BMW i3

[shimmy]

Seriously thinking of selling the Mini and putting an order in for the BMW i3.

As far as I can tell.

1. zero rated road tax
2. zero rated company car tax
3. £0.016 to £0.020 per mile to run
4. government grant to help with purchase
5. As fast as a v8m3 from 0-30mph
6. looks cool

Can anybody please advise why it won't be ok for the Mrs school runs, meanwhile the company pool car can be upgraded to something with more bhp :)

[shane@mbtech]

I would wait a while to see reliability before waiting a while at roadside

Seriously thinking of selling the Mini and putting an order in for the BMW i3.

As far as I can tell.

1. zero rated road tax
2. zero rated company car tax
3. £0.016 to £0.020 per mile to run
4. government grant to help with purchase
5. As fast as a v8m3 from 0-30mph
6. looks cool

Can anybody please advise why it won't be ok for the Mrs school runs, meanwhile the company pool car can be upgraded to something with more bhp :)

[Yanto]

Would you fit ?

[alexk]

I think it's a fantastic car.
I sat inside one and it's very nice and interesting.
I can't see the reason why not to get one.
Also, my brother was telling me that the batteries have 8 year warranty. Then, if a cell goes bad, you just have to replace the individual one and not everything.

[shimmy]

Would you fit ?



Cough cough wanker cough cough

[terryb]

shimmy, as I posted on PGT, it really is a game changer in terms of value for money as a company car. You could get one of these and a brand new M5 as there are some cracking lease deals on at the mo :)

[shimmy]

shimmy, as I posted on PGT, it really is a game changer in terms of value for money as a company car. You could get one of these and a brand new M5 as there are some cracking lease deals on at the mo :)

I know, just what I was thinking.

i3 as a company car and M5 as a pool car.

Would effectively mean all three cars would run as a business expense, to some.

[Curly]

What they like on track:)

[shimmy]

What they like on track:)

Dunno but it would probably keep up your slow decline to a Rover 216 OAP wagon :)

Plenty of shopping bag space

[Curly]

Ya scalp will be the first in the bag when I get mine:wink:

[shimmy]

Ya scalp will be the first in the bag when I get mine:wink:

Tbh I'm not sure it would make it to Spa :beer:

Or even Oulton

maybe Bedford....two BMWi3 track weapons

[Curly]

gone for the clubsport spec! Buckets,cage,cups:smokin:

[shimmy]

gone for the clubsport spec! Buckets,cage,cups:smokin:

you is def gonna have to carry ballast

[Jon8710]

Love them
I would have one tomorrow !
What's the range and how long to charge it up ?

[shimmy]

Love them
I would have one tomorrow !
What's the range and how long to charge it up ?


4 miles - 15 days :thumbs:

[Olive]

It seems to be a great car. Do not forget to take the small thermical engine to "help" if needing ... I can not imagine to buy this car without that.

[shimmy]

It seems to be a great car. Do not forget to take the small thermical engine to "help" if needing ... I can not imagine to buy this car without that.

Trouble is that engine whilst making the car very practical, does make it much more expensive both in purchase cost £3200, and tax on company car and road tax and this will increase as it gets older and tax changes

If you can use it as 100% electric it will be much cheaper.( and like Top Gear, you could always carry a generator in the boot for this elong trip s);)

[Trawler]

I can only see one advantage of electric cars. If enough are sold we will have to upgrade our electricity network & that will result in a few engineering projects.

[Olive]

I need to look the Top Gear test ! Which one is it ?
I see that you have more taxes than we have it in France. It is possible then ...
I understand your position then.
But my worry would be like driving a thermical car always on the reserve with only one question inside the head : "where is this f.... gaz station ?"

[shimmy]

I can only see one advantage of electric cars. If enough are sold we will have to upgrade our electricity network & that will result in a few engineering projects.

polo diesel is 10p/mile amd i3 is 1.6p/mile in fuelo costs

[Yanto]

polo diesel is 10p/mile amd i3 is 1.6p/mile in fuelo costs

You on commission ?

[shimmy]

Hmmmmmmm

It's a cracking car you know

[E46CSL]

Hmmmmmmm

It's a cracking car you know

:thumbs:

[billyboysm3]

Hmmmmmmm

It's a cracking car you know

Did I see you enter Elms earlier sideways in that thing?

[shimmy]

Did I see you enter Elms earlier sideways in that thing?

