ActiveE is back!

We're once again rolling in the ActiveE. The drivetrain malfunction mentioned in previous post was likely caused by the relearning process after the reprogram which was done at the recent service.

I put 200 miles on the 2012 328i convertible loaner. While a nice car, I just don't like driving traditional gas powered cars anymore. The brief lag when you punch it off the line and the brief lag as it climbs through the gears is non-existent in the ActiveE. You really get spoiled driving the ActiveE with the torque and constant pull to 90mph. The quick, smooth driving experience is wonderful. It becomes so normal that you really need to switch to a gas powered car now and then to remind you just how awesome the electric driving experience is compared to traditional gas powered cars. Once you drive electric you won't want to go back. Saving money on fuel is great too but the driving experience is what really seals the deal.

The mysterious drivetrain error returned

Was greeted today with something I haven't seen in forever...the mysterious drivetrain malfunction symbol which prevents the vehicle from starting. Being a veteran of mysterious symbols since the MINI E days I took it in stride and attempted to start again after a few unlocks and locks of the doors and waiting a few minutes. Only after letting the car sit for about 5 minutes did the symbol clear and I was ready to go. I called the head ActiveE tech, Randy, at Long Beach BMW and asked if I should bring in so he could pull the codes and got the affirmative. Was given a 328i convertible loaner, no complaints there. I'm sure we'll be back on the road in no time.

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

As the holiday is upon us, we rolled past the 15,000 mile mark today. Counting the miles from our MINI E, I've now driven 65,000 pure electric miles over the past 3 years. What a great feeling!

When I think back to when we first got the MINI E and those initial worries about range, will this work for our family, etc, I chuckle. Instead the excitement and fun factor are the things that come to mind. It's the pure burst of power off the line, the instant passing power and acceleration you feel when entering the freeway and the quietness after a busy day at work.

Sure, driving electric has all sorts of environmental benefits and cost savings. Do I like only spending $3.00 to drive 100 miles on average, absolutely, but don't forget the fun factor when spreading the word among your gasser friends. I sometimes get caught up in all the numbers instead of reminding folks, the ActiveE is a blast to drive and by the way, you'll save money on your fuel and maintenance costs.

Here's to many more fun filled gas free miles!

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

We rented our first vehicle since getting the ActiveE

The ActiveE as our only car has been working out great. After 14k miles of driving all electric, we just rented our first car since getting the ActiveE for a trip to San Francisco. A Toyota Camry was $180.00 for a week from Enterprise via Costco.com with unlimited mileage. In 5 days we drove 1001 miles.

Surprisingly after driving all those miles, we saw one Volt and that was it. Not one Nissan Leaf, ActiveE, Tesla, iMiev, or Ford Focus. We did see a Tesla charging station at Harris Ranch off I-5 headed north and two Level 2 AE chargers at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco on the first level as you enter the garage towards the very back.

We timed our service visit so our ActiveE would be in the shop while we were out of town. Glad we did, because we have a spline issue. Dealer hopes to get car back to us next week sometime.

When you run the numbers, it's a pretty amazing deal to just rent vehicles when you need to take a long trip. You don't have to worry about mechanical issues, tires, depreciation, splines (lol) or anything else.

We're rolling in a 328i for the time being and looking forward to the return of the ActiveE.

BMW i3 and BMW i8 Driving Experience Videos

Two new videos to check out. Love the clean, bright interface. While the ActiveE is fantastic these two upcoming cars look Super!

BMW i3 Video
BMW i8 Video

Welcome! Thrilled to be mentioned in the BMW email update!

We've been having so much fun driving the ActiveE, it hit me when I received the email from BMW today that I better do an update. We're now at 12,600 miles and what a pleasure it's been to continue driving 100% Electric with BMW.

We recently took a trip to Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, CA. This was quite the adventure. It was approximately 85 miles and while we knew that they had recently installed 6 brand new Level 2 Chargers, we weren't sure if they'd be available. As luck would have it, all 6 were wide open. We had a nice meal, played some slots and zipped back home after a quick stop in Old Town Temecula where two more Level 2 chargers were available for our use. Props to the 91 Express Lanes for allowing Electric Vehicles a free ride.

Yesterday was our 6 month anniversary with the ActiveE. It's our only car and we've yet to have to rent another vehicle for a longer trip. The 100 mile range has worked out perfectly. Leaving the house every morning with a full tank (aka battery) of electricity is fantastic. I don't miss stopping by the gas station every three days one bit.

We have 18 more months with the ActiveE and our goal is to drive, drive and drive some more.

Hope you'll continue to follow along on our journey.

10,200 miles and climbing

With more and more places to charge, the miles just flow by. Who would have thought just a few years ago that you'd be able to charge your car at Walmart. As I've said before, most days I'm simply opportunity charging but this day I really needed the extra juice as it turned out to be a 112 mile day of errands and work. It's times like these when having Blink, Chargepoint and other chargers available in public places really makes the difference.

The location of this particular Walmart is:

2770 Carson Street
Lakewood, CA 90712

Two Blink chargers are located near the disabled parking. Here is a 360 video of this particular location.