BMW i3 (2013 - 2022) 94Ah with Range Extender Lodge Interior World auto 5d Owner Review

94Ah with Range Extender Lodge Interior World auto 5d
BMW i3s (2021) front view

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In their own words

First the good. The effortlessness of driving makes petrol/diesel cars feel crude. Full torque from zero revs and acceleration without noise and fuss is fun. controlling the climate and reviewing range are very cool, the latter particularly when charging in a service station. The mixed: I don't consider the car pretty externally, although I admire BMW for making it distinctively an EV. The range is what everyone asks about and it certainly requires you to think about your journeys more than a conventional car. I seldom do more that 100 miles in a day so in real life it doesn't limit me. I have the REX but consider this more for peace of mind and I have encountered the automatic maintenance cycle for the petrol engine as I can go months without using it in anger. The bad. The worst part of i3 ownership is not with the car but with the public charging network which can be very frustrating and unreliable, even on motorways. occasionally I have found the charger I need occupied but there is good camaraderie among ev drivers. The grip from the skinny tyres is modest although this is mitigated by the cars electronic safety features. I find that the A pillar gets in the way too much on right hand bends. Those strange rear doors are really inconvenient in narrow car park spaces. The car is prone to buffeting in strong winds and head winds hit range - it is not a slippery shape. All in all I still love it and that is before considering the saving in fuel and the the environmental impact. (I also switched to an electricity provider which only purchases renewable power).
  • How they rated it

  • Reliability: 5 out of 5 5.0
  • Meets Expectations: 4 out of 5 4.0
  • Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 5.0
  • Richard Ing recommends this car

About their car

  • Fuel type Electric
  • When purchased December 2017
  • Condition when bought Used
  • Current Mileage 26,000 miles
  • Average range on full charge 100 miles