The BMW i3 with Range Extender: My Current Best EV Choice

Well, I did it.  I leased a new, fully loaded 2014 BMW i3 with the range extender generator in April, and this blog is sorely in need of an update.

If you read my April post, you'll have all you need to know to answer any questions you might have about why I chose the BMW.  But to sum it up, it was the BMW's small size, quick acceleration, relatively light weight, innovative design, interesting and unusual interior, efficiency and the range extender that will let us realistically take road trips of a few hundred miles without being concerned about range issues.  Other contenders offered a few of these features, but none of them offered a better combination than the BMW of things that I want in my "next generation" EV.  

The one serious contender that I needed to consider before I made my final decision was the Tesla Model S.  So I arranged for a test drive of the Tesla.  As it happened, just at that same time, Tesla, without warning, dropped their all wheel drive 70D model into the market to replace the 60 kWh Model S that had been their entry level car.  And the 70D was a relative bargain, if you can say that about a $75,000 car.  It had many features as standard that were once expensive options on the Model S, and it added a bigger battery and all wheel drive.  I seriously thought about leasing a Model S 70D with just a few options, and I had a big decision to make.  

The bottom line for me, though, was that despite the glowing appeal that the Tesla name has, and its reputation as the apex choice for anyone who dreams of owning an EV with range and performance potential, the Model S didn't grab me.  It didn't speak to me the way the BMW does.  I was amazed at my own reaction, actually.  I'll blog about my Tesla experience in another post, but suffice to say, my decision was made quite quickly after I finished my Tesla test drive.

I quickly started checking local dealer inventories online to find the BMW in the right color with the right combination of features and packages.  I wanted a 2014 car because I knew I could get a much better deal on one that was left in dealer inventory, compared with what I'd have to pay for a new 2015 car.  I wanted an i3 in the Giga or Tera World, in Solar Orange and with the Tech and Parking packages.  I preferred the smaller 19 inch wheels to the sportier 20 inchers because I thought the smaller tires would give a better ride and be less prone to flat tires that I'd read about online.  But I found that dealer inventories in all of Southern California were sparse for the configuration that I wanted.  On a tip from a salesman I'd met from Shelly BMW in Buena Park, CA, I found a fully loaded white 2014 Tera range extender model, and a pretty good lease deal.  I leased the car for 3 years and 36,000 miles. I jumped on it, even though there were still two months left on the lease of our 2013 Nissan Leaf.  I'm glad I moved when I did.  Not only did this decision save me money on the deal, I managed to snap up some of the last of the current supply of green HOV lane stickers.

I'm loving the car so far.  I really like the interior.  It feels very well made and well crafted.  The unusual materials blend well, and I've always liked modernistic design.  The eucalyptus on the dash is a particular favorite feature of mine.  The car is quick, maneuverable and fun to drive.  I've already gotten comfortable with the built-in strong brake regeneration, and I love the one-pedal driving that it brings.

One problem did crop up a week after I took delivery.  A warning light appeared for airbags or restraint system.  A trip to the dealer service department revealed a problem with a wiring harness, parts needed from Germany,  A week later and the car was back in business.  Aside from that, no problems so far.

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