Thinking about an I3

alexanderfoti

MBO Forum Supporter
Authorised Forum Supporter
Joined
Mar 25, 2010
Messages
15,091
Reaction score
6,247
Location
Tonbridge
Your Mercedes
W221 S65 AMG - W204 C63 AMG + Various other MB's
Hi all!!

I am thinking about an i3 REX 2015 (so the 22kwh battery) for my wife. To replace her A210.

She has a pretty standard commute (15 miles each way along the M25/Dartford crossing).

Taking into account the fuel savings (£100-120) per month, and the second hand prices (£15,000 to £20,000 3 years old). Seem like It might be a viable daily vehicle for her?

A REX version would be great for her occasional longer journeys, but would not be essential.

Any thoughts on these? I know we have one defector to the i range still on here :)
 

Blobcat

Moderator
Joined
Feb 8, 2006
Messages
38,785
Reaction score
27,420
Location
Grange Moor
Your Mercedes
R171 SLK280, Smart R451, Land Rover 110 County SW, 997 C2S, R1250 GSA TE 40th, CBR600FP
I've driven one quite a bit this year (2015) model, lucky to get 60 mile range from the battery now. It goes very well but if you've got any distance to go I just wouldn't. I'd also check on the price for replacement batteries as I expect they're criminal.
It's a nice enough car, quite strange having wood inside when it's all electric but who knows what goes through the mind of the designers. I can't say it's particularly comfortable either with very tall and narrow wheels.
You feel like you've slammed the anchors on when you take your foot off the "electric" as it switches to regenerative breaking, I guess you'd get used to it but it's strange to start with.

No idea on charge time from domestic socket as it has a 125A supply the one I used
 
OP
alexanderfoti

alexanderfoti

MBO Forum Supporter
Authorised Forum Supporter
Joined
Mar 25, 2010
Messages
15,091
Reaction score
6,247
Location
Tonbridge
Your Mercedes
W221 S65 AMG - W204 C63 AMG + Various other MB's
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #3
I've driven one quite a bit this year (2015) model, lucky to get 60 mile range from the battery now. It goes very well but if you've got any distance to go I just wouldn't. I'd also check on the price for replacement batteries as I expect they're criminal.
It's a nice enough car, quite strange having wood inside when it's all electric but who knows what goes through the mind of the designers. I can't say it's particularly comfortable either with very tall and narrow wheels.
You feel like you've slammed the anchors on when you take your foot off the "electric" as it switches to regenerative breaking, I guess you'd get used to it but it's strange to start with.

No idea on charge time from domestic socket as it has a 125A supply the one I used

Thanks. Interesting to hear about the diminished range now. How many miles did yours have on it?

Range depletion, or battery wear, is a big issues on these things.

We have quite a plethora of other cars to chose from for larger journeys, but 60 miles will cover the commute to work etc. However, there are cheaper electric cars that will give similar range so its a decision to make (B250e is a tad more expensive, but will do 90+ real world but lacks real work fast charging options).

Then of course, we have the Nissan leaf, Renault zoe (most of which are battery lease, non battery lease versions are more than i3/b250)

and the plug in hybrid options from MB which frankly, are crap.....
 

vtaylor78

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2012
Messages
2,310
Reaction score
1,464
Location
Northamptonshire.
Your Mercedes
E350 CDI Coupe C207 2010 \ SLK 250 R172 2011.
Thought I saw an article somewhere that the newer battery (94 AH) with a longer range is €7000. :eek:
 
OP
alexanderfoti

alexanderfoti

MBO Forum Supporter
Authorised Forum Supporter
Joined
Mar 25, 2010
Messages
15,091
Reaction score
6,247
Location
Tonbridge
Your Mercedes
W221 S65 AMG - W204 C63 AMG + Various other MB's
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #6
Hyundai Ioniq?

Not a bad shout. A bit big for her though, she would prefer something hatchbacky. I saw a review of it recently on fully charged and it seem range really is not an issue with it, 200+ miles with ease!!
 
OP
alexanderfoti

alexanderfoti

MBO Forum Supporter
Authorised Forum Supporter
Joined
Mar 25, 2010
Messages
15,091
Reaction score
6,247
Location
Tonbridge
Your Mercedes
W221 S65 AMG - W204 C63 AMG + Various other MB's
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #7
Thought I saw an article somewhere that the newer battery (94 AH) with a longer range is €7000. :eek:

The 94ah battery is what they give on the 2017 models and up I believe.
 

LostKiwi

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2006
Messages
31,326
Reaction score
21,574
Location
Midlands / Charente-Maritime
Your Mercedes
'93 500SL-32, '01 W210 Estate E240 (RIP), 02 R230 SL500, 04 Smart Roadster Coupe, 11 R350CDi
You could keep it in the family with an electric Smart?
 
OP
alexanderfoti

alexanderfoti

MBO Forum Supporter
Authorised Forum Supporter
Joined
Mar 25, 2010
Messages
15,091
Reaction score
6,247
Location
Tonbridge
Your Mercedes
W221 S65 AMG - W204 C63 AMG + Various other MB's
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #9
You could keep it in the family with an electric Smart?

The good thing about the i3 is the REX version. If we run out of charge, the engine kicks in and off we go.

The Smart Electric has a range of 90 miles, which is probably 60-70 in real world....

It is cheap though!
 

