2019 BMW i3s constant 70mph Highway Range Test

I take a fully charged 2019 BMW i3s and take it out on the New Jersey Turnpike for a 70-mph (113 km/hr) highway range test.

Test notes:

Tires were set before the drive to BMW's recommended pressure.
Temperature: 87 F (30 C) degrees at the start and 95 degrees F (35 C) at the end. I had the air conditioning on and set to 70 degrees the entire drive.
Wind: Mild, 4-5 mph crosswind.
Comfort driving mode was used.

Results:
141 miles (227 km). The EPA range rating is 153 miles.
Efficiency: 3.6 mi/kWh - 17.2 kWh/100 km

[stMilcom]

Hi Tom, your memory about consumption of the i3s with 33 kwh battery is correct. It's slightly more efficient than the 42 kwh version. I suspect it's due to its weight difference. I daily drive a 2018 i3s with 33 kwh. city consumption is around 12 kwh/100km. highway @110km/h consumption is around 16 kwh/100km. Highway range 185 kms. City range 240 kms. Mixed range 200 kms. I have done 25000 kms over last 6 months including 3 months Covid isolation. Amazing little city shuttle. Super happy customer with great service by BMW Brisbane.

[xlatjo]

Yesterday I drove my 2017 i3 (94Ah) home from my cabin, stuffed with people and luggage, a distance of 179 km. 68 km is 100 km/h, 90 km is 110 km/h and the rest is 80 km/h. I arrived with 7.5% left in the battery which would indicate a maximum range of 193 km. The energy consumption was 153 Wh / km (244Wh/mile). As the outside temperature was 18 Celsius, I used Eco pro +, which makes a huge difference.

[michaeldawson]

I have just bought a 2019 i3 42Kwh and have just performed a long range test at 10-17C. I started with 100% battery and a predicted range of 158miles on the GOM. I have driven hybrids now for 12 years and I am aware what a light pedal foot has on economy. So off we set on the 84 mile trip with a mix of motorway (60%) A road (40%) . Outbound heading for the coast there's more negative gradients but it will all level up on the return. As this is a max range test I put the car in Eco PRO and turn off the heating/cooling. I get between 10 - 22Kwh/100Km and a light foot also mean that I see quite a bit of regen. When I arrived at my destination I had a GOM range left of ! 130 Miles (84 + 130) = 214 miles.
I charge to 100% again and then on the return when I arrived home the GOM said 100 miles so a return range of 184 miles. I expect these ranges to drop by switching to Comfort and adding some heating however even if these settings suck 20 miles of range that's still 194 and 168 miles so taking the worst case 168miles that's very close to what BMW expect this car to achieve and by switching to ECO PRO 180 is also possible for most of the year and for most journeys. Remember my home journey was full of positive gradients to reach the destination at 333m.
So with this I have confidence this car can easily achieve its 160 mile range as quoted under these temps which in the UK is pretty standard. I am well impressed with this car it drives likes its on rails and accelerates like a rocket. :-)

[BHBeckenbauer]

I’m on my third i3. (A 2020 i3s 120Ah) and love it. Would love to have another if they can squeeze some more range in there.
PS PLEASE stop filming from behind and looking back it’s so dangerous!

[peteglass]

Good one Tom. I've just re-shared the vid on the UK i3 FB group after a new member asked about the range. I've only done one long journey in months since switching to the 42kWh non-S model because of 'you-know-what' but I set the cruise control on 70mph (a true 68 of course) with about a quarter the journey on 40 to 50mph restrictions down to 25% SoC. Ok, not down to 1% but that's a real world journey and it looks like 160miles is pretty safe. I should probably set the CC to 72mph next time I try when the traffic is quiet & clear.

[stanislavjaracz]

I am impressed with your consistent driving to zero SOC. I would be nervous like hell of not making it to the charger. Early Leafs had that problem. It would promise you some residual range and then all of a sudden stall.

[treads]

I don’t understand why you continue to put the camera behind you. It is unbelievably unsafe. I watch a ton of videos on YT and nobody else does that. 😤

[plugandplayEV]

Good test, thanks Tom. Interested to hear your thoughts on the Grizzle EVSE behind you at the close. That one seems to be coming up a lot in EV news and owner groups recently.

[losdiaz]

Hi tom, thanks for the review. I just got my 3rd i3s bev (2020) and the range is much improved compared to my 2018 i3s (bev).. i havent been back to the office yet but my commute is 130 miles roundtrip. My 2018 needed me to stop at a dc station 3/4 of the trip back...my average speed is 75 to 80 mph...have you done any range testing at 80mph constant driving?

[nosoupforyou]

Love these i3's - have had a '15 and '17 Rex. Was always impressed with their performance. Easily got 90-100 miles on 60ah and 140 on the 90ah. Glad you did not go the E for electric route and just talk crap about it because it is not an tesla. Have you engaged the TJA function?

[buzzofftoxicblog]

Thank you 😊that's good form us next car a i3s 2021 from a 33kw i3 2018 was just sort 10 miles 😀👌

[alexnutcasio]

141 miles (227 km). The EPA range rating is 153 miles.
Efficiency: 3.6 mi/kWh - 17.2 kWh/100 km

** Not very efficient given that the 2021 Tesla Model 3 is at 25 kWh per 100 miles or 161 kilometers . BMW has got a LOT of work to do.

[faithfulskeptic]

Traded my 2015 i3 on a new 2021 Tesla Y. I like the Y but my spouse misses the i3--likes it much better than the Tesla both as driver and passenger. (I loved the i3 as well but needed more range.) So once again we're in the market for an i3. Looking at either a 2019 i3s or perhaps a 2018 i3s. What are your recommendations?

[jasoneckert]

Just can’t believe the price for what is essentially a city car.

[EforElectric]

I could tell it's a Target parking lot based on your outfit :-)

[barryw]

Nice that BMW Loaned you the car. I hope BMW can up the pack energy density again so I can get a used 42 kWh at a discount. I am from Woodcliff Lake and hope to use the BMW DCFCs one of these days when visiting home. Any thoughts why the i3 does not allow setting an SoC charge limit?

[pauLgend]

Aren't the "Non-S" i3 models the ones that get an EPA rating of 153 miles? The i3"S" are less like 126miles from EPA... I had a non S i3 loaner and it went 185+miles for me!

[CSAFMedia]

Tom, can your team identify a high mileage BMW i3 US user and interview them (virtually) on the topic of longevity with an i3? I'm curious to find out how the range has changed over time for high mileage i3 owners.

[maxreynoso]

great video! just dont think it was a good idea to place the camera on the rear because you have to keep turning your head away from driving. or next time just talk without having to look at the camera. stay safe,

[prerunnerwannabe]

Huh, I would have thought the efficiency would have been better than it was. 3.6 mi/kwh isn't particularly amazing, especially with those skinny little tires.
Still, it got pretty close to the EPA range, which is good!