[andrew*debbie]

I hadn't paid much attention to my car's best case range until a question came up in another thread.

I did a little test in the recent warm weather. EcoPro mode. Mix of 40 to 70mph driving. Drove as I normally do .

October 2018 build date, so the pack is about 23 months old. Car sat unsold until May 2019. Car sat again during lockdown. Now has 12,000 miles.

After charging to 100% GOM reads 149mi battery, 68mi REx, 217mi combined.

29.8 miles later. Colder windy today. 110 mi battery remains, REx down to 64 due to weather. Total range 174mi.

Oh and the last mile was entirely uphill.

 

[loggamatt]

Thanks very much for this! Sounds like I’d be looking at getting similar electric only motorway range to my e-Golf then, 100-130 miles depending on season/weather.

The difference here though - and it is a significant one - is that I could plan my rapid charge stops with 0-5% of the battery remaining, because I’ll know that if the charger is broken I won’t be stranded. In the e-Golf I’m stopping with more like 15-20% battery remaining to cover me for getting to Plan B and Plan C chargers if I need to. So even if the electric range on paper is similar, in reality the useable range will be greater.

I’ll definitely keep the range extender i3s in mind! When my e-Golf lease runs out, I’ve decided I don’t want another lease or to spend so much money, so I plan to buy a used car outright for around £15k. The contenders at the moment are,

1. Buy an ICE car because I’m getting fed up with the rapid charging network in the UK.
2. Buy a 28kWh Ioniq because of all the amazing things I’ve heard about efficiency (and rapid charge speeds).
3. Buy a range extender i3 because they extra 65ish miles of petrol range might make the UK rapid charging network easier to handle.

 

[Bodgerx]

Thanks very much for this! Sounds like I’d be looking at getting similar electric only motorway range to my e-Golf then, 100-130 miles depending on season/weather.

The difference here though - and it is a significant one - is that I could plan my rapid charge stops with 0-5% of the battery remaining, because I’ll know that if the charger is broken I won’t be stranded. In the e-Golf I’m stopping with more like 15-20% battery remaining to cover me for getting to Plan B and Plan C chargers if I need to. So even if the electric range on paper is similar, in reality the useable range will be greater.

I’ll definitely keep the range extender i3s in mind! When my e-Golf lease runs out, I’ve decided I don’t want another lease or to spend so much money, so I plan to buy a used car outright for around £15k. The contenders at the moment are,

1. Buy an ICE car because I’m getting fed up with the rapid charging network in the UK.
2. Buy a 28kWh Ioniq because of all the amazing things I’ve heard about efficiency (and rapid charge speeds).
3. Buy a range extender i3 because they extra 65ish miles of petrol range might make the UK rapid charging network easier to handle.

I thought you’d given up on EVs?

Why have 200 miles of range with an REX when you can just get the 38Kwh Ioniq and basically have that with the battery alone?

 

[loggamatt]

I thought you’d given up on EVs?

Why have 200 miles of range with an REX when you can just get the 38Kwh Ioniq and basically have that with the battery alone?

I didn’t say that. Any of my posts recently on how rubbish the UK’s rapid charging infrastructure is have said if I give up on EVs it will be because of that, not when.

There is a lot I like about EVs also, which is why I have one. I might switch back to ICE, but it will be with a heavy heart if I do.

Why not the 38kwh Ioniq is two reasons,

1. I’m liking the idea of buying outright in full with cash, and I can’t afford to do that with a 38kwh.
2. I’ve heard their rapid charging speeds are disappointing.
   

 

[andrew*debbie]

100-130 miles depending on season/weather.

That's about right. An i3 with a REx will not have a heat pump, so winter range takes a substantial hit. Heat pump is an option on the i3 BEV and e-Golf.

is that I could plan my rapid charge stops with 0-5% of the battery remaining,

You can, but it is best to turn the REx on around 10%. It takes a few minutes for the thing to warm up. Until then the battery will keep dropping. REx output is just enough for 70mph cruise but not overtaking or climbing a steep grade. If you keep a little in reserve there isn't any power limiting.

In any case you won't get stranded.

I’ll definitely keep the range extender i3s in mind! When my e-Golf lease runs out, I’ve decided I don’t want another lease or to spend so much money

BMW built a bunch of 94Ah i3 and i3s with REx right at the end of production in October and November 2018.

Many of them sat unsold and then went out on bargain leases February to April 2019. While mine is on a 3-year lease, the headline promotion was for a 2-year lease. The big discounts were on leases, not PCP. The 2 year leased cars should be going back into the dealer network next year.

Why have 200 miles of range with an REX when you can just get the 38Kwh Ioniq

Not directed at me, but... Why? The lease price was very good. Very. TBH, I'd have prefered a 120Ah BEV but it was way out of budget.

Ioniq is a good car. I drove one and liked it. But it is in the same general class as a LEAF, just a little better executed.

An i3 is a driver's car, especially the i3s. It is quirkey, odd and fits our needs well.

Debbie didn't like the way the Ioniq looks both inside and out. If one of us doesn't like a car that usually takes it off the list.

