i3 ready for next year

[BLINGMW]

BMW i3:
$42k, 100 mile range, right-wheel-drive, 2600 lbs, 0-60 in 7 sec, 50/50 weight distribution, interior seating and volume similar to 3-series. It sounds like fun to me!
On the other hand, 155mm wide tires and I'm pretty sure it's ugly. But hey, certainly no worse than a Honda Element. And it's approx 300% cooler than a Nissan Leaf. It's all carbon fiber.



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Back of the napkin, a $10k vehicle we drive 20k miles a year that gets 30MPG costs us $2400 in fuel and $1k/yr in maintenance. Assuming it's worth half what it is now in 5 years, total 5 year cost is $22k.
If we bought this thing at $42k and drove it the same amount, assuming a 60% charging efficiency, that'd be 6000kWh, which is $660/yr. 100k mile warranty should mean very little to no maint costs for 5 years. So that's $2600/yr savings. 5 years of ownership assuming it's worth half is $24k.

I'm sold! :dunno:

[G.Irish]

Hmm, I guess that's not too bad of a deal. The 100 mile range is a bit tight though. You basically couldn't go anywhere but around town.

On electric cars Tesla still seems like the way to go, except that the S is about $60k and in super high demand.

[JPolen01]

The 100 mile range is a bit tight though. You basically couldn't go anywhere but around town.

On electric cars Tesla still seems like the way to go, except that the S is about $60k and in super high demand.

Tesla is the only maker with a range higher than the BMW at this point. The biggest battery they offer has around 250 mile range, but it was nearly $80k last time I was in the showroom last year.

[PDenbigh]

DC Fast charge time of 30 minutes, 6-8h from normal plug (120? 240? doesn't say). Depending on the road trips that might help.

Tesla is really rolling out their "Supercharger" networks, where one can charge on L3 (DC Fast Charge) for free. By mid 2014 they'll have it from DC to Boston, and it's already all around California of course. It's a neat approach.

Good for BMW. I support your purchase Chan ;-).

Peter

[WRXtranceformed]

$42k and all carbon fiber = insurance premium >= car payment

Definitely ugly but I am glad to see more cars moving this direction. I feel like as solar and battery technology continues to improve it will help extend range on cars like these, helping to recharge batteries while in use and increasing the overall capacity

Edit: Did anyone see the latest Top Gear with the all electric SLS?? Stupid fast but won't make it 2 laps around the 'ring before needing a recharge :lol:

[G.Irish]

Tesla is really rolling out their "Supercharger" networks, where one can charge on L3 (DC Fast Charge) for free. By mid 2014 they'll have it from DC to Boston, and it's already all around California of course. It's a neat approach.

I thought Tesla only allows Tesla's to use the supercharger stations? Although, if that is the case, I'd think that BMW has more than enough resources to start rolling out their own network of chargers.

[Apoc]

Edit: Did anyone see the latest Top Gear with the all electric SLS?? Stupid fast but won't make it 2 laps around the 'ring before needing a recharge :lol:

We watched it last night. I commented to my wife, "Whoever breaks battery technology open is going to be very, very rich."

[G.Irish]

Edit: Did anyone see the latest Top Gear with the all electric SLS?? Stupid fast but won't make it 2 laps around the 'ring before needing a recharge :lol:

I wouldn't trust anything Top Gear does in regards to hybrids or electrics.

[JPolen01]

I thought Tesla only allows Tesla's to use the supercharger stations? Although, if that is the case, I'd think that BMW has more than enough resources to start rolling out their own network of chargers.

Multiple networks doing the same thing for different cars makes no sense. Thankfully Elon Musk is smart.

Tesla is also open to sharing its supercharger network with other manufacturers, if they’re willing to shoulder some of the costs, Ms. Hendriks says.

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[BLINGMW]

$42k and all carbon fiber = insurance premium >= car payment

Yes I did leave that out. But it could be quite significant. I guess we'll see!

Good for BMW. I support your purchase Chan ;-).

