No Numeric State of Charge Display on the i3? Really?

One of the advantages of not being first to market in any industry is the fact that you get the opportunity to study the competition's product and see what worked and what didn't so you don't make the same mistakes. One example in the EV industry would be to look at how Nissan is having difficulty with early battery degradation in the LEAF, especially in hot weather climates. It seems clear a sophisticated active thermal management system greatly reduces these issues by keeping the cells from overheating and from remaining at very high temperatures for prolonged periods of time. Besides watching the competition, BMW also gained a lot of useful data and feedback from the MINI-E and ActiveE programs. This, in my opinion, should have greatly reduced the chance that BMW would make a major mistake with the i3.

The MINI-E SOC was front and center

After driving the i3 four separate times now, I am pretty convinced it provides the driving experience I was hoping for. It's very quick and instantly responsive, has very precise steering and extremely short braking distances. The regenerative braking is nice and strong, although it's slightly weaker than it was on the ActiveE. It definitely is the "hot hatch" I was hoping it would be. That being said, it's not perfect - and I didn't expect it would be, but I didn't expect BMW to make an obvious critical error that could have easily been avoided, which I believe they did by omitting the state of charge display.
 

The ActiveE SOC & Battery Temp

Both the MINI-E and ActiveE  had a numeric SOC display and honestly that is all I ever use when I'm driving. I don't care what the estimated range indicator says. No matter how precise it is, it doesn't know how fast I'll be driving, if I am carrying three passengers with cargo or driving alone, if I'm going to be driving up a mountain or on flat ground. All these factors will influence how far the car will take you on any particular trip. The state of charge indicator is crucial for me and I believe I'll feel lost for a while driving an electric car without it. Sure, I'll get used to the bar graph on the drivers display screen, and I can kind of figure out the approximate state of charge, but that's unacceptable as far as I'm concerned. Let me see my state of charge and I know how far I can go. I'm not saying BMW should eliminate the other information they want to show, like the bar graph and estimated range. Go ahead and display that on the main drivers screen if you like, but give me the SOC somewhere so I can look at it if I want to. The car has the information available, why not include it on a screen somewhere, I don't mind if I have to look in the iDrive to find it.

What's the state of charge? 54%? 56%? I guess it's somewhere around there but I want to know precisely. Every percentage point counts some days in an EV when you are stretching the range. I want to see the SOC displayed in a simple numeric value somewhere.

BMW had a special event private at the LA Auto Show for ActiveE drivers only. I believe most people felt as enthusiastic about the i3 driving experience as I did, yet a lot of the conversations were about the lack of a state of charge gauge and how baffled many of us were about this. When the time came for a Q&A session it didn't take long for it to be asked and BMW tried their best to explain that the i3's range predictor will be so accurate that a proper SOC gauge isn't needed. That didn't sit well with the ActiveE drivers and the protest continued until the managers said they hear our displeasure and promise to revisit this, opening the possibility to adding the state of charge display before the US launch - or possibly just to quiet us down a bit and move on the the next topic!

There it is! 85.5% state of charge - only US customers don't get to see it!

One thing I found interesting is that on the European i3's, at least the one's with the range extender option, there is a state of charge display. A BMW i3 forum member sent me the above picture as proof. However here in the US that screen isn't available since unlike in Europe, US customers will not have the ability to manually turn on the range extender once the state of charge dips below 75%. The inability to do so does make the range extender less useful, however how much less useful is a story for another day once I've had the opportunity to properly test drive an i3 REx with a depleted battery in range extender mode. The point is, the car knows its state of charge and can display it for European REx customers, so why not just make the display standard on all i3's and make everybody happy?

Will this prevent me from buying an i3? No. Will it make the driving experience much worse? Probably not. What bothers me more than anything else is this is something the MINI-E and ActiveE were overwhelmingly in favor of and I don't know how BMW missed it. The point of the MINI-E and ActiveE trials were to find out things like this so the i3 and future BMW electrics would be the best they could be. I hate to really harp on this so much but I'm really disappointed this was somehow overlooked. It's not a little oversight, it's a major omission to me because it's something their pool of beta testers appreciated and wanted on their future EV's. When the Nissan Leaf launched back in 2010 it didn't have a state of charge gauge and the LEAF owners were very disappointed. So much so that they complained continuously until Nissan added the state of charge gauge two years later. How did BMW not miss this? It's really baffling.