I came out around Royston roundabout at full Watts and on them skinny tyres had it sideways going past a Ford Mondeo at twice his speed

he looked a bit taken aback tbh

[mattCSLnut]

It made me chuckle a bit when I saw one @ Elms the other day as it turned it's wheels and revealed it's bicycle width wheels & tyres ;)
They looked pretty lethal in the dry :supz:

[glendog74]

I like the i3 :thumbs:

[Chappers]

I... I... think it's better than the i8. The i8 is a future way of doing a normal fast car, the i3 fell out of the future and feels like a new way of doing transport. It's the way it whizzes up the road, the interior, the noises it makes or doesn't make.

The i8 is cool in that it shows that you can still make a fun car that looks good and has some really great technology on it. It feels fast - not supercar fast but fast enough. The handling is good; the noise it makes, whilst artificial, is also quite pleasant.

But it's the i3 that really feels like the future of cars, the future of easy, clean transport. I really want one, with the CSL for weekends.

Saying that both cars are technology showcases and both are "first goes" at each type of vehicle - with that in mind they're both absolutely stunning efforts.

[CraigMillwardCroft]

I came out around Royston roundabout at full Watts and on them skinny tyres had it sideways going past a Ford Mondeo at twice his speed

he looked a bit taken aback tbh

Did you not get warned about your aggressive driving :whistle:

[HFLagos]

We have an i3 and CSL at home, very pleased with both cars. If and when BMW build the i5, my wife will have that and I will take her i3 as my daily (replacing my Audi A2).

We are total converts, the i3 replaced an X5 and we would never go back. Can honestly say I actually look forward to driving the i3. :gayfight:

[shimmy]

well got bored over Xmas and decided to to get a run around .......

i3 Rex
Fluid Black
Lodge Interior
Sports pack (led, HK sound, tinted, 428 rims)

Havent told the mrs yet that her M135 will need to go around Easter...:bigcry:

[Marv968]

Good stuff Shim, I drove an i3 a few months ago and was very impressed.

I'd like one myself eventually.

[shimmy]

Good stuff Shim, I drove an i3 a few months ago and was very impressed.

I'd like one myself eventually.

i have estmated that we will never put petrol in it based on my wifes daily mileage,........but too scared to get BEV instead of REX

[Roland]

i have estmated that we will never put petrol in it based on my wifes daily mileage,........but too scared to get BEV instead of REX

Great decision Shim, you never know.
Just did a trip with a REX to my parents place, 170km from Munich. Charged it for 6hours and a fill up and back to Munich.
Really liked it in the mountains :thumbs:

[trackm3]

Ive just supplied some lowering springs for one of these :thumbs: Superb Cars, enjoy.

[HFLagos]

Coming up to 2 years in our i3 in a couple of months, we have the REX and over 26k miles later we have only needed petrol a handful of times.

Understand there is an improved battery coming out later this year and then a further improvement in 2018.

[AlexGTT]

Finally, been talking about it for too long. ;) You know my thoughts on the subject. Good luck getting the keys off Mrs Shim.

[73CSL]

realistically, what is the range on b-roads etc for an i3 with range extender ? How long do you have to wait between full charges too ?

[shimmy]

realistically, what is the range on b-roads etc for an i3 with range extender ? How long do you have to wait between full charges too ?

Unlimited if you top up the fuel.

[PeteGray]

Test drove an i3 yesterday and will be ordering one through my company.

I really want to go pure electric to take a bold step into the unknown and inject some jeopardy into the whole process (in truth this will be a school run car and highly, highly unlikely to need the engine).

Anyone know what the real world average max range is?

Going flat white on standard wheels with the Lodge interior as this looks the most futuristic spec to my eye.

Would be tempted to wait for the refreshed battery if anyone knows anything solid about release dates on that?

[shimmy]

Test drove an i3 yesterday and will be ordering one through my company.

I really want to go pure electric to take a bold step into the unknown and inject some jeopardy into the whole process (in truth this will be a school run car and highly, highly unlikely to need the engine).

Anyone know what the real world average max range is?

Going flat white on standard wheels with the Lodge interior as this looks the most futuristic spec to my eye.

Would be tempted to wait for the refreshed battery if anyone knows anything solid about release dates on that?


i think BEV is easy if you have 3 cars but a bit iof a risk if you have two. Wife occassionally does a trip away and would need my car and I would need to probably limit my work travel in that time or take CSL out of the garage (persiht he thought) to cope with BEV only.

REX only costs a bit more tbh and is a good insurance option.

[shimmy]

well some unexpected good news today......bmw called on a Saturday and tried to arrange the charging point installation at my house..............

and as my i3 is due for delivery before the end of March 2016 its FREE due to promotion...:thumbs:



Saving of £560..:supz:


http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LoJaAbkSy48/UP2LyW_YpZI/AAAAAAAACDA/HOaBPNHPaGs/s1600/BMW-i-Wallbox-2a.jpg

[Yanto]

You get what you pay for. Google TANSTAAFL....:hahaha:

[pinkpanther008]

I would wait a while to see reliability before waiting a while at roadside

No reliabilty issues Shim: used as Taxi in Denmark along side Tesla, both zero tax in a car hating country!