John Laidlaw

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2013
Messages
26,373
Reaction score
9,163
Location
Wirral
Your Mercedes
Land Rover Discovery 4
:eek:Defector here!:rolleyes:
If it’s any help the i8 has a range of 23 miles on electric theoretically...mine is just over 3 years old. 17k miles covered. When I picked it up in December the range seemed to be 11 miles in full charge but that’s gradually improved to 15. My daily commute is 10 miles each way so that will be adequate. I doubt I’ll see much more than the 15 in all honesty
The i3REX looks an interesting prospect Alex and sounds like it will fit the bill for your wife’s journey
Over the 200 miles approx I’ve driven the i8 I’ve used less than 2 litres of petrol - the BMW dealership I picked it up from had half filled the tank , so I’ve not even been to the petrol station yet- my local Shell is having a closing down sale!
Only small blip is the aux heater isn’t working at the moment , waiting for BMW to get one to the dealers hopefully this week before I freeze to death!:p
 

star

Forum Supporter
Authorised Forum Supporter
Joined
Oct 6, 2004
Messages
6,209
Reaction score
1,874
Location
Reading
Your Mercedes
Smart + others :)
Check the ved rate, heard somewhere it can be based on new cost of car??
 

thebiglad

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2018
Messages
410
Reaction score
233
Location
Central France
Your Mercedes
2005 CLK 270 cdi
Two days ago I had an extended drive in a Kia Niro EV. It was the big engine/big battery model capable of 480 kms on a charge.

It is without doubt the best electric car I have driven to date and is, to me, a very tempting proposition. The one I drove was a top trim level with things like full leather heated and cooled seats; active cruise control and lane assist.

How was it to drive? The best car I have ever driven in my life, that's how good it is !!!!! Makes even the most refined cars I've owned (Jaguars) feel a little ordinary. Utterly silent, without the merest hint of any vibration and fast, very fast.

In France they sell for a list price of 46,000€, less 6000€ govt grant, a 2500€ scrapage scheme and a no cost Carte Grise (V5) and of course no road tax.

It was sooooo comfortable, so refined and oooozed quality - I want one !!!!!!!!!!!
 
Last edited:

John Laidlaw

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2013
Messages
26,373
Reaction score
9,163
Location
Wirral
Your Mercedes
Land Rover Discovery 4
Two days ago I had an extended drive in a Kia Niro EV. It was the big engine/big battery model capable of 480 kms on a charge.

It is without doubt the best electric car I have driven to date and is, to me, a very tempting proposition. The one I drove was a top trim level with things like full leather heated and cooled seats; active cruise control and lane assist.

How was it to drive? The best car I have ever driven in my life, that's how good it is !!!!! Makes even the most refined cars I've owned (Jaguars) feel a little ordinary. Utterly silent, without the merest hint of any vibration and fast, very fast.

In France they sell for a list price of 46,000€, less 6000€ govt grant, a 2500€ scrapage scheme and a no cost Carte Grise (V5) and of course no road tax.

It was sooooo comfortable, so refined and oooozed quality - I want one !!!!!!!!!!!
My god it’s fugly though! :eek:
 

A.J.

Senior Member
Joined
May 31, 2015
Messages
21,258
Reaction score
9,581
Location
Norwich. UK
Your Mercedes
UnMerc - 2020 VW Polo 2.0t GTi Plus, DSG. Flash Red, Traditional VW GTi Tartan seat trim.
My god it’s fugly though! :eek:

So is the i3 :eek: A lad who works here had one as a courtesy car when his BMW 1 series went in for a service. Bearing in mind Coopers in Norwich is 30 miles away he struggled to get there and back ! :rolleyes:
 

Blobcat

Moderator
Joined
Feb 8, 2006
Messages
38,785
Reaction score
27,420
Location
Grange Moor
Your Mercedes
R171 SLK280, Smart R451, Land Rover 110 County SW, 997 C2S, R1250 GSA TE 40th, CBR600FP
Thanks. Interesting to hear about the diminished range now. How many miles did yours have on it?

Range depletion, or battery wear, is a big issues on these things.

We have quite a plethora of other cars to chose from for larger journeys, but 60 miles will cover the commute to work etc. However, there are cheaper electric cars that will give similar range so its a decision to make (B250e is a tad more expensive, but will do 90+ real world but lacks real work fast charging options).

Then of course, we have the Nissan leaf, Renault zoe (most of which are battery lease, non battery lease versions are more than i3/b250)

and the plug in hybrid options from MB which frankly, are crap.....
I believe it was 150-180 range when it was new so it hasn't lasted particularly well now being down to 60 in 3 years (65 plate)
 

JBell

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2011
Messages
14,845
Reaction score
7,186
Location
Torquey
Your Mercedes
C350 CDi Estate (GAD Edition)
Not a bad shout. A bit big for her though, she would prefer something hatchbacky.

Toyota Yaris / Auris Hybrid, a friend of mine runs an Auris hybrid as a taxi and loves it
 

A.J.

Senior Member
Joined
May 31, 2015
Messages
21,258
Reaction score
9,581
Location
Norwich. UK
Your Mercedes
UnMerc - 2020 VW Polo 2.0t GTi Plus, DSG. Flash Red, Traditional VW GTi Tartan seat trim.
Toyota Yaris / Auris Hybrid, a friend of mine runs an Auris hybrid as a taxi and loves it

You need to look at the Carwow road test on Youtube on the Auris, it was not liked !! :(
 

JBell

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2011
Messages
14,845
Reaction score
7,186
Location
Torquey
Your Mercedes
C350 CDi Estate (GAD Edition)
You need to look at the Carwow road test on Youtube on the Auris, it was not liked !! :(

All very subjective, there is a brand new Auris out now
 


Mercedes-Benz Servicing, repairs, engine and diagnostics
Wayne Gates - Mercedes-Benz, Unit F3, Phoenix Industrial Estate, Rosslyn Crescent, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 2SP
Tel: 020 8863 9233
Established for 20 years all vehicles washed and vacuumed.
Top Bottom