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How Long Will it Take To Charge an i3?

The i3 will charge in about 3 hours on a standard level 2 supply.

Since installing public charging stations at my restaurant in Montclair NJ, I have conversations with EV-interested folks nearly every day. One of the most popular questions they seem to always ask is how long does an electric car take to charge?

I wish I could just give a quick answer, but it's just not that easy. Nearly every EV takes a different amount of time to charge since they have different size batteries and the also have different charging rates. Then you throw in three different levels of charging (120V, 240V & 480V DC quick charge) and there isn't even a single answer for every car. For instance if I said the i3 takes about 3 hours to charge I'd be correct. However I could also say it will charge to 80% in under a half hour (DC QC) as I could say it takes about 15 hours (simple 120V household outlet) to charge and I'd still be correct. So I try to quickly explain the different methods of charging and the fact that every car is different without totally confusing the person or making it sound so complicated that they are are turned off by it all. After all, getting gas may be expensive but let's face it, it's very easy to understand!

The size of the battery, the onboard charger and the supply provided will all work together to determine how long your EV will take to charge. The vast majority of the time most EV owners will charge their car they will do so on a 240V electric supply, so I'll focus on that here. One advantage "little battery" EV's like the i3 have is since they have a small battery, they will charge relatively quickly, provided they have robust onboard charging capabilities. The i3's standard 7.7kW charger will fully charge the battery in under three hours which is pretty good compared to the other EV's on the market. Only Tesla (9.6kW charging standard) and Renault (43kW Chameleon charger) offer an EV with a faster level 2 charging rate than the i3.

Miles Per Hour:

One way to condense the conversation about charging time is to simply say how many miles of range per hour of charging you get. The i3's small battery (18.8kWh usable) combined with its relatively fast onboard charger will allow you to gain about 30 miles of range for every hour you are plugged into a 240v 32 amp supply. This will be something I really welcome. My MINI-E could accept up to 12kW's and I would get about 30 miles per hour of charging. However after a recent BMW software tweak my ActiveE only gets about 15 miles of range per hour and it feels painfully slow, especially when I need to charge to get somewhere. I am
so looking forward to getting back to charging at 30 miles per hour when I get my i3. Being able to charge quickly on a standard level 2 supply is really helpful and once you've been able to do so you don't want to go to a slower charging rate. The car becomes imminently more usable when you can charge it quickly so I'm glad BMW is offering a pretty robust onboard charger. Now of course I wish it was a 9.6kW charger like Tesla uses, but that's just the part of me that is never satisfied speaking. In reality 7.7kW's is fine for a car with a 22kWh battery. It will charge twice as fast as my ActiveE and deliver about the same range, and that will really make the car much more versatile.

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BMW Presents "Driving the Next Movement" Video Series

BMW recently introduced a series of eleven short videos titled "Driving the Next Movement". I was surprised to find one of the video's(number seven & shown above) featured me talking about my experiences driving my MINI-E and ActiveE, and how I have come to accept the range of these cars without compromising my lifestyle.

I have spent a good a lot of time over the past few years being filmed by BMW and talking about my EV experiences without really knowing exactly what BMW had planned to use it for so it definitely was cool to see some of my interviews being used.

The entire video series can be seen from the BMW Group YouTube page from this link. They are all about BMW's electric vehicle program, the materials used and manufacturing process of the i3. Take a half hour and watch all eleven video's, they are really interesting as well as informative.

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BMW i Does New York

I found a nice place to hang in between the events

The BMW i Born Electric Tour had its only North American stop last week as they set up shop in New York City at a great space across the street from Bryant Park at 1095 Avenue of the Americas.

Just give me a mic and I'm ready to talk EV!

