Russell P drives a BMW i3 60Ah 2015 electric car.
This is Russell P’s first electric car, he’s owned the BMW i3 for 6-7 years and drives 5,000-10,000 miles annually. The current mileage of the car is between 30,000-40,000 miles and he achieves 80 miles range from a full charge.
Rate your i3 out of 5
Why did you choose the BMW i3?
Options were limited at the time. Like that it was designed as an EV from the ground up, not converted from an ICE model.
Positives
- Cheap to run
- Little risk of rust
- Instant torque.
Negatives
- No CarPlay/Android Auto
- Auto park is too slow
- The rear bumper is easily scratched at the boot lip.
Have you experienced any faults with the car? If so, what have they been?
Airbag recall – emergency filler release broke when needed.
What are the standout tech features of the car?
Remote cabin heat/cooling.
Tell us something people wouldn’t readily know about the BMW i3
Carbon fibre frame, plastic body.
What electric car are you interested in next and why?
Intend to keep this one for years and years.
Home charging unit
BMW Wallbox Pro – not recommended. No support from installer/manufacturer, unable to enable smart charger features & oversized.
Rate your home charging unit out of 5
Home electricity supplier & tariff
Octopus Economy 7 – recommended. Octopus is brilliant, the customer service is outstanding. Range of tariffs to suit, including the export tariff.
Rate your electricity supplier out of 5
What public charging networks would you recommend to others and why?
InstaVolt – always reliable.
List your top 3 favourite public charging networks (in order of preference)
- InstaVolt
- Osprey
- Gridserve.
Insurer
AXA – no preference.
Rate your insurance provider out of 5
Estimate how much money you save per month owning and running a BMW i3 compared to a petrol/diesel car
£95!
