BMW i3-REx - designed from the ground up, superior Countryman - adapted from an existing ICE car, tolerable Bob Wilson
Tesla model 3 - designed from the ground up, superior BMW i3-REx - designed from the ground up adapted by an ICE car maker, tolerable
model 3 - designed from the ground up, superior when it showed up in 2017, new at ~$50k, and still dependent on chargers. BMW i3-REx - designed from the ground up adapted by an ICE car maker, tolerable available 3 years earlier in 2014 than the Model 3, used at ~$28k in 2016, and operates with or without chargers. With a Fort Smith AR SuperCharger, any Tesla would meet my requirement to travel between Huntsville and Stillwater OK or Coffeyville KS. The 50kW CHAdeMO in Rogers AR is too slow and off the direct route. A long range Model 3 could make the 273 mile leg between Little Rock AR and Tulsa OK. But per EPA specs of 310 miles, it should leave Little Rock or Tulsa at ~92% SOC to ensure a 10 mile reserve. Then there is the cost for a retired couple ... the Model 3 came too late and expensive. Bob Wilson
Hybrids are still dependent on gasoline stations Yes, the i3-REx is a hybrid dependent on both charging locations and gasoline stations for people who suffer from range anxiety. It has limited range on both electric and gasoline. It is the worst of both worlds - halfway in, halfway out. The REx is better than nothing but there are better alternatives in the market today, just two years later. Cost is relative. You can spend your money on a zero emission BEV or you can spend your money on additional health care resulting from environmental degradation, cleaning up environmental disasters as a result of climate change, or just leave the whole mess for your grandchildren to deal with.
The sad thing about the i3 being designed by an ICE car company is that most of the issues reported in reliability surveys, like CRs, were with the range extender of the REx model.