I actually went to the event twice. Once on Tuesday for a private event that only the BMW ActiveE lessees were invited to, and again on Sunday. I made a presentation on Sunday to the participants of the developers Hackathon that BMW i had over the weekend. BMW asked me to talk to the group about my experiences driving BMW's electric cars, the MINI-E and ActiveE over the past 3 1/2 years and I happily agreed to do so.

There wasn't much in the way of new information on the i3 there for me anyway, but this wasn't really meant for those of us following the progress of the i brand closely. It was meant to open the door to the general public for the first time and to show them a glimpse of what BMW i is all about. BMW i is much more than just the cars that are coming from it. It's about the future of urban mobility and where BMW believes we are going. BMW i will have strategic mobility partners like DriveNow, ParkNow,  MyCityWay and ParkatmyHouse.com to compliment the cars they will be selling. These services will compliment their plug in line and make urban mobility easier. BMW i is also focusing on sustainable manufacturing and electric vehicle recharging. The carbon fiber used on the i brand cars is made with 100% renewable energy at BMW's Moses Lake, WA carbon fiber plant and the entire Leipzig assembly plant for the i brand cars will be powered by a wind farm that is currently being built. The materials used for the interior also reflect the sustainability theme: "The interior of BMW i3 Concept is characterized by the visible use of natural resources such as European eucalyptus wood. The natural materials underscore the premium standard of BMW i while conserving resources – and during disposal, they emit only as much CO2 as the plant stored during its growth phase. The leather used in the interior is tanned using a natural agent derived from olive leaves. The olive leaf extract provides natural protection against fading and wear while giving the leather a unique look and unmistakable character. The cowhide from southern Germany is thus not only environmentally friendly, but also produced for maximum durability. The wood used in the dashboard is made entirely of timber grown in Europe and certified as 100% sustainable by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). By crafting the wooden components in Europe, BMW ensures short delivery routes and sustainability in all stages of production." There were plenty of displays that focused on the sustainability side of the brand. Personally I think they could have benefited from balancing that off a bit with some more info on how the cars are fast, smooth and fun to drive.

Jose giving one of many i3 presentations

There were very helpful and well informed assistants there, in particular a woman named Barbara was very helpful. She led one of the tours on Tuesday and was on the main floor on Sunday answering questions about the i3. However the best presentation award in my opinion goes to Jose Guerrero of BMW i. Jose spent much of Tuesday night at the i3 display explaining every detail (that he can at this time) to the ActiveE drivers. Jose was great and the ActiveE Electronauts that I spoke to all thought he was very informative and entertaining to listen to. 

I think BMW did nice job on the whole event. They need to begin to inform the public as to what BMW i is all about. As I said before, this wasn't geared for people like me who have seen the concept i3 & i8 a few times already in person and follow everything that is announced. However for the person off the street it was an eye opener. I watched the people walk in on Sunday and marvel at the cars. A couple people even said to their friends "Yeah, but they'll probably never make these because they are too cool" I quickly jumped in and told them that these cars will be on sale starting next year and they were very happy to hear it. One of the real highlights for me was on Sunday. I was talking to Barbara on the main floor and a guy walked up to me and introduced himself. He said he recognized me from reading my blogs and that he's been following them for a while now and reads every post. That was really cool and I want to thank him for taking to he time to stop by and say hello as well as for following my blogs. Hearing people tell me they enjoy them is what really keeps me doing it.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

The i3 advertised range: You better deliver on this promise BMW!

A smaller battery means quicker charging. The i3 will fully charge in 3 hours compared to the ActiveE's 5 hour recharge time

BMW had a display that showed that New York City already has over 100 public charging stations installed

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BMW i3: It's bigger on the inside!

Can the interior of a car be bigger then the exterior is? That seems to be the case when I talk to people that have seen and driven in the 2013 BMW i3. I'm not talking about the concept i3 that has been floating around for about 8 months now, I've had the opportunity to speak to people that have driven in a real one during testing.

Just a couple weeks ago I spoke to BMW board member Ian Robertson at the New York Auto Show. Ian was there to make a speech and introduce the new BMW lineup showcased at the show. Right before he was to go on stage for the speech, I just about bumped into him so I introduced myself and we spoke for a good ten minutes. After we spoke for a while he recognized me as the MINI-E pioneer that drove the most miles and he asked how I liked my ActiveE so far. He then told me he recently drove an i3 and promised I would not be disappointed. He sighted the life-drive architecture and floor mounted battery as being responsible for the great performance and the optimization of space in the passenger compartment, allowing the car to feel much larger than what it actually is. Ian isn't the only person I've heard that from either. Also, since the battery is mounted so low and is completely flat, the interior has no transmission tunnel at all and allows the floor to be flat straight across unlike any passenger car that I've ever seen. This, along with the 'bench style' front seats will allow the front passengers to enter or exit the car from either side with ease.

The i3 is also taller and wider than any other car in its class and will have a lot of glass(although not as much as the concept i3 that has glass doors and roof!) providing great outward vision in all directions. This also adds to the feeling of openness. So it seems smaller is bigger with the i3, I hope to get the opportunity to see first hand sometime soon!

Even though the i3 is only 8 inches longer than a MINI Cooper, the interior is much more spacious

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BMW i3 "Special Sneak Peek" in NYC

I was invited to attend what BMW called the "Special Sneak Peek Event" for the BMW i3 & i8 on November 9th in New York City. It was the first time BMW has shown these two cars in North America. Later this month they will make their formal NA debuts at the LA Auto Show and this event was set up so journalists can get some information, interviews and pictures in advance of the show. There was well less than 100 people in total in attendance, including the BMW representatives, so even though it was a small space we all had easy access to get up close with the cars. In addition to the i3 & i8, there was an ActiveE, although I think I was just about the only person interested in looking at it. Next to the bold concept i3 & i8, the ActiveE looked very pedestrian.

Richard Kim discusses the exterior design of the i3

 

After about an hour long photo session, there were presentations by Richard Kim, exterior designer of the i3 & i8, and Rich Steinberg, manager of electric vehicle operations and strategy for BMW. Kim talked about how the designs for both cars were conceived, and how he and his team really started with a clean slate when they began the process. They even worked out of a new office that wasn't even in the same building as the other BMW employees and kind of isolated themselves so their thoughts and ideas for these two ground-breaking vehicles could be pure. Steinberg then spoke about how the extensive use of CFRP & aluminum will make the i3 extremely lightweight and efficient and how the LifeDrive architecture that these cars employ is revolutionary and allows for more efficient cars and lower assembly cost.  LifeDrive is basically a return of the body-on-frame design that consists of two components: the Life Cell and the Drive Module. These two components combine to form the vehicle, with the life cell secured to the drive module with remarkably only four bolts and glue.

After the presentation, we had an opportunity to talk individually with both men and get some more photos. The whole event lasted for about three hours and since there wasn't a lot of people there everyone had the opportunity to talk with Kim & Steinberg if they wanted to. Being in the MINI-E program for the past two and a half years it was really rewarding to see the i3 for the first time in person. A lot of the feedback that I and the other MINI-E pioneers have given BMW has gone into shaping the car, both aesthetically and mechanically. BMW has been criticized by some for not selling an EV yet, only leasing the MINI-E and ActiveE to a relatively small group of people in special lease only programs. It's been called anything from greenwashing to a California CARB credit grab. I don't doubt the CARB credits were a part of why these programs exist, and BMW has never denied it. However anyone that thinks or writes that BMW isn't committed to e-mobility and sustainable automobile manufacturing is either blind or has some sort of an agenda against them. Being first to market isn't BMW's plan for electric vehicles, being the best when to arrive is. In 2013 the BMW i3 will be the first fully electric BMW ever sold, and from everything I've seen about this car so far, and I've seen much more than most, I think they are on target to achieve their goal. If they can manage to keep this car at a reasonably price ($40 to $45k), then I think they are going to sell very well.

