This is a video about how I decided on a CPO BMW i3 REx over the Tesla Model 3, plus a long term review. Check out the Pt 2 video where I answer your questions.
Link to how its made:
• BMW i3 Factory Product...
Last year, I traded in my mini cooper countryman for this, it’s a CPO 2014 BMW i3 with the range extender. I did this for many reasons . One reason is that I have been wanting to make the switch to an EV for a while, and this car fits my needs more so than the other options like the Leaf and the Tesla Model S.
By far the biggest factor when deciding on an electric car is the car’s range. How far can I drive this car and how do I charge it. As it is now, a 35 thousand dollar Tesla Model 3 will get you 220 miles and a 37 thousand dollar Chevy bolt will get you 240 miles on charge. These cars will be less money after the 75 hundred dollar federal tax credit along with other state credits, so count on around 30 thousand after dealer fees and taxes. Of these 2 cars, the clear winner in terms of charging convenience is the Tesla Model 3 as they have a massive proprietary charging network that stretches from coast to coast. The same cannot be said for all of the other electric cars. Their charging stations are cobbled together at odd locations and out of range on many highways leaving many potential EV buyers looking elsewhere for their next car. One thing is true for all purely electric cars, if you plan on traveling out of range, then you have to plan on charging it. A Model 3 will take 45 minutes to an hour at a supercharging station, and that is if one is available. This means that a 500 mile road trip will involve a charging session along the way, a couple of times while your there and another on the way home. I personally don’t take many road trips and don’t think that driving an EV for long distances is a good idea. After looking into my driving habits, I discovered that I only drive 25 to 30 miles daily with some exceptions that took me 60 to 75 miles on rare occasions. Considering these factors, I felt that I wouldn’t use the 220 miles of the Tesla Model 3 that often at all which led me to the BMW i3
The i3 gets about 80 miles per charge along with another 80 miles available via the range extender for a combined 160 miles. The range extender is a 650cc 2 cylinder scooter motor that kicks in to charge the battery when it drops below 4% to extend the range. This seemed like a perfect option for my needs as the range extender can also be refueled when needed. The i3 is also a hatchback which is another advantage over the Model 3 for transportation of my music gear. As I kept searching, I noticed that used BMW i3’s were dropping in price dramatically during this time, especially in California. As I looked into it more, I quickly realized that this car is light years ahead of anything else in terms of its production, including the Model 3. There are plenty of videos about how this car is manufactured, and if you are like me, you will be amazed at this process, there is a link to more about this below, but basically this is a revolutionary, ground up designed car that is made of aluminum and carbon fiber composites as well as recycled materials. Even the factory is wind powered.
So after all of this research, I decided to buy this CPO i3 from a dealer in California as there were none nearby in here Arizona. I paid 18,500 for this car with around 25 thousand miles on it. The MSRP of this car was around 49 thousand with all of the options included when it was new just 3 years prior. The car was delivered in March last year and it has been by daily driver ever since.
I can say that after nearly a year of normal driving, I have not needed the extra range from the range extender at all. I also have never needed to use a public charging station. The car gets charged at home every day or so and I wake to a fresh car with 75 miles of battery life which is more than enough, but it it's nice to know that the extra range is available if I need it. The i3 has about a 19kw battery and my electricity costs about 11 cents per Kw, so it would cost me about 2 dollars to charge the i3 from a fully depleted battery. I only use about 25% of the battery per day during nice weather and charge it every other day. I would say it costs about 15 to 20 dollars a month to keep the i3 charged.
Негізгі бет Why I Chose the BMW i3 REx Over the Tesla Model 3 + Long Term Review
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