[shimmy]

Arrived Thursday from Elms Cambs.

I swear every youth in his S3 or Corsa VXR is trying to race me off the line.

[shimmy]

.

[shimmy]

,

[Yanto]

Nice that Shim. Top darts mate.

[Bounce]

Picked up my enviro friendly daily on Thurs lol:thumbs:

[cslsuperfan]

Picked up my enviro friendly daily on Thurs lol:thumbs:


That's more like it Brett ;)

[CraigMillwardCroft]

Picked up my enviro friendly daily on Thurs lol:thumbs:

Nice :thumbs:

[shimmy]

plucked up the courage to drive to Silverstone tomorrow in the i3


firstly hoping she makes it there and back without needing to refuel/charge :gayfight:

secondly not sure they will let me in :thumbs:


off to see the boys in the 24 hour race

[Trawler]

plucked up the courage to drive to Silverstone tomorrow in the i3


firstly hoping she makes it there and back without needing to refuel/charge :gayfight:

secondly not sure they will let me in :thumbs:


off to see the boys in the 24 hour race

Thought you were doing a track day until I got to the last line what a disappointment

[shimmy]

Well i am pretty amazed by this little thing: Wifey had an issue where it speed limited on the motorway to 56mph which was a bit disconcerting so i ahve taken it out for a couple of runs and found the following;


1. With full charge and full fuel it has range of 180-188 miles (88 miles electric stored and 100 miles fuel charged)

2. in normal mode it runs electric stored power first down to 6% and then asks the little engine (REX) to start up and this maintains the charge in the battery at more or less 6% until the fuel runs out about 100 miles later.

3. PROBLEM - the wifes problem experienced comes from the fact that if you run at 80-95mph in REX mode this will not quite keep the battery at 6% therefore the car automatically puts the ECU into EcoPRO or EcoPRO+ mode which will limit speed to 75mph or 5mph respectively and save power to try to get you home.

4. SOLVE PROBLEM - The long range feature means that you can set the car to start using REX when 75% chareg remains. This means that you can congtinue to use the car at full whack as even if you are not quite maintaining charge, the i3 still has enough stored not to piut you in EcoPRO+ mode.


So effectively you can run the car as follows at full whack 95mph;

1. 22 miles on stored electric only (electric at 75%)
2. 100 miles on REX (say electric at 70%)
3. find Refuel say you use another 10% charge (electric at 65%)
4. Another 100 miles on REX (say electrric at 60%)
5.Run down electric to 5% so say another 50 miles


So with one 9 litre refuel (two 9 litre tankls = 18 litres) you have covered about 280 miles. And I think you could probably go on forever with refuel every 90-100 miles or at least 500 miles total journey whithout any issues.

[Bounce]

So with one 9 litre refuel (two 9 litre tankls = 18 litres) you have covered about 280 miles. And I think you could probably go on forever with refuel every 90-100 miles or at least 500 miles total journey whithout any issues.Im finding similar figures with the Range Rover sport:whistle::whistle::bigcry:

[shimmy]

Im finding similar figures with the Range Rover sport:whistle::whistle::bigcry:

Not 9 litres per mile :)

[AlexGTT]

I think that all sounds good Shim, but way too much maths for my liking. Still have love for I3 though. Bet you get some interesting looks folding yourself out of it. ;)

[shimmy]

I think that all sounds good Shim, but way too much maths for my liking. Still have love for I3 though. Bet you get some interesting looks folding yourself out of it. ;)

that is the problem, you feel like you need to work things out (like me) or you don't (like Kirsty) and you get stuck in Brent Cross:hahaha:

[estoril]

Have you seen that they have a new model coming out later this year with new batteries (same car) but it more or less doubles the electric range?

[shimmy]

Have you seen that they have a new model coming out later this year with new batteries (same car) but it more or less doubles the electric range?

not quite, i think 117 miles up from 80 miles, but with bigger fuel tank upping REX range to 125 miles

total range 2017 should be about 240 miles without a refuel or charge

[estoril]

not quite, i think 117 miles up from 80 miles, but with bigger fuel tank upping REX range to 125 miles

total range 2017 should be about 240 miles without a refuel or charge

From the BMW press release "The new battery delivers an improved range of up to 195 mile in the standard NEDC cycle"

https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/united-kingdom/article/detail/T0259612EN_GB/the-new-bmw-i3-94ah