Why the BMW i3-REx

I'm using the BMW i3-REx during the hot weather and leaving the Prius Prime parked in a shady area. What happened is I noticed the Prime was loosing battery capacity, especially if charged when I got home in +90F (+32C) weather. If I delayed charging to dawn, the maximum cold soak 70F (21C), the capacity seemed to hold steady.

The 2014 BMW i3-REx reliability could be better but no complaints with the warranty. Consumer Reports says the first model year of any car will have the worst record and that matches our experience including the Gen-3, 2010 Prius. BMW repair delays are due to no local inventory of the parts that failed. However, the replacement, motor mount bolts and fittings were substantially improved over the original.

The tires are pricy, $135 each, and appear to be good for ~30-40k miles. I run the tires at maximum sidewall pressure for maximum life and precise handling. In contrast, our Prius tires have typically cost ~$50-60 each and we've gotten +50k miles.

I've been and remain very pleased with BMW iPhone based, preconditioning. For example, the car was parked in sunlight this morning while charging at a small strip mall. I ate brunch and the car had transitioned to battery taper down. So I sent a preconditioning request before picking up some groceries. When I got in the car, it was cooler than the 94F (34C) outside and fully charged.


Bob Wilson

 

Updating signature, 31k -> 33k.

Bob Wilson

 

Join: BMW i3 Forum - Index page

It is free and filled with folks like me who are serious about our cars as transportation. PriusChat doesn't really have a BMW i3-REx technology or maintenance forum . . . for good reason.

Bob Wilson

 

Source: Test Drive: BMW's Puzzling i3

It was the best of drives, it was the worst of drives.
. . .​

The BMW i3-REx is not for everyone but I didn't like Forbes before this article. Forbes has history giving climate deniers a forum and tossing transparent shade on Tesla.

Bob Wilson

 

• $26.97 - EV electric cost, 143 mi
  • $11.50 - Electrify America, 15.515 kWh, 32 min.
  • $14.70 - EVgo, 14.93 kWh, 42 min.
  • $0.77 - home, 7.74 kWh, 98 min. (1h 38m)
• $6.26 - Costco, 2.302 gal (premium), 5 min., 111 mi
  • ~5 mi EV, to top off gas in Nashville (left home 3/4 tank)
  • ~2 mi EV, ran out of gas approaching Costco
• Caught in Nashville rush hour . . . saved a bunch of electrons
  • dynamic cruise control + power mode (Comfort) is a winner
  • stay alert but calm with music and A/C
• Google miles do not including trying to find Nashville EVgo charger and sensible route changes.

Bob Wilson

 

I've visited the Manchester TN site three times;

August 1

Arriving at 7 AM, I started with charger #1. On the 4th attempt, it appeared to start charging. So I went the the Food Lion grocery store for bathroom, canned espresso coffee, and glass cleaning supplies. When I returned, it had stopped with a "Charging interrupted" about 35-40%. I restarted it and charging reached 90% when I stopped it, ~$4, and returned home on EV.

I checked my credit card web interface and saw 6-8 charges pending for $50. I called support and got the false starts closed and they e-mailed the $4 receipt. I reported my problems and they opened a ticket. I asked them to call me after their technicians repaired it. No phone call.

August 24

Charger #1 would not connect. I called support and after an hour and testing all four chargers, none of them worked. They added it to the ticket and I drove home on the REx. Everything was posted to PlugShare.

September 5

A user "Chris" reported on September 4 calling Electrify America who reported the chargers are working. He was planning to use it in two days. So early the next morning I drove there and found charger #1 again would not charge the car. Eventually it rejected even taking my credit card, "payment declined."

I tried charger #2 and it never processed a payment. Charger #3 had a new card reader still wrapped in plastic film. But charger #4 worked the second time,

My first attempt with Charger #4 failed midway through entering my cell phone number. The light came on that there may be a race condition between credit card approval and charging starting. So I skipped the cell phone receipt step and it WORKED!

I cell phone recorded a video and trimmed it to the successful charge:

Also, documented everything in the PlugShare comments. I didn't see any charge rate over 43 kW. At home, I called support and reported my technical results and they e-mailed a receipt. Electrify America support also replied to my e-mail report.

September 6 User "REXII" reported getting a Chevy Spark charged at 52 kW. Later, "Chris" reported getting a charge from #1 and #4 but #2 stopped immediately and #3 had a broken credit card reader.

I drove EV to Nashville TN, the Green Hills YMCA where I drove around every lot until seeing the charger at the start of the second loop. I had to call EVgo to get my card activated and normal charging started. Similar to the charger in Huntsville, I went to a nearby Whole Foods for bathroom, fruit plate, and triple-shot espresso. Walking back, I took some photos that I annotated with arrows showing how to find the charger. With the battery at 93%, I stopped it and drove to I-65, the way home.

Still above 75% SOC that enables the REx to run, I pulled off at an exit and topped off the gas tank. Around town I like to have it ~3/4th full so there is an expansion area. On the Interstate home, I enabled the REx at 75% and drove home normally. About 2-3 miles from Costco, the tank 'ran dry' and I drove EV to top off the tank.

I drove towards home in REx and picked up a plate of BBQ for my wife and her dogs. I marked the trip complete at the BBQ place. Then I drove home and put the car on the L2 charger that added 7.7 kWh.

Questions?

Bob Wilson

ps. It takes an hour and half to drive to Manchester. If Electrify America had phoned me instead of reporting to someone else who called them to get a 'Manchester is fixed', I would work with them. But I don't trust them.

 

I don't think they are as fragile as much as being installed, configured, and operated by unskilled labor. It is a combination of engineering and management failures.

Bob Wilson