Yes this

Funkydunc, I think Thatscold is talking about pushing the gear selector left into “M/S” IIRC this will put the ‘box into sport mode (quicker shifts) but will not be manual until you override with the paddles (or push back or forward on the stick

Or just use sport mode.

I have installed a charging unit at home, and also have charging at work so during the week I use electric most of the time.

suburbanreuben

I was thinking about buying one of the little BMW i3s. I was very surprised to see you still needed to plug it in overnight, and it didn’t recharge under braking or coasting with the assistance of the optional “get you home motor”. BM are still slacking a bit.

Unfortunately what this demonstrates ^^^^ is that modern cars are now too complex for the average person to actually understand!

1) the i3 has (of course) regen braking. When you lift off, it recovers energy from the cars KE (KE is 0.5 x MASS x VELOCITY^2) back into the battery. IN reality, you pretty much never use the friction brakes, and “one pedal” drive the car

2) Being an “Range Extended Electric Vehicle (REEV) and NOT a hybrid, of course it doesn’t recharge the battery from the ICE. That is a very inefficient thing to do. The point of an REEV is that you use the battery energy to get you around and only use the Range Extended in extremis, when you need to drive further than the pure electrical range allows.

To say “BMW are slacking a bit” is, quite frankly, the stupidest thing i’ve heard for a long time. They have (and have had for 2 years now) a carbon composite bodied EV and REEV in mass production, meeting all worldwide standards and offering seamless real world useability (4 seats, decent space and all the “normal” things a modern passenger car buy expects.

In the real world, the i3 (and LEAF/Zoe etc) all a massively more efficient than any comparable sized / spec’d ICE passenger car. My i3, even driven with no heed to economy does over 140Empg, and if you hypermile it, than 300Empg is possible. Pretty good for a 4 seat, car with a 0-60 in the mid sevens! (Empg is Energy comparison, CEmpg or Cost Equivalent mpg is roughly 3 times higer due to current lack of tax on ‘lecy compared to fossil fuels)

From BMW’s press release on 330e

BMW ConnectedDrive works in tandem with the navigation system to allow even better use of the available electric energy. Here, the system assists the driver with proactive energy management and calculates an operating strategy which responds to the driving style and route profile at hand – and thus ensures the plug-in hybrid drive system is used as efficiently as possible. The system adapts the drive strategy to the overall route profile.

[/quote]I think Thatscold is talking about pushing the gear selector left into “M/S” IIRC this will put the ‘box into sport mode (quicker shifts) but will not be manual until you override with the paddles (or push back or forward on the stick).

Will check it again tonight, but pretty certain mine goes to manual.

Or just use sport mode.

Sport mode uses epower and IC engine at same time

In the real world, the i3 (and LEAF/Zoe etc) all a massively more efficient than any comparable sized / spec’d ICE passenger car. My i3, even driven with no heed to economy does over 140Empg, and if you hypermile it, than 300Empg is possible. Pretty good for a 4 seat, car with a 0-60 in the mid sevens! (Empg is Energy comparison, CEmpg or Cost Equivalent mpg is roughly 3 times higer due to current lack of tax on ‘lecy compared to fossil fuels)

But do you still need to plug them in overnight?
What range do they have fully charged?

Yeah, the i3 I had needed plugging in overnight.

On our new BMW we’ve got Professional Media, just saying. Although it’s not a funky e model 🙂

Although for your problem I’m unsure why you can’t just put in the ultimate destination and ignore the SatNav trying to tell you you’re going the wrong way – as it’ll just keep on adding the miles. Not perfect but should go someway to solving it – or put in a postcode 5 miles further away?

Yeah, the i3 I had needed plugging in overnight.

Which restricts the market to those who have garages, which is what, 10-20% of the population? Even less in cities, which is where electric cars would make most sense.
So yes, relying on early 20th century technology to recharge the batteries is, er, slacking a bit.

suburbanreuben – Member

Which restricts the market to those who have garages, which is what, 10-20% of the population? Even less in cities, which is where electric cars would make most sense.
So yes, relying on early 20th century technology to recharge the batteries is, er, slacking a bit.

Just a front garden will do (which I admit still limits it….
A household round the corner from us had a Leaf, which sits on the driveway. They’ve had a proper charging point installed & that’s just outside their front door on the wall.

So yes, relying on early 20th century technology to recharge the batteries is, er, slacking a bit.

Not really, our infrastructure needs to be updated to account for new technologies. Its a chicken and egg situation. Someone needs to take the first step to instigate the other side doing their bit too.

Yes this initial period of electric cars will be a bit crap while we figure out what works and what doesn’t but the important thing for me is that manufactures are trying innovate and try new things and push new things into the mass market.

I’m impressed by the cost, even more so that one of my parents has just got one to fit in with the Jones’ and she would have had to pay around 330% tax and duty on it as well.