Source
r/BMWi3•
FCoffeeTest

Trying to sort out the i3 options and 120v charging

We going to sell our beat-up Hyundai ICE and get an i3 but we're not sure on a few things. Have to say, the Hyundai has been super for us but we really want to be driving an EV and the i3 is what we want. Carvana quotes us $11k. My wife thinks we can get a bit more, maybe $13k. She's usually right.

Charging and range: Our range needs are low but we will only have regular 120v charging during the day. Being in the San Francisco/Bay Area I'm going to guess there are plenty of fast-charging options around although not super convenient. Our "commute" to work is like 3 miles round trip. The car gets used for some local trips during the day totaling 20-30 miles max and more typically we'll probably do 10 miles per day. We put 30k miles on the Hyundai in 6 years. I've been informed that the rex option is mandatory. So the first and second questions are I'd assume even the oldest model i3 can manage 40 miles on a charge? Is 120v charging a realistic option in this scenario?

Model: We'll have $11-13k and can spend more but obviously trying to keep it as reasonable as possible. We have to have the rex and it sounds like we'd really want the technology package. The more driving/parking aids the better. I've heard some of the older models had some common issues. Is there a certain year/feature set that is recommended?

Where to buy: I'd assume a dealership will be more expensive than a private party but for these sorts of cars, worth it?

Thanks for any thoughts.

Posted Mar 29, 2021, 10:46 PM UTC

37
nosoapbox•

We have a 60 Ah rex and have a 60 mile a day commute. Our 120v charger keeps up just fine. We only use the rex on the occasional long trip. I can't think of a better use for a Bev i3 than what you described.

6
i486dx2•

I can't think of a better use for a Bev i3 than what you described.

This

4
charonpdx•

Oldest (60 Ah) can definitely manage 40 on a charge, even under worst conditions (extreme cold weather, extreme lead-foot driving.) You don't even need the REx if you're planning on 40 miles being your max. Obviously the later 94Ah or 60 Ah with REx would guarantee you at least 80 miles in worst conditions.

In good conditions (city driving with a light foot, 70 degree weather,) a 60Ah can do 90+ miles.

120V charging, as long as you have a dedicated 15A circuit (no more than a couple lights on the same circuit, definitely no appliances,) would work fine. That will add 3-5 miles of range per hour of charging. So charging even 8 hours overnight would get you 24-40 miles of range added. (The low end is assuming the absolute worst-case driving scenario - where a full battery only gets you slightly more than 40 miles of range.) With realistic Bay Area conditions, and charging 10 hours a day, you're going to be completely full each morning.

As for the REx - note that is the least reliable part of an i3. If you have the choice between a 60Ah REx and a 94Ah battery-only, I'd skip the REx and do the bigger battery.

4
William_Delatour•

You have the ideal commute for the 120v charger. It will be full everyday. I cannot get a full charge overnight because I do about 50 miles a day, but for you it shouldn’t be a problem. I don’t think you need a Rex either because of where you live. I’d find a 2017 to get the bigger battery.

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ikeepeatingandeating•

I would never install a 240v charger for my i3. It's not a car for long commutes where it would benefit from fast charging of a larger battery. I have a 2014 REx and have used the extender to drive the i3 home from the seller (~80 miles), and exactly two road trips otherwise. And those are the only two times that overnight 110v didn't get me to 100% charge.

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FCoffeeTestOP•

Ok, thanks for the comments on range, super helpful. Sounds like we can't go wrong with any of the i3 options.

In terms of model years, I read about the motor mounts in the 2014-2015 for example. So apart from battery/range is it wise (and worth the money) to pick one of the newer models and/or lower mileage?

1
stressHCLB•

I have a 2017 REx. Northern CA. Around town I get 3.6+ miles per kilowatt hour. The OEM 120V cable that came with my i3 pulls 10 amps. At 80% efficiency that's around 1 kilowatt going into the battery. So... with the stock OEM cable I would get approximately 3.6 miles of range for every hour of charge.

If you have a 20 amp outlet / circuit (note the t-shaped openings) at home you can use a 15 amp cable to get 6+ miles of range for every hour of charge.

If you're going to use an extension cord with either, make sure it's a beefy 10 or 12 ga cable.

Note that charging at the very top end of your battery capacity (above 80%) will likely be slower.

The few experiences I've had so far with EVGO DC fast chargers (DCFC) have been great. 20-25 minutes goes by quickly if you're picking up a sandwich or using the bathroom nearby.

I bought my i3 from Carmax. They were fine. Much better experience than any dealer I've been to, and they offer several warranty options. Private party always has more risk but perhaps i3 owners aren't typical, in a good way.

1