Why does CARB limit the fuel tank size? Some sort of tax classification?

Don’t even need a cable anymore. Grab a wifi OBD dongle off of Amazon for $20 and buy the $20 Bimmercode app for your phone, and you can enable Hold Mode in 10 mins, now.

Turo isn’t an agency. You rent personal (extra?) car from regular folks. But yeah, that’s wack.

The rental agency giving you an EV with a discharged battery is the same as giving you a gasoline powered car with an empty tank. I’d have thrown a shitfit.

You get the second of those everywhere else, and if you want in the US you can get the software to allow it. It’s a legislative thing, not a failure by BMW.

193 or 153 range? Sloppy reporting Mr.

~153 miles for the all-electric 2019 i3.

I heard it would be about ~150 - 160 EPA. This seems about right given the larger battery is comparable to a Nissan Leaf battery in capacity and the Leaf is rated 151 miles EPA.

The challenge was that BMW had to neuter it to meet CARB standards.  Other places in the world, and if you have the software, you can prompt the gas engine to top up the battery at a much earlier discharge state, rather than fully empty.  Also you can get it to recognize that it has a 3+Gallon tank instead of the sub…

The tires hold it back, you wont be getting huge G-forces in the turns, but its so fun.

None of which would sell, because we’d all be waiting for them to hit the used market.

You forgot the part about less busy front end design; but otherwise you nailed it! 

Last N/A BMW engine made. RIP.

That’s a really interesting point. If you live in a dense city (potentially without parking) and use mass transit, the car you actually “need” is for road trips.  

I rented one of these on Turo last year. Picked it up in San Diego, and had to get to Los Angeles on the way. Much to my surprise, didn’t come charged. The tiny gas tank meant we basically stopped every 20 minutes to fill up.

The chosen “generator” is from an EU-spec cruiser scooter, which has a CVT. It’s optimized for a specific RPM, similar to a regular generator, or an airplane, etc.

I would imagine it boils down to emissions.  

The motor is fine for acceleration. In “low battery mode”, the controller limited power output to what the generator made. 38HP of juice doesn’t cut it up hills apparently.

I still think there’s a place for a well-sorted range-extender, but, once again, BMW didn’t ask me.

There is no way they will pass crash safety regulations in the US or Europe.