To be fair, Tesla's supposed to have something that will be in the same price ballpark by 2015, so if that seems even better then I'll wait for that.

The 100 mile range is a bit tight though. You basically couldn't go anywhere but around town.

That's always arguement #1 for any electric car. But either it meets your needs 95-99% of the time or it doesn't. With a non-electric as a 2nd car, it'd work great for our use case, even with no intention of relying on a charging network.
There is a "range extender" model with a motorcycle engine sized generator in it that almost doubles the range, but that adds weight, slows it down, and adds cost of course.

[D_Eclipse9916]

You wouldn't catch me dead in that thing. It is hideous! Hell, the Opel version of the volt looks good, and all of Tesla's offerings are decently good looking cars. The BMW is uglier than a leaf....

[ScottyB]

$42k and all carbon fiber = insurance premium >= car payment

was thinking the same thing. a minor fender bender would have your insurance paying a couple grand for carbon bits, and you might as well drink yourself blind if they crack rear quarter. then again, maybe its all modular over a spaceframe like the old Toyota MR-S Spyder.

[Evan]

back when I was driving my truck every day, the local nissan dealership did a $199 lease special on the Leaf with nothing down and 15 free days of an altima rental car a year.

I did the math and it was less than I was paying in gas for my commute.

Ultimately only reason I didnt buy it was because it didnt fit my dog or an infant carseat very well, so it didnt fit my needs. If Anne had a bigger car than her focus, Id probably be driving one right now.

Financial sense is the only way an EV will be successful. Trying to convince people that hundreds of pounds of heavy-metal and caustic chemical batteries is "green" only goes so far.

and Im surprised this is being marketed as a BMW. 155 wide tires have nothing to do with "the ultimate driving machine" and it looks way too much like a smart car.

BMW i3:
5 years of ownership assuming it's worth half is $24k.

I think this is your biggest risk by far right here.
EVs are going to be subject to higher depreciation as technology advances.
In 5 years, you might be able to buy a *new* EV, with a 200 mile range, newer tech, etc for $25k. Thats going to tank the value of the older technology EVs.

Leasing is THE way to go for EVs, IMO.

[HAULN-SS]

Hrmm..that made me get curious. I was playing around with pricing out a Model S. I then discovered WV matches the 7500 tax incentive from the federal level. So for essentially 15 grand off the price of a car, could I make it work? Well...almost. Tesla is also doing a guaranteed buyback program after 3 years. If mileage was not a concern there, I could essentially drive the car for the same car payment I had on the malibu - about 430/month. however, since that's not the case, when I did the math, it'd cost me 60k to drive the 85kwh car for 3 years (they'll still buy it back, but steep penalty on mileage overages)

edit: if you stick within their rules, turns out to be about 800/month. I'd rather buy an aston martin...

[HAULN-SS]

I have too much time on my hands. This whole electric car shit just doesnt add up =\ I was trying to figure with a $15,000 tax credit could I make an even a Chevy Volt work. Nope! I mean, if I didnt own a car presently, maybe, but since I do, and it's paid off, nope. Long story short, with my commute and gas @ 3.77/gal, it costs about $6155 for me to operate the malibu. The volt costs about $3295, not counting a $433 car payment for 5 years @ 3%
so that total is about 8500/year. All else being equal, if the volt had been out, and the WV tax incentive in place in 2008 when I bought my car, I'd have saved 10 grand over 5 years buying the volt, but it wasnt, so I guess it doesnt matter.

[BLINGMW]

well they're aiming for the insurance being reasonable:

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I guess we'll just have to see if insurance companies agree.

EVs are going to be subject to higher depreciation as technology advances.

an interesting point, which is I would guess why Tesla gives a guaranteed buyback value. I would be surprised if BMW made a similar offer. But that being said, hybrids seem to have similar depreciation to regular cars, maybe it won't be THAT much of an issue? :dunno:

[BLINGMW]

drag race vs M3

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:thumbup: