Also seriously considering an i3 (that's a shocker... for me anyway) but there is a stumbling block.

 

The REX can't be pre-heated adn adding over 100kg makes it less efficient so EV range of 100, drops to 80 and fuel range is 80 with 2 gallon tank.

 

100% EV is the way to go IMO, but there is pretty much ZERO places to Rapid Charge it which means it'll be as bad as the Nissan LEAF was when it first came out in 2011.

It's taken 2 years to get to a stage with the Rapid Charger Network where you can take your LEAF almost anywhere for my daily use.

 

Japanese and Germans can't agree on the Rapid DC connector.

As Nissan got in first, all the DC Rapid Chargers in the UK don't fit BMW/VW etc... EVs.

Also seriously considering an i3 (that's a shocker... for me anyway) but there is a stumbling block.

 

The REX can't be pre-heated adn adding over 100kg makes it less efficient so EV range of 100, drops to 80 and fuel range is 80 with 2 gallon tank.

 

100% EV is the way to go IMO, but there is pretty much ZERO places to Rapid Charge it which means it'll be as bad as the Nissan LEAF was when it first came out in 2011.

It's taken 2 years to get to a stage with the Rapid Charger Network where you can take your LEAF almost anywhere for my daily use.

 

Japanese and Germans can't agree on the Rapid DC connector.

As Nissan got in first, all the DC Rapid Chargers in the UK don't fit BMW/VW etc... EVs.

 

Daft eh...  really daft.

 

So how does the BMW rental points work?  Did they explain that to you?  Even if you don't use that you can rent an awful lot of cars to get you places the i3 can't for £3,000...  So to add the REX makes absolutely zero sense to me. You have to be a real numpty to spec that on this car in my book. 

Daft eh...  really daft.

 

So how does the BMW rental points work?  Did they explain that to you?  Even if you don't use that you can rent an awful lot of cars to get you places the i3 can't for £3,000...  So to add the REX makes absolutely zero sense to me. You have to be a real numpty to spec that on this car in my book. 

 

Without wanting to appear flash I wasn't interested in renting a BMW...

 

I have a Yeti.

Latest from BMW....

 

BMW i continues to forge ahead with its strategy for sustainable electric mobility and responsible charging, which has led to a new partnership with Good Energy Ltd in the UK. This partnership includes the provision of 100per cent green electricity to households of BMW customers throughout the UK (with the exception of Northern Ireland).This will allow BMW i3 and BMW i8  owners to charge their vehicle using renewably sourced electricity while at home.

 

Good Energy sources all its electricity from certified renewables across Britain,. No other energy supplier in the UK can promise that, making Good Energy the natural choice to power BMW i – and the entire household. With some of the strictest purchasing policies in the energy industry, and a main electricity tariff that’s certified by the independent Green Energy Supply Scheme, Good Energy has the rigorous product specifications and sustainability requirements customers would expect from any BMW i partner.

 

The partnership with Good Energy helps to displace CO2 emissions from ‘power plants to tailpipe and fulfill the BMW objective of providing truly low carbon driving. BMW will be the first electric vehicle manufacturer in the UK to offer a holistic product portfolio including a specially developed and purpose-designed home charging unit with complementary green electricity products and services.

 

This partnership will allow Good Energy to work closely with BMW to further develop custom-made green electricity tariffs for Electric Vehicles. This will take the UK’s supply and demand, as well as typical charging behaviours, into account to maximise the positive effects of Electric Vehicles on the national CO2 footprint.  

Without wanting to appear flash I wasn't interested in renting a BMW...

 

I have a Yeti.

 

I realise that but as per what I posted above EVERY i3 driver gets 700 points towards this scheme if they want it or not.  I was just wondering how much rental that gives you.  

I've spoken to BMW at length, both in the i store and the head office for EVs.

But they are expecting customers to use the i3 in town, using the 32A posts that take 3 hours to charge the car.

It's the Rapid DC lack of charging that's an issue for me as I like to use my EV as much as possible.

 

I've now done 5,400 miles in the LEAF since I got it on the 5th Spetember 2013.

An alternative body kit to the Nismo one:

 

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/11/21/nissan-leaf-aero-style-tokyo-2013/

 

My NISMO kit is already being made.

 

With the Carbon Fibre hand formed by sexy naked Japanese ladies judging by the cost...

 

The REX can't be pre-heated adn adding over 100kg makes it less efficient so EV range of 100, drops to 80 and fuel range is 80 with 2 gallon tank.

 

 

That sounds completely daft to me. I think I'd rather sacrifice that extra weight to extra batteries for (hopefully) extra 100% EV range!

There were quite a few of these mooching round Paris last week.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15134136

I'd guess that I saw more in use than parked up which was nice. Don't think they are much use as anything other than city cars though.

That sounds completely daft to me. I think I'd rather sacrifice that extra weight to extra batteries for (hopefully) extra 100% EV range!

 

It's more a case of not having the REX means you are carrying less ballast when it's not being used, so the car is around 10% more efficient.

Same size battery, about 10% more range without it.

 

Due to it's fancy construction the i3 unladen weight is 1,270kg.  Add the REX and it's 1,390kg.

Interesting the BMW brochure specifies these as Unladen EU weights.

 

The LEAF is quoted as 1,474kg to 1,541kg depending on spec and options.  But that's EU kerbweight.

So if the LEAF includes the driver it suggests adding the REX to the BMW loses pretty much all of it's weight advantage.

The leaf does seem the pick of the available EV's to me at the moment on all of the stats and real world feedback. There's a lass who's started working with us here recently who has a Mk2 Leaf, she can't speak highly enough of it although does concede there have been a couple of occasions when she barely escaped running out of juice on a journey.

 

I keep telling her to lobby the building managers to have EV points installed in the car park.

Ah the new Morning Far... oops, néé, Wind...

 

http://green.autoblog.com/2013/11/25/nissan-leaf-will-blow-into-china-as-the-venucia-morning-wind/

 

Now this is one good looking sort of EV:

 

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/11/25/2015-cadillac-elr-review-first-drive/

 

It has the Ampera Volt powertrain underneath all that.  Most be the only modern Caddy that actually looks good:

 

 

 

A Caddy with a four cylinder lump is just wrong. End of. Lovely looking car though (but prefer the ATS saloon and CTS-V wagons)

Hmm.. A Caddy that does around 35 (optimistic claim) miles before going over to petrol at 33mpg?

 

That's just like the Ampera.  Only worse!

That claims 40 miles and really does 32 on electric, then 40mpg.

The Caddy would still do me nicely for much of my driving - all my commutes and local journeys could easily be done in pure EV, with a range extender for longer journeys.

A nice quiet diesel engine for the generator might be nice, though I realise that's unlikely with cars from Japan and the US.

I bet things like this annoy you Bossfox. Selfish inconsiderate drivers.

 

I bet things like this annoy you Bossfox. Selfish inconsiderate drivers.

 

 

If that's IKEA (I expect it is) then it's quite normal.

 

ICE drivers don't generally know what a Rapid Charger looks like and the spaces are just green.

For some reason they don't fit signs like services clearly telling people it's an EV charging space.  So you can kind of understand it.

 

To be honest, it bugs me about as much as an EV driver using the space to park all day even though charging only takes 30 minutes.

It's just inconsiderate.

If that's IKEA (I expect it is) then it's quite normal.

 

ICE drivers don't generally know what a Rapid Charger looks like and the spaces are just green.

For some reason they don't fit signs like services clearly telling people it's an EV charging space.  So you can kind of understand it.

 

To be honest, it bugs me about as much as an EV driver using the space to park all day even though charging only takes 30 minutes.

It's just inconsiderate.

Yup, Lakeside IKEA. Not seen an EV there yet, anyway what would you expect from a ! series driver......

Delivery this morning (x2).

 

Made in the UK, Red, White and Blue.

 

You could re-create the Italian job.

 

Not sure what sort of range you'd get with all that gold loaded up though.

You could re-create the Italian job.

 

Not sure what sort of range you'd get with all that gold loaded up though.

 

The East End Job doesn't have quite the same ring to it.

Hmmm. BMW wont be happy about this...

 

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/bmw-i3-fails-get-five-star-safety-rating

Just had a proper read through this Bossfox, it's great stuff! It must be such a different driving experience, paired with the importance of the five P's make motoring all the more rewarding compared to the get-in-and-go dreariness of fuel-burners!

 

One thought to help prevent getting ICE'd in the future - do they make 1-2m long charging extension leads for such a situation? I know in an ideal world you wouldn't need one, and in a really ideal world you could simply have the offending car removed and crushed at the owner's expense