Guess what Mad_Lad got this time?

I’m charging at the fast charger in cashel now got all the way from Killarney on the Rex no problem even on the motorway at 120 kph and 5% battery there was no loss in power what so ever, lowest charge I saw was 3.5% but went back up to 5%.

I’ve driven in Rex for about 170 kms and boy was I glad I had it, this trip would have been very difficult to impossible without it.

I’m charging at the fast charger in cashel now got all the way from Killarney on the Rex no problem even on the motorway at 120 kph and 5% battery there was no loss in power what so ever, lowest charge I saw was 3.5% but went back up to 5%.

I’ve driven in Rex for about 170 kms and boy was I glad I had it, this trip would have been very difficult to impossible without it.

Heres Johnny

Yeah mad_lad even though I'm getting it as a company car it comes out of my package so in effect I am paying for it and it might be wise to go 2nd hand. Because it's going to be company car I think I will just have to get the BEV and not the REX. But there may be ways around this....company could lend me the money and I could buy it. Would have to pay BIK on the loan interest then but that won't be much. Uncle owns the company so could be a way to go because I do probably want the REX to be honest even though there will be an e60 on the driveway most times. The one I test drove was a REX and I liked it. I know the BEV is actually a bit faster but there was plenty of speed in the REX too.

Am I right in thinking there's no VRT on these if I look for a used one in UK? On the BEV that is. I know there is VRT on the REX.

I'll throw up a few examples and those in the know can advise me.

Definitely the Rex is really handy if you can get it at all.

Back home and 740 Kms later.........

Around 170 Kms driven on the Rex and it was great to have it or this trip would have went very very bad.

After the blast on the M8 and a fast charge from 5-95% the highest battery temp I saw was 30 deg C. Not bad at all.

Heres Johnny

Is there any differences between the 2017 car that's for sale now and the pre 2017 car as regards charging?
Can they both use all the same charging options etc...is it just range thats different?
Some good prices on 2015/16 cars on auto trader UK.

Patser

Heres Johnny wrote: »

Is there any differences between the 2017 car that's for sale now and the pre 2017 car as regards charging?
Can they both use all the same charging options etc...is it just range thats different?
Some good prices on 2015/16 cars on auto trader UK.

No difference charging wise, but around end 2016 a new denser better battery came out - 93ah, which you'll frequently see mentioned in ads. If its a cheap 2016 and doesn't mention it probably old battery, but so much better to get new one with 50% extra range.

I couldn't afford it, got old one which suits my commute but should be easily inside your price range.

Marcusm

Heres Johnny wrote: »

Yeah mad_lad even though I'm getting it as a company car it comes out of my package so in effect I am paying for it and it might be wise to go 2nd hand. Because it's going to be company car I think I will just have to get the BEV and not the REX. But there may be ways around this....company could lend me the money and I could buy it. Would have to pay BIK on the loan interest then but that won't be much. Uncle owns the company so could be a way to go because I do probably want the REX to be honest even though there will be an e60 on the driveway most times. The one I test drove was a REX and I liked it. I know the BEV is actually a bit faster but there was plenty of speed in the REX too.

Am I right in thinking there's no VRT on these if I look for a used one in UK? On the BEV that is. I know there is VRT on the REX.

I'll throw up a few examples and those in the know can advise me.

I you have access to a tax adviser, it might be worthwhile asking if the REX qualifies for 0% BIK. The definition which applies is “ ‘electric vehicle’ means a vehicle that derives its motive power exclusively from an electric motor;”. My understanding of the REX is that the small engine produces electricity for the batteries but that all the power which drives the car (motive power) is driven through the electric motor. (Contrast with a PHEV etc where there are separate ICE and electric motors).

Heres Johnny

Heres Johnny wrote: »

Is there any differences between the 2017 car that's for sale now and the pre 2017 car as regards charging?
Can they both use all the same charging options etc...is it just range thats different?
Some good prices on 2015/16 cars on auto trader UK.

Yes there’s a difference charging wise,

The larger battery I3 charges faster at fast chargers and the car also has a 3 phase 11 kw charger v 7 kw for the older battery but you need to purchase a 3 phase charge lead separately it is handy when you can plug into public ac points.

Definitely see if you can get the Rex have a chat with accountant or whoever and show them what revenue say then explain what the Rex is. I’d try anything really it’s just so convenient having the petrol backup.

JackieChan

Deleted User wrote: »

Definitely see if you can get the Rex have a chat with accountant or whoever and show them what revenue say then explain what the Rex is. I’d try anything really it’s just so convenient having the petrol backup.

I would imagine that it's against the spirit of what the 0% BIK is aiming for, especially when a pure EV version exists, so I would be extremely surprised if Revenue allow it.

No harm in trying.

The achievement at the end of the day is to reduce emissions and the 33 Kwh i3 Rex has serious potential to do this.

