Discussion
I’m sure this has been done to death but here goes. I’m looking to purchase an EV in the next 6 months and I am being drawn towards an i3 - budget will be around £14k.
Cost of ownership is key and the car will see very few miles, maybe 4K a year. Most trips will be 12 miles per day but I don’t want to feel that 100 plus trips are out of the question so a range extender version I presume is needed but does this add much to running cost? Any information re specs and what to look out for would be appreciated, this is my first EV
Cost of ownership is key and the car will see very few miles, maybe 4K a year. Most trips will be 12 miles per day but I don’t want to feel that 100 plus trips are out of the question so a range extender version I presume is needed but does this add much to running cost? Any information re specs and what to look out for would be appreciated, this is my first EV
I'd avoid the complexity of the rex for the sake of an occasional longer trip personally.
As above we had a 120ah which would do 120-130 miles even in the dead of winter and closer to 200 in decent weather but out of range for your budget.
I'd personally go for a well specced earlier BEV 60ah model and if you do want to do occasional longer trips just plan in a charging stop. For your everyday use it will have more than enough range and you can fully charge it overnight on a 13 amp plug..
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...
If prices drop enough to get you in a 120ah then obviously go for that.
As above we had a 120ah which would do 120-130 miles even in the dead of winter and closer to 200 in decent weather but out of range for your budget.
I'd personally go for a well specced earlier BEV 60ah model and if you do want to do occasional longer trips just plan in a charging stop. For your everyday use it will have more than enough range and you can fully charge it overnight on a 13 amp plug..
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...
If prices drop enough to get you in a 120ah then obviously go for that.
I have a Dec 2014 60ah REX with 47k miles on it.
If you are OK with BEV and no REX, I'd look at a 94ah machine. As you're thinking of buying next year prices could well be down to your level.
But, many i3 owners have found them to be so nice to drive the i3 has replaced the main car in the family. In which case you may want to consider a REX. If you do get a REX, the sweet point is a car registered just before 1 March 2017. These don't attract any road fund or luxury car tax. After that date you pay luxury car tax on all i3 (assuming it's list price was over £40k) and the hybrid charge on all the REX models
The earlier 60ah machines did have some inherent problems, but mostly related to the REX ones. Engine mounts were prone to break, but they should have all been replaced by BMW by now as part of a "recall". In addition not all 60ah come with rapid charging, i.e. you can charge the battery to 80% at a rapid road side charger in about an hour. This is standard on all 94 machines. Without this it can take up to 3 hours.
Having said all that, my running costs on about 8k miles per year are;
£150 for electric
£900 for a BMW warranty with a £100 excess per claim (this price includes recovery). It is expensive but the BMW warranty covers pretty much everything including wear and tear items
£500 for a set of tyres every 3 years or so. Mine last about 20k miles.
Nothing on brakes
£400 for service every 2 years (BEV service is about half that)
If you are OK with BEV and no REX, I'd look at a 94ah machine. As you're thinking of buying next year prices could well be down to your level.
But, many i3 owners have found them to be so nice to drive the i3 has replaced the main car in the family. In which case you may want to consider a REX. If you do get a REX, the sweet point is a car registered just before 1 March 2017. These don't attract any road fund or luxury car tax. After that date you pay luxury car tax on all i3 (assuming it's list price was over £40k) and the hybrid charge on all the REX models
The earlier 60ah machines did have some inherent problems, but mostly related to the REX ones. Engine mounts were prone to break, but they should have all been replaced by BMW by now as part of a "recall". In addition not all 60ah come with rapid charging, i.e. you can charge the battery to 80% at a rapid road side charger in about an hour. This is standard on all 94 machines. Without this it can take up to 3 hours.
Having said all that, my running costs on about 8k miles per year are;
£150 for electric
£900 for a BMW warranty with a £100 excess per claim (this price includes recovery). It is expensive but the BMW warranty covers pretty much everything including wear and tear items
£500 for a set of tyres every 3 years or so. Mine last about 20k miles.
Nothing on brakes
£400 for service every 2 years (BEV service is about half that)
I had a 60Ah Rex which I used for a daily commute, 49 miles each way.
In the summer, I would be within sight of home when the REX would kick in so around 97 miles / 22kWh @ 11.8p/kWh = £2.60 electric + a thimble full of fuel.
At worst in winter, approx., 60 miles / 22kWh @ 11.8p/kWh + £2.60 electric + approx 1/2 gallon petrol £3.00 = £5.60.
