A pretty cool modified BMW i3

Stumbled across photos of this modified i3 in Japan on another site just now...pretty cool if you ask me. I quite like these and with the way resale prices are going, will probably own one at some point.

Interestingly, you can also order an i3 with Recaros in Japan (see final pic).

This one is pretty slick too, though a bit loud for my tastes.

https://www.bmwblog.com/2014/11/07/bmw-i3-tuned-3d-design-studie-japan/

So.....it's an i3 with "normal car" wheels, and what else? Can't say I know i3's well (though I have driven one that my realtor owns), so forgive me if I can't tell what else on that one is "modified" other than the wheels. 

Someone "modify" it to having 3 wide in the back so I could occasionally drive my whole family around in it and we will talk.

In reply to irish44j :

Aftermarket suspension. Sorry.

I dunno, seeing one lowered on real wheels gives it a vibe I like. Probably alone in that I guess.

pointofdeparture said:

 

I dunno, seeing one lowered on real wheels gives it a vibe I like. Probably alone in that I guess.

Nah, you are not alone-I think they look good. I am just frustrated with the modern trend of getting rid of the center penalty seat in the rear. With 3 kids having that seat at least lets it be a reasonable "bomb around town for short trips" type of car.

pointofdeparture said:

In reply to irish44j :

Aftermarket suspension. Sorry.

I dunno, seeing one lowered on real wheels gives it a vibe I like. Probably alone in that I guess.

Nah, it definitely looks better with "normal" wheels and tires on it. I wasn't sure if the suspension was stock or what, or if the wheels were just a larger diameter or something. 

I mean, I still think it looks wierd in a way "like it should be a Scion or Cute Kia or something" but it's a mild improvement. 

The normal wheels probably kill the range. 

I like this one:

But the owner says he lost about 15% range after he swapped the wheels. Stocks are 8.5” wide vs these 9” front 10.5” rear. 

In reply to Slippery :

I have wondered what effect wheel weight, wheel aero, and tire compound has on EV range. The i3 comes with some pretty monster (seemingly heavy) wheels in some trims but they all look pretty aerodynamic. Makes we wonder what a set of RPF1s or similar in near-stock size would do to range.

I dont think wheel weight and aero per se are a huge issue but tire width is actually a pretty huge issue in terms of costing fuel economy.  I'm pretty sure the width of the tire facing the wind is a much larger factor than any aerodynamic effect of the 'face' of the wheel.

I like the top i3, but I like standard i3's as well. I think the range drop comes from grippy tires rather than low rolling resistance fuel econ tires.  

I went from 165s to 205's on my Fiat EV & didn't notice a difference in range. The i3 tires are such a hassle, in every way - handling, purchasing, lifespan - that the wheels are the only thing I'd change about it.
Stock it has 155(F) & 175 (R) 19"s so its an oddball for sure.

For an EV the I3 is range challenged. Even with the range extender some people have had trouble with trips of 200 miles or more. By trouble I mean speed dropping as the battery loses charge. 

Replacing the wheels would lower range which, if you're only doing 60 mile hops with frequent charges...who cares? You'll be fine! If you're using the I3 as a primary you might encounter some range related performance cuts. 

Another real world 'limp mode' experience and observations

Those oddball tire sizes put me off. I had no idea aftermarket wheels would fit! 

I haven't looked at these for awhile so maybe my data is old? 

Gorgeous interior on these isn't it? I'm not sure a child seat would fit in the back. Knocks it out of the running for me. 

In reply to Xceler8x :

Apparently the trick with the REx model is to enable the "hold state of charge" mode that is neutered from the US version to meet our bizarre regulations. You can also set it to use all 2.4 gallons of gas instead of the 1.9 the US model is limited to.