I was asked by GreenCarReports & PlugInCars to cover this event. You can read my reviews at these links:

http://www.plugincars.com/bmw-holds-electric-car-sneak-preview-nyc-110091.html

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1068445_sneak-peek-bmw-i3-and-i8-u-s-debut-before-la-auto-show

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To REx or Not To REx, That is The Question

The concept i3 sitting pretty in Chicago recently during a commercial shoot

In just about two years from now, you will be able to walk into any BMW showroom and drive away with an i3 electric car. It will be the first electric car BMW sells. Shortly thereafter, you will be able to buy that same i3, but with a gasoline engine range extender that BMW is calling REx, as an option. BMW hasn't commented on the cost of the REx option, but it's likely to be at least a few thousand dollars.

While I've really become a pure BEV guy, I have to admit I'm interested in the REx feature. Especially if the gasoline engine is very efficient. I would want the car to achieve at least 40mpg in REx mode, and preferably closer to 50 in order to seriously consider it.

There are also other factors that will influence my interest in the REx option. First, and most importantly, the range of the BEV i3 without REx. I'm beginning to get a little concerned about this because everything I have ever heard about the i3 pointed to at least a100 mile range. Now, at the official unveiling of the concept i3 the press is reporting a 80 to 100 mile range. Hmm. Red flag alert. I don't know why BMW would give the i3 a range less than 100 miles since they purposely made the MINI-E and the ActiveE have 100 mile ranges. Why go backwards now? BMW is a premium brand and the i3 will be a premium car with a premium price tag. In the EV world, there is nothing more premium than a greater range than your competition. I just hope BMW was just underselling the i3, basically doing the exact opposite that Nissan did by promising a 100 mile range for the LEAF and then delivering a 75 mile EV. If they state 80 to 100 miles and most people get 90+ miles during normal driving conditions then that's fine, but if you need to hypermile to get over 85 miles than I think they made a huge mistake. I'm probably just getting worked up about nothing. The folks over at BMW seem to really get it. I don't think they would make this big of a mistake. I've had many meetings and discussions with various members of the EV division and they all say 100 miles is the sweet spot, so we'll see..

Another factor in deciding if I want the REx option will be how much longer after the BEV i3 is introduced will the REx option be available. If we're talking a matter of months and the i3 really only has an 80 mile real world range, than I'd have to really consider waiting for it. However if at the i3 launch BMW still hasn't announced an availability date for the REx, then I doubt I'd even consider it.

Finally, the cost. I think I'd be willing to pay $2000 to $3,000 for the REx option, but definitely not more. Actually what I'd really wish BMW would offer is a larger battery pack option. How about 5 more kWh for the same $2000 to $3000? If that were available all this discussion would be moot. I'd buy the bigger battery in a heartbeat. Five more kWh would increase the cars range by 25 to 30 miles and for me, that would make it perfect. A 110 to 130 mile range BEV would cover virtually 100% of my daily driving needs and would end the discussion for a gasoline range extender. Anybody over at BMW listening???

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First Spy Images of the i3 Surface!

For over a year now BMW has been talking about the 2013 "Megacity" vehicle. It will be the first all electric BMW sold ever. Since it was first announced, we have never actually seen a picture or a clear rendering of what the car will look like, just vague sketches until now. The photos to the left show the actual i3(albeit in camouflage) during cold weather testing.

A couple things that stand out immediately are the circular tail lights that extend out from the car. They look cool but I do wonder if they will be prone to breakage. Also note the tall, thin tires. I have heard about these but had not seen any pictures or drawings before these photos. Evidentlly, BMW has been working on a special tire that has very low rolling resistance for the i3. This cars main purpose is to be efficient, and the rolling resistance of tires play a bigger role than you might expect. For example, when BMW puts the winter snow tires on my MINI-E, I immediately see a reduction in range of about 3%. Now if they could design a tire that alone increases the range by 5 to 8%, think of how that helps the overall efficiency of the car. Hopefully this wheel/tire combo will not sacrifice much handling or ride comfort though, because after all, it still needs to feel like a BMW.

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