ELM327

JackieChan wrote: »

I would imagine that it's against the spirit of what the 0% BIK is aiming for, especially when a pure EV version exists, so I would be extremely surprised if Revenue allow it.

It has been mentioned several times here that they do not currently.

I understand it's not a particularly well written law, but unless someone takes a legal challenge to the revenue I guess they will continue with their interpretation.

And to be honest I agree with the above, it's not in line with the spirit of the law. IMO. EVs don't have tailpipes.

Soarer

Soarer wrote: »

The morning after the night before.

To continue the few things that I like or annoy me.

- The power is addictive. Would never tire of that.
- Really like the one pedal driving, even though I always get caught out be it when I sit in first!
- It doesn't take long to get used to the firmer ride and heavier steering. Really like that.
- No issue with only two seats or the back windows not opening. Thought the kids would kick up about the windows, but no.
- Like Mad_Lad said, I've had more attention in the few hours I've had it than in the year of owning the Leaf.
- In the model I have, I love the Nav and the sunroof.

- When I power off the car, some sort of "change settings" screen appears on the Nav. Don't know if I can change that screen to leave the previous displayed or what.
- When I put the car into Park after reversing, it kept the reversing screen on the Nav again instead of reverting to the previous screen. May have been just a glitch.
- Don't like having the gear selector on the righthand side of the steering wheel. I do my one hand driving with my right hand, which I'd imagine most people do, and trying to do a quick 3-point turn or parking manouvre is made all the more awkward by having to take my hand off the wheel to select gear.
- When playing music from my phone, I can't figure out how to skip forward or backward tracks. Doesn't seem that anything on the steering wheel does it?!
- Does the heater/ac use the REx? Noticed the petrol range is half what it was when I collected the car, and that's all I can put it down to. On the plus side, I never heard the engine once! On the negative, does that mean if you don't keep petrol in the car, you'd have no heating?

There's something else that annoys me.....what is it now.....oh yeah.....THOSE FUKKING DOORS!!!!!
Not a hope in hell I'm gonna buy one with that configuration! Completely impractical for those of us with kids hopping in and out for school/training/matches. Last night was the lesser of two evils in that it was warm and dry, and the youngest fella had to scoot across the eldest fella to get to his booster. But when it's wet and they're dirty, it'll involve them waiting in the rain while daddy opens the driver's door, opens the passenger door to let the eldest in, run around to open the front passenger door, then the passenger door to let the youngest in, then close that door, then the front passenger, then run around to do the passenger door, then sit in myself. Drive 5 minutes home, and then do the whole thing again to get them out!
Take my normal Saturday where there's rugby in the morning, swimming in the afternoon, and then soccer in the early evening, and you can see how I'd be driven scatty! I'm more than open to suggestions as to how this could be done in a more user firendly way.
It's a pity they didn't incorporate some sort of button in the back that would open the front door a few inches, and release the back door to be pushed open. The passenger could then close both doors after getting out.

So that's the long and the short of it. It's gonna be a very short affair for me and the i3 unfortunately.

Handed the i3 back earlier, and I can't say I miss it. I also can't say that I don't miss it! It was great not having to worry about range at all over the weekend, knowing there was petrol in the tank. Made it feel like a "normal" car.

Sitting back into the Leaf, there was a lovely air of familiarity about it. The seats were more comfortable, as was the ride. Seemed to have to do twice as many rotations of the wheel as the i3!
Turned on the music from my phone, and it was great to be able to skip forwards using the steering wheel controls.
Started spitting rain, and the wipers came on themselves! Stupid i3!

So the i3 was like taking a break from your long-term girlfriend, and having a dirty weekend away with the hot girl in the office. Ye get up to all sorts, and have the best weekend ever....but for the fact she smokes 40 a day!
So come Monday, you're back with herself, curled up on the couch in yere jammies. You're glad you did it, but you're more glad it's over.

Heres Johnny

I'm definitely a fan of the i3 and bmw in particular. I'm going to give garage a call and see what the craic is about borrowing an i3 for a few days. When the 3/5 series full electric gets released if it has the same power as i3 and a bit more range it will be a serious serious car. 2021/22 apparently.....

unkel

Soarer wrote: »

So the i3 was like taking a break from your long-term girlfriend, and having a dirty weekend away with the hot girl in the office. Ye get up to all sorts, and have the best weekend ever....but for the fact she smokes 40 a day!

Haha, I like the analogy

KCross

Soarer wrote: »

So the i3 was like taking a break from your long-term girlfriend, and having a dirty weekend away with the hot girl in the office. Ye get up to all sorts, and have the best weekend ever....but for the fact she smokes 40 a day!
So come Monday, you're back with herself, curled up on the couch in yere jammies. You're glad you did it, but you're more glad it's over.

All I can remember from your report is that paragraph, very good...!
Clever tactics saying "girlfriend" though, just in case your wife is reading it!

