maybe 75 without AC or heat. 80 mph no, but you wouldn't want to in this car. Long uphill grades are more of a problem but with the hold state of charge it's OK as long as you start out at reasonably high battery. It's not impractical to drive i3 on gas alone for decently long distances. Yes, eventually you will have to recharge, but when you slow down the ReX will keep on running to try to bring the charge back up to the set level before it turns off (maybe 1-2% below the set point).
The RPM of the ReX engine depends on the level of the Hold State Of Charge set level and the current battery, i.e. it won't go to full power until there is at least a 5% gap between current battery percentage and HSOC level (as it gets noisier) but I've never found any secular decline in battery power that the ReX can't make up for beyond that, if you HSOC at a reasonable high level (i.e. above the default 7% turn on level or whatever). Also there were some firmware updates between 2015 and now that improved the ReX turn on curve so what you may have read from earlier reviews with loss of power may not be current any more.
I drive from San Diego to Los Angeles with my 2015 i3 ReX---even though there are some CCS chargers in the I-5 corridor, I found them much less convenient and effective than refilling the ReX. Bolts have that problem and only 50 kW charger.
One value of the ReX is that you can go down further in the smaller battery %age knowing that you won't be stuck.
A long range Tesla with superchargers is of course better (I have M3LR on order) but the ReX is pretty good (never had any faults with it) for occasional use.
great review that covers why I like it, and why I think it could work for the "placeholder" car.
THANKS!
NY_Rob
Member
You can configure the REX to kick in at any level below 75% full battery... so your battery can be at 74% full and you will be driving on the REX.. not depleting the battery. I did exactly that on the only "long" 90mi drive I've done in my i3. After driving 90miles I arrived home with 50+ miles of battery and more than half a tank of gas left.
I had no problem at all keeping up with 70mph traffic just running on the REX.
100% agree! I had to go in to the office today, as I mentioned my daughter now has my i3 as her daily driver and I have her Mazda CX-3 till my Rivian gets delivered. I put 67 miles on the CX-3 today... yuk! I'd much rather drive the i3 if I had a choice.
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