I assume it would take a handful of stops for gas and if possible re-charging for the i3 to make this trip. In fairness, this really isn't the kind of trip that this car appears to be marketed. Even a MS will need to stop at least once to recharge on the way up to Tahoe from the SF Bay Area.
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BMW i3
- Thread starter gregincal
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I assume it would take a handful of stops for gas and if possible re-charging for the i3 to make this trip. In fairness, this really isn't the kind of trip that this car appears to be marketed. Even a MS will need to stop at least once to recharge on the way up to Tahoe from the SF Bay Area.
stopcrazypp
Well-Known Member
A bit of context is that in the US we will not get mountain mode (because of BMW wanting to fit the i3 into the new BEVx category).
Thank you for this chart.
And a request. Can you change the range for the mph to [30,60] and attach an image of that as well? I find the crossover points of Aerodynamics, Drivetrain, and Tires quite interesting in the [40,50] range. Also it might help for that image to remove Total Power from the rendering.
Thanks again.
Edit:
Also if you have any more detail or "rough thoughts" on degree of impact of tire flavors have on the Tires curve that would be interesting as well. In short, a ballpark feel for "LRR can at most buy you roughly ___ improvement over non-LRR". Not sure if you've done much research in this regard or not but I figure it's worth asking.
I have driven the i3 last week. It was the version with the Range Extender.
I also finally got the chance to pilot the Model S. But I will give my impressions on that in a separate thread.
It seems to me that the i3 is massively underrated. Real world performance is a lot closer to the Model S than to a Leaf or a Zoe. From 0-100 kph it feels really strong. The carbon chassis is very stiff, thus translating into a truly unique steering feel. The handling feels sublime and all around visibility is just superb. I also liked the cabin with its premium leather and materials. The driving position is absolutely perfect. Overall the driving experience is in a completely different league to a Volt, Zoe or Leaf.
I activated the range extender at 50% battery range. You hardly notice this little engine actually running. Power and acceleration were unaffected. But that will change with the battery running low.
Still, there are some downsides. Above 130kph power seems to fade away. I also found the aggressive regen pedal to be a bit annoying. And the range can quickly drop below 100km if you push it.
I still think this is the best EV on the market.
I also finally got the chance to pilot the Model S. But I will give my impressions on that in a separate thread.
It seems to me that the i3 is massively underrated. Real world performance is a lot closer to the Model S than to a Leaf or a Zoe. From 0-100 kph it feels really strong. The carbon chassis is very stiff, thus translating into a truly unique steering feel. The handling feels sublime and all around visibility is just superb. I also liked the cabin with its premium leather and materials. The driving position is absolutely perfect. Overall the driving experience is in a completely different league to a Volt, Zoe or Leaf.
I activated the range extender at 50% battery range. You hardly notice this little engine actually running. Power and acceleration were unaffected. But that will change with the battery running low.
Still, there are some downsides. Above 130kph power seems to fade away. I also found the aggressive regen pedal to be a bit annoying. And the range can quickly drop below 100km if you push it.
I still think this is the best EV on the market.
gg_got_a_tesla
Model S: VIN 65513, Model 3: VIN 1913
"Realist == Bait" as per lolachampcar.
Can't resist taking it
The last quote's laughable already but, I'll have to test drive the i3 as well to be sure 
I think Realist has a very dry sense of humor. Or he just doesn't know what EV means.
I assume you meant the MS? Even if you could consider the i3 an EV, it isn't "on the market" anywhere that I know of.
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@turtle: i3 is on sale in Germany since mid November.
I drove it. The car is really nicely put together and has good acceleration.
@Realist Why it would qualify as an EV is beyond me. But hey, the classification as a ZEV is an American invention, so some reality distortion is already at play in this sector :wink:
I drove it. The car is really nicely put together and has good acceleration.
@Realist Why it would qualify as an EV is beyond me. But hey, the classification as a ZEV is an American invention, so some reality distortion is already at play in this sector :wink:
Johan
Ex got M3 in the divorce, waiting for EU Model Y!
I also sat in an i3, didn't drive it my self but it was a very nice car. I don't quite like the styling, but hey it's a great thing that we are all different and have different opinions. It wouldn't be any fun if everyone drove a Model S, right? I think I will have to differ though with Realist when it comes to the best EV part. But the i3 is an EV.
Thanks for the update. AFAIK, it is not available here in the US until Spring 2014.
On a separate but related topic, is the Mercedes B class EV (a true EV) available yet in Germany?
So the i3 is an electric vehicle first and with the REX it's actually a hybrid, mainly powered electric. I think everyone can agree on that.
To me the i3 was really nice to drive. I liked the rigid chassis and fantastic visibilty. The whole design concept is visionary and you will see many cars following that path. The performance is more than enough for most people. If you do like a fascinating electric car the i3 is unbeatable in it's price range.
To me it was more fun than the Model S.
They also told me that an i5 with more room and 250 km range is in the works for 2015.
To me the i3 was really nice to drive. I liked the rigid chassis and fantastic visibilty. The whole design concept is visionary and you will see many cars following that path. The performance is more than enough for most people. If you do like a fascinating electric car the i3 is unbeatable in it's price range.
To me it was more fun than the Model S.
They also told me that an i5 with more room and 250 km range is in the works for 2015.
What exactly did you find to be "more fun" about driving the i3? I genuinely want to know. I have not driven an i3 so cannot compare it with the Model S.
Thanks.
It's a heck of a lot easier to cut in front of others in traffic than the Model S. Plenty of Zippiness in traffic. It rides higher than I like, like an SUV or minivan seat than a car/coupe. I like the size vs. the Model S. It's also "eye level" with other cars vs. the Roadster.
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