Got 210 Kms on a charge, over a bout 2 days, today I drove about 150 Kms, average 12.8 Kwh/100 Km over 237 kms, that's a lot better than I ever could manage in the Leaf without driving painfully slow.

This was all non motorway, national routes and some back roads. The BEV could have maybe got 10-15 Kms further as it can use all the battery capacity.

I've seen some trips at 11 Kwh/100 kms.

unkel

That's the nice weather for ya

I've managed driving a whole day (including M50, N3 and N4) at just 9kWh/100km in Ioniq (in sports mode but I drove smoothly and didn't accelerate like I normally do)

Fine weather definitely helps and I didn't even have to try to achieve this, I put this down to the low rolling resistance skinny tyres and the low weight, the i3 just glides in neutral forever where as the ioniq has aerodynamics more in it's favour.

I do wish the i3 had stronger regen sometimes, the new leaf has way stronger regen. It's probably as strong as the 24/30 Kwh leaf regen but in the i3 regen stays max all the way to 0 Kph where as the old leaf reduced regen at slower speeds.

samih

That's great economy both of you. Did you read the article on insideevs about i3 94 Ah battery cells. The expected lifetime is rather impressive 4000 cycles to 80 percent capacity which they claims will result in over 800k km of total kilometriage according to BMW. And probably 600k plus for mad_lad.

How many years is that?

ELM327

samih wrote: »

That's great economy both of you. Did you read the article on insideevs about i3 94 Ah battery cells. The expected lifetime is rather impressive 4000 cycles to 80 percent capacity which they claims will result in over 800k km of total kilometriage according to BMW. And probably 600k plus for mad_lad.

How many years is that?

Do you have a link to that?
Sounds like an interesting read, and even more so if it had other manufacturers too.

80sDiesel

Mad_lad. Have you had any issues with your i3 ?  Fuel sensors, passenger seat wiring loom ?

No, I’ve had no issues with the I3. Only real issue is I don’t want to get out of it :-)

samih

ELM327 wrote: »

Do you have a link to that?
Sounds like an interesting read, and even more so if it had other manufacturers too.

Here you go

ELM327

samih wrote: »

Here you go

Thanks.
Great, and 4000C to 80% is pretty darn good. If you assume 180km per charge (unsure how accurate this is for the i3) that's 720k km and you have only lost 20% capacity.
That's pretty astonishing tbh. Wonder if these stats are available for other cars.

Yes the specs are impressive but the proof is in the pudding, Nissan never released specs for their cells, the lack of thermal management is their greatest issue, perhaps not as much for the 24 Kwh because it's limited to 30 kw regen and above 50% it's charging at about 30-35 kw.

The i3s thermally managed pack is definitely going to help extent the life , after a 6-90% charge and 120 km/h blast on the motorway for over 70 km and another 100 or so Km at about 80-100 Kph the highest temp I saw was 33 deg C.

Calendar life, time spect at high SOC and very low SOC etc are all other contributing factors, cycle life alone doesn't tell the whole story.

The high claimed cycle life is also a result of the 50 kw charging limit, cycle life was favoured over power density, that's the ability to dish out the kw and take it. Energy density I'm sure was also limited in favour of cycle life.

Larger batteries can also be cycled a lot more so cycle life in a 60 kwh battery for instance isn't as important as it is with a 33 Kwh battery , power density is more important in a 60 Kwh battery which gives it the ability to charge a lot faster. A 60 Kwh battery would give a lot more kms from 100-10 % for instance. I'm sure people will charge when the battery gets to around 30% minimum so this will help a lot more. A 100 Kw battery, again, this would give even more Kms form a single charge, for example a 100 Kw battery could give maybe 500 kms v 110 Kms for a 24 Kwh battery, so the 24 Kwh battery is cycled roughly 4 times more for that same distance.

Patser

Made it in and out of Dublin using 33% of my battery today, normally around 50%. So definitely noticing the difference in this warmth.

Sunroof in slow traffic perfect too for enjoying the light.

ewj1978

I've always considered an I3 as my next EV up from the leaf.
After reading that article I've possibly even managed to turn herself.

What specs are in your cars lads? Or even whats a definite to have.

Patser

ewj1978 wrote: »

I've always considered an I3 as my next EV up from the leaf.
After reading that article I've possibly even managed to turn herself.

What specs are in your cars lads? Or even whats a definite to have.

Myself and Mad Lad are opposite ends of the spectrum.

I've a pure BEV with old battery option, Mad Lad has Rex and new battery.

It essentially boils down to budget and requirements. How far is your commute, how regular are long trips, are you based in Dublin or where there's lots of chargers, or countryside and remote.

For me I couldn't afford the new battery option or Rex but didn't think I'd need them. 4 months on and haven't found myself stuck without. Although I'm sure the Rex gives a nice warm glow of comfort (and Mad Lad will tell you surely it's essential) I prefer the sheer uncompromised performance of the Bev (and having best part of €12000 in my pocket - roughly extra that a 93ah Rex would have cost)