BMW i3 is just a year or so away

Two new BMW i3 videos:

Video 1

Video 2

P.S. Rolled past 21,000 miles today in the ActiveE. :)

Had a great time viewing the i3 Coupe in Los Angeles

As my mileage climbs towards 20,000 in the ActiveE, the joy of driving an electric BMW hasn't waned a bit...actually it continues to grow. As I've mentioned before, it's easy to become so use to the torque, instant acceleration and quiet, non jerky ride, you forget not everyone is having such a fun and exciting driving experience. During my recent scheduled service visit, I was given a 2012 128i. Almost 600 miles and a week later, I can say it's a very nice car BUT it's no ActiveE and I'm pretty sure if you gave someone each car for a week and asked which one they like better, most would choose the ActiveE.

With that said, it was wonderful to see the new i3 Coupe Concept at the Los Angeles Auto Show this past Thursday. While it was a concept and the 4 door version will be available first late next year, it was exciting to see that BMW has yet another EV in the works. Some folks have asked why doesn't BMW just use carbon fiber to lighten up it's existing lineup of vehicles and kick out some conversions. While I believe BMW will increase the use of carbon fiber in it's entire line, I'm in the opposite camp regarding design. I love driving something different with it's own unique design....especially if it's not only cool looking but has a purpose such as flat floors, increased interior space, batteries under the floor, etc that a design from the ground up provides. You can't do that with a conversion. I have zero interest in driving a conversion. Here in Southern California, even with all the stickers on the ActiveE, I still tend to blend in. Folks who do ask about the car do so because of the stickers and or my license plate, KNOW GAS. I'm then able to express my enthusiasm about driving electric and hopefully get the person thinking about an electric vehicle. I consider myself an ambassador, spreading the joys of driving electric and love talking about the ActiveE every chance I get. On the other hand, I totally understand that some folks prefer a more subtle approach. Fortunately, there are conversions galore with the Focus, Leaf, RAV 4 EV and upcoming Fiat 500 Electric, etc.

BMW is taking a different, bold approach that hopefully will inspire Audi, Mercedes and others to kick their design studios into gear and get cars on the road too. As Oliver Walter, Head of Product Management BMW i3, mentioned at the recent Electronaut (ActiveE drivers) briefing, BMW can't do this alone, it's going to be a group effort. In speaking with Oliver directly, I was excited to hear him describe the i3 as The Ultimate Electric Driving Machine. He continued with...."the i3 is still a BMW and folks expect a BMW driving experience with 50/50 weight distribution, top notch handling, etc." Kudos to Oliver! I wish everyone at BMWi much success!

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