 

[andrew*debbie]

1. I’ve heard their rapid charging speeds are disappointing.

i3 charge rate is only 50kW but doesn't slow down the way the 38kWh Ioniq does. Battery is well cooled and does not slow down on successive charges.

 

[Bodgerx]

I didn’t say that. Any of my posts recently on how rubbish the UK’s rapid charging infrastructure is have said if I give up on EVs it will be because of that, not when.

There is a lot I like about EVs also, which is why I have one. I might switch back to ICE, but it will be with a heavy heart if I do.

Why not the 38kwh Ioniq is two reasons,

1. I’m liking the idea of buying outright in full with cash, and I can’t afford to do that with a 38kwh.
2. I’ve heard their rapid charging speeds are disappointing.
   

On the rapid speeds, the 28 and the 38 are virtually the same on a 50kw charger.

 

[srichards]

The PSA group models have 100kw CCS so they're worth a look. Ioniq doesn't seem to be discounted much which is why I went for a Corsa. They are turning up at £25k ish now.

 

[loggamatt]

That's about right. An i3 with a REx will not have a heat pump, so winter range takes a substantial hit. Heat pump is an option on the i3 BEV and e-Golf.




You can, but it is best to turn the REx on around 10%. It takes a few minutes for the thing to warm up. Until then the battery will keep dropping. REx output is just enough for 70mph cruise but not overtaking or climbing a steep grade. If you keep a little in reserve there isn't any power limiting.

In any case you won't get stranded.




BMW built a bunch of 94Ah i3 and i3s with REx right at the end of production in October and November 2018.

Many of them sat unsold and then went out on bargain leases February to April 2019. While mine is on a 3-year lease, the headline promotion was for a 2-year lease. The big discounts were on leases, not PCP. The 2 year leased cars should be going back into the dealer network next year.





Not directed at me, but... Why? The lease price was very good. Very. TBH, I'd have prefered a 120Ah BEV but it was way out of budget.

Ioniq is a good car. I drove one and liked it. But it is in the same general class as a LEAF, just a little better executed.

An i3 is a driver's car, especially the i3s. It is quirkey, odd and fits our needs well.

Debbie didn't like the way the Ioniq looks both inside and out. If one of us doesn't like a car that usually takes it off the list.

Thanks for the excellent info again! I wonder if they have a spec with heated seats... that would help with the lack of heat pump issue. I’ll have to look into it some more.

I guess because it isn’t zero emission you have to pay tax for the REX?

On the rapid speeds, the 28 and the 38 are virtually the same on a 50kw charger.

Maybe 28 this time around, then trade up to the 38 next time when they get into my price range in the used market.

The PSA group models have 100kw CCS so they're worth a look. Ioniq doesn't seem to be discounted much which is why I went for a Corsa. They are turning up at £25k ish now.

Yeah, if I do decide to go for another lease then the PSA ones are on the list. The new Citroen they’re advertising looks interesting as its range is the same as the smaller Peugeot cars apparently, and knowing Citroen there’ll be discounts to be had!

But as I say, I like the idea of getting a car that’s a couple of year’s old, as I have enough of a lump sum to get one so it will be interest free, plus I won’t be paying for year 1 depreciation that way. This is why slightly older cars like the i3 or Ioniq 28 are appealing to me. But yep, PSA are very much on the list of potential lease cars if I do go that way after all!

 

[haf]

My i3 Rex from Jan 2018 gave me 220 miles on a gentle drive (60mph) drive in the summer - best i got. Winter I do well to get 150 - unless using heated seats instead of air con

 

[ab7470]

I hadn't paid much attention to my car's best case range until a question came up in another thread.

I did a little test in the recent warm weather. EcoPro mode. Mix of 40 to 70mph driving. Drove as I normally do .

October 2018 build date, so the pack is about 23 months old. Car sat unsold until May 2019. Car sat again during lockdown. Now has 12,000 miles.

After charging to 100% GOM reads 149mi battery, 68mi REx, 217mi combined.


View attachment 133898

29.8 miles later. Colder windy today. 110 mi battery remains, REx down to 64 due to weather. Total range 174mi.

Oh and the last mile was entirely uphill.


View attachment 133899

I hadn't paid much attention to my car's best case range until a question came up in another thread.

I did a little test in the recent warm weather. EcoPro mode. Mix of 40 to 70mph driving. Drove as I normally do .

October 2018 build date, so the pack is about 23 months old. Car sat unsold until May 2019. Car sat again during lockdown. Now has 12,000 miles.

After charging to 100% GOM reads 149mi battery, 68mi REx, 217mi combined.


View attachment 133898

29.8 miles later. Colder windy today. 110 mi battery remains, REx down to 64 due to weather. Total range 174mi.

Oh and the last mile was entirely uphill.


View attachment 133899

It seems like you havent unlooked the top of the fuel tank? (reduced i california)

 

[andrew*debbie]

It seems like you havent unlooked the top of the fuel tank? (reduced i california)

I'm American but I live in Wales. Our i3 is UK spec. Tank isn't all the way full because of maintance cycles. I haven't put petrol in the car this year. Last fill was maybe in October 2019? I'm not sure.

 

[mrdr_ev]

There is a reason it's referred to as the Guess-O-Meter in the forums ..