Julia Cotto drives a BMW i3S 120Ah 2022 electric car.

This is Julia’s third electric car, she’s owned the BMW i3S from new and drives between 5,000-10,000 miles per year. The current mileage is less than 1,000 miles and she achieves 140 miles range from a full charge.

Rate your BMW i3S out of 5

Why did you choose the BMW i3S?

Because it feels and looks classy, like a performance car. It has excellent acceleration and the regeneration provides an extraordinary and unexpected safety feature: remove your foot from the accelerator and the car brakes. It’s easy to charge at home and as we only undertake one long trip annually of 250 miles, it suits our daily needs. The BMW i3S is great fun to drive and it feels safe.

Positives 

• The regen braking
• the rapid acceleration
• its build quality
• its funky good looks!

Negatives 

I don’t like the suicide doors but as I seldom sit in the back seats, it’s hardly a problem.

Have you experienced any faults with the car? If so, what have they been?

Nothing to date that hasn’t also happened on our previous combustion engine vehicles.

What are the standout tech features of your BMW i3S?

The regen braking; of all the EVs we tested drove, the BMW i3S was the best.

Tell us something people wouldn’t readily know about this BMW i3S

There’s exciting hidden codes (BIMMER or BMW code) one can access via the onboard computer to personalise certain aspects of its performance. We rarely use the hand brake as it stays put on a hill so hill starts are no longer a thing!

What electric car are you interested in next and why?

The MINI Electric Clubman. It will feel the same as the BMW i3S but be even cooler! Its door arrangement will be more convenient. Also, the VW ID. Buzz Campervan, but it will probably be too expensive to buy as we wouldn’t use it every day.

Home charging unit 

A Chargemaster – it’s simple but we’ve had a few issues. It doesn’t like power surges and stops functioning and then needs to be reset by isolating it for 10minutes/2 hours/overnight. However, it’s much better than the very unreliable Rolec which kept burning out relays. We’d go for something different now as the tech has improved over the last five years.

Rate your home charging unit out of 5

Home electricity supplier & tariff 

Not a good time to ask given what’s now happening to fuel costs. We are still OK on Bulb’s single tariff, ‘Pay Monthly Variable’… at 20.58p per kW hour and a daily standing charge of 25.08p but this will rise dramatically at the beginning of April.

Rate your electricity supplier out of 5

What public charging networks would you recommend to others and why?

Don’t use them enough to make an evidence-based comment but the motorway chargers are not brilliant, so our annual return trips have depended on leaving the motorways and accessing mapping apps and GeniePoint at various small town Morrisons.

List your top 3 favourite public charging networks (in order of preference)

• GeniePoint
• GeniePoint
• GeniePoint!

Insurer

Admiral – they’re easy to talk to, know what they’re talking about and are always helpful. Our premiums have decreased every year since 2002 when we first took our insurance with them.

Rate your insurance provider out of 5.

Estimate how much money you save per month owning and running a BMW i3S compared to a petrol/diesel car

£200