I traded it in for a 120Ah i3S (44kWh) and, until the lock down was commuting in that with plenty of margin in winter.
I estimated 22kWh for summer so 1/2 battery - £2.60 electric.
In winter, approx 33kWh so 3/4 battery - £3.90.
Cheep as chips. (OK, a large portion in the winter).
On road characteristics differ a little between the REX and the BEV but both a pleasure to drive.
In the summer, I would be within sight of home when the REX would kick in so around 97 miles / 22kWh @ 11.8p/kWh = £2.60 electric + a thimble full of fuel.
At worst in winter, approx., 60 miles / 22kWh @ 11.8p/kWh + £2.60 electric + approx 1/2 gallon petrol £3.00 = £5.60.
I traded it in for a 120Ah i3S (44kWh) and, until the lock down was commuting in that with plenty of margin in winter.
I estimated 22kWh for summer so 1/2 battery - £2.60 electric.
In winter, approx 33kWh so 3/4 battery - £3.90.
Cheep as chips. (OK, a large portion in the winter).
On road characteristics differ a little between the REX and the BEV but both a pleasure to drive.
Thanks for the info, really appreciate the feedback - i am leaning towards the BEV as a large capacity battery car will be out of my budget. A non bev would suit me at the moment but if my circumstances change I may need the flexibility of a BEV. It will be my only car, I have a motorbike and a VAN so I do have backup but I really am leaning towards an i3 and want the best option for £14k
doyouwantonions said:
Thanks for the info, really appreciate the feedback - i am leaning towards the BEV as a large capacity battery car will be out of my budget. A non bev would suit me at the moment but if my circumstances change I may need the flexibility of a BEV. It will be my only car, I have a motorbike and a VAN so I do have backup but I really am leaning towards an i3 and want the best option for £14k
Do you mean leaning towards the REX (range extender).I ran an early BEV for 15 months and 20,000 km. Fantastic car though I did have an old (15 year old, owned from new) alternative for longer trips. Bought second hand from BWM Switzerland - my guess is that it might have been a press car.
It was also a relatively basic version. The only options that I seemed to think it had and you'd need was the faster charging option and the heatpump. These I think should have been standard so make sure you have one with that.
It was super-cheap to run (the lease plus servicing was less than the petrol needed in my other car to do 20,000km). I didn't find it perfect but it was one of the most fun things I've owned. Only sold it because I now live at 1750m and there is snow 6 months a year - I wanted AWD. I'd love another.
At the time I bought it the REX carried a substantial price premium on the second hand market. I think the early BEVs were under-valued.
It was also a relatively basic version. The only options that I seemed to think it had and you'd need was the faster charging option and the heatpump. These I think should have been standard so make sure you have one with that.
It was super-cheap to run (the lease plus servicing was less than the petrol needed in my other car to do 20,000km). I didn't find it perfect but it was one of the most fun things I've owned. Only sold it because I now live at 1750m and there is snow 6 months a year - I wanted AWD. I'd love another.
At the time I bought it the REX carried a substantial price premium on the second hand market. I think the early BEVs were under-valued.
chandrew said:
I ran an early BEV for 15 months and 20,000 km. Fantastic car though I did have an old (15 year old, owned from new) alternative for longer trips. Bought second hand from BWM Switzerland - my guess is that it might have been a press car.
It was also a relatively basic version. The only options that I seemed to think it had and you'd need was the faster charging option and the heatpump. These I think should have been standard so make sure you have one with that.
It was super-cheap to run (the lease plus servicing was less than the petrol needed in my other car to do 20,000km). I didn't find it perfect but it was one of the most fun things I've owned. Only sold it because I now live at 1750m and there is snow 6 months a year - I wanted AWD. I'd love another.
At the time I bought it the REX carried a substantial price premium on the second hand market. I think the early BEVs were under-valued.
Again thanks for the info - really helps It was also a relatively basic version. The only options that I seemed to think it had and you'd need was the faster charging option and the heatpump. These I think should have been standard so make sure you have one with that.
It was super-cheap to run (the lease plus servicing was less than the petrol needed in my other car to do 20,000km). I didn't find it perfect but it was one of the most fun things I've owned. Only sold it because I now live at 1750m and there is snow 6 months a year - I wanted AWD. I'd love another.
At the time I bought it the REX carried a substantial price premium on the second hand market. I think the early BEVs were under-valued.
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