On European-spec i3 REx models, you can manually fire up the gasoline engine/generator and maintain the battery level by the iDrive controller whenever the battery’s state of charge is 75 percent or less. This feature allows you to run the slightly noisy twin-cylinder engine on the highway and save most of the electric-only range for the city or for lower-speed driving, where it really pays off. On a standard U.S.-spec i3 REx, the gas engine fires up only when the battery level dips to an indicated 5 percent of charge. After a few computer key strokes, the i3 now has another menu item in the iDrive system that allows activation of the “hold state of charge” mode. You can even store this useful feature into one of the eight presets on the dash to ignite the gas engine at the touch of a button. This change gives owners more flexibility and control of when to burn gasoline to save the battery charge.

All global i3 REx models are fitted with the same size fuel tank. The difference is that U.S.-spec cars are programmed to shut down the fuel pump earlier, leaving 1.9 gallons of usable fuel capacity versus the European-spec 2.4-gallon capacity. What’s the big deal with a half-gallon of gas? That extra fuel—actually, 26 percent more—can add 15 to 20 miles of range to the i3. On a primarily electric vehicle, that extra bit of dinosaur juice can be the difference between walking or making it to a battery charger (or a fuel station). The coding process allows you to “enlarge” the fuel tank on U.S. cars. After the alteration, I turned on “hold state of charge” and ran the gasoline engine until it burned up all its fuel. At the next gas station, I pumped 2.39 gallons into the i3 REx.

https://www.automobilemag.com/news/how-to-hack-a-bmw-i3-for-more-driving-range/

I coded my '14 REx model myself, just with the E-Sys software & some help from the forums. No problem & unlocked the full tank. I can go 200 mi without stopping & maintaining freeway speeds easily.
The newer models have larger batteries & so haven't had their REx neutered to meet CAFE/EPA rules.

I  have run a child seat in the back. The rear is much roomier than my prior Fiat 500 which I did the same with.   Adults fit back there too as long as they're not 6'+ 

I have a couple samples of late model BMW wheels (X1, Mini..) that I need to try fitment of, with a combination of S-model flares & spacers..  I know folks out there have done it, some running all the way up to 215's, I believe.  

Being that a 3yr old CPO model was $20k, there really wasn't anything aside from the Volt to compare it to. One look at the interiors made the decision easy.

In reply to cdeforrest :

Sounds awesome.  Now please translate into English!!!!

In reply to Adrian_Thompson :

Tl;dr: world i3s give the driver more direct control over using gas vs using the battery while US models only switch to gas when the battery is near-drained, but this feature is not difficult to enable on US models.

Basically REx (range extender) models with the gas engine are castrated for the US market. The gas engine is only allowed to kick in to charge the battery when it is at 5% or less. In the rest of the world you can push a button to fire up the gas engine any time the battery is less than 75% charged. This gives the driver the option to run the gas engine to "hold" the current charge level as desired, saving battery usage for when it is really needed and (if used correctly) extending the range. This can be enabled (coded) pretty easily on US models with the use of software known as E-Sys.

Many complaints about the US i3 revolve around the fact that if your trip includes a steep grade near the end for example, there is nothing you can do to prepare for this aside from charge the car again before the driving gets tough, or the car can conk out and enter "reduced power mode." With the "hold state of charge" mode active you could run the gas engine in advance and hold the battery around, say, 50% to ensure you had enough juice to make it up the grade without issue.

There are just so many PHEVs that are less compromised for regular use. More seating. More range. Less oddball stuff (funky design, carbon construction, stupid tire sizes, etc). As far as size/specs go, these are basically just a fancy Leaf, which works well as a used car for a short commute, but it's a pretty specific use case compared to the ways many people use their vehicles.

That's good data about the hacking. Makes perfect sense that you'd want to preserve your battery especially if you're in areas that have iffy charging options. 

I don't have much to add except my cousin - who's a hard-core Porsche enthusiast drove an i3 for several days and raved about how good it was. Quite surprising.

In reply to pointofdeparture :

Thx, that makes sense.

Everyone I know who's been in one thinks they are awesome, and I really like the design language.