From the very start, when BMW announced the small electric city car, the i3, things were looking rather good for them.

Now, a full month after the Range Extended version started deliveries in the US, the i3 has had so much praise and so many good reviews, that something was bound to happen.

This bit of karmic rebalance came in the form of a check engine light that appears it seems at random and for now apparent reason. This is limited to the range extended versions of the i3, for obvious reasons, and only to the US units.

Of course, the owners in question did the normal thing and checked them back into dealerships. And here’s the twist. Their technicians can make the bothersome light go away, but have no idea what is causing it, or if the issue applies to every single unit out there. I do hope this will not spark a recall.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post The BMW i3 REx already reporting issues appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

Even before the BMW i3 was released, the Bavarian car maker expected that the range extender version would be far more popular than the fully electric one.

Unfortunately, many REx (Range Extended) i3 units were held up in port because they are sporting the wrong sticker on the windshield.

As funny as this sounds, this is actually a legitimate reason, as this sticker certifies the MPG of a vehicle, and it’s mandatory by law. The problem with the BMW REx i3 sticker is that it’s the same as the fully electric version.

“The EPA certification has not been completed so BMW doesn’t have a Monroney label (window sticker) to post in the window before the car leaves the port, which is required by law. The range extender option changes (shortens) the car’s electric range, and also requires an official MPG rating so BMW couldn’t use the same Monroney label as they did for the all electric i3.”

It seems that this whole mess is because of the rather rare way the range extender works. Unlike most other hybrids out there, the gasoline engine does not direct power to the wheels, but recharges the battery pack on the i3, a system few use. Because of this, the tests to determine the MPG were delayed and consequently, the REx i3 is delayed.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW i3 models with range extender delayed because of faulty sticker appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

A few days ago, I talked to you about the pros and cons of the new BMW i3 and its range extender. But until September comes, you won’t have to worry about that.

Right now let’s see what the new batch of spy shots tells us.

Seen recently leaving the production plant in Leipzig, this testing prototype uses the REx range extender. The BMW i3’s range extender is a 2 cylinder engine built by Motorrad Division and kept in the trunk of the car. As I said before, this engine won’t be powering the wheels directly, but instead will recharge the batteries.

From the spy photos we can also see the BMW i3 has indicators built into the side mirrors and wears a special kind of wheels. According to BMW, several hundred orders were already placed, even though no price was released. But a good estimate would put the BMW i3 around the 40.000 dollars mark.

Until the Frankfurt Auto Show, more pictures are sure to surface, both official and spied, and we will see more of the real face of BMW’s i3.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW i3 with range extender spied appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

There have been many hybrids and full electric vehicles announced or launched these weeks. One of the highlights might be considered the BMW i3.

The numbers say that with a full charge, you will be able to do around 220km before the juice runs out. And some complained that it isn’t enough, so BMW gave you the option of a range extender.

So with the range extender you will now be able to get up to 350km, which is a nice improvement. And this improvement is obtained by using the 2 cylinder motorcycle engine to generate electricity for recharging the batteries on the run.

The bad news about this is that this does come at a cost. BMW stated that when the juice runs out and the range extender kicks in, you will notice it. The power will drop, therefore “the car will not be as agile.”

So it appears that the BMW i3 is not quite perfect. And even though some might complain about this flaw, I believe power is a good trade-off for increased range. Better late than never.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW i3 brings bad news appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

Today we get the first informaion on the optional range-extending engine, a feature which should become available in the near future for the BMW i3. This engine is very likely to be a two-cylinder gasoline unit borrowed from BMW Motorrad.

Thanks to the additional powertrain, BMW i3’s driving range should be extended from 161 km to 300 km.

This new feature will eliminate the problem of electric vehicles, namely the short driving range.

For now, details are limited but we expect to see the new German electric vehicle at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

At the same stand we will find a concept version called BMW i3 Concept Coupe but also the BMW i8 Concept Spyder, the open-top version of the i8 sports car.

“What’s more, the system informs the driver how long it will take to charge the vehicle for the return journey or to travel to a further destination,” says BMW in the official press release.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW i3 to get range-extending engine appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.