UGH! I Left My BMW i3 in the Frigid Cold for Days & You Know What….?

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( www.alltfl.com/ ) Check out our new spot to find ALL our content, from news to videos and our podcasts! Andre's been driving the BMW i3 out in our latest round of winter storms...then left it to freeze for a few days. Is it totally dead afterward? Let's check it out and get a long-term update on how the i3's doing!
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#BMW #electric #winter

[@AnonymousFreakYT]

My BMW i3 was a great winter vehicle. You'd think with those funny skinny tires, it would be terrible, but with Blizzak studless snow tires, it was a great winter vehicle. Went over mountain passes to go skiing many times. (Mine was a 2015 REx, with CCS. My usual trip took me on a route that had a stretch of road that used basically 100% of both gas and electric between charging station+gas station. (At both ends of this stretch, there was a gas station that had a CCS unit.) A bit of "pucker factor" the first couple times I drove that, but I learned to accept it. Never did run out.

[@gymsaslan6625]

It is actually better to have skinny tires in winter climate, the tires are better at digging down and finding solid surface. This is why cars with very wide tires often get stuck in snow, they float too much and wont get a good grip.

[@kwenger7088]

My i3 stays outside all winter long. This really was not any test. Thanks for the i3 update. This is bmws most reliable model.

[@dopiaza2006]

what is your experience of battery charge loss when left in the cold? Rahter than complaining about the video, how about you do your own?

[@simonthebroken9691]

Thanks for the update. FYI...every ev act differently in cold temps. Some are fine, some brick, some have extreme phantom drain. It's weird some are fine at 20°F and terrible at zero.

[@AndrewMackoul]

I left my Bolt EV out in below freezing (-F temps for a few of those days) at the airport parking lot for a week, and it started right up. I remotely started the car 15 minutes before to let the cabin warm up.

[@Wised1000]

Don't do that on your Tesla or Rivian.....When they get cold soaked they simply will not start. The cold combined with significant parasitic losses will brick both in few days in temperatures below zero. Other manufacturers have figured out how to eliminate parasitic losses. I suspect its all down to battery architecture Tesla and Rivian rely on on hundreds of battery cells basicly special C batteries (or D Im not sure). All other manufacturers use the newer elongated "baggy"cells.

[@KalleSWBeck]

@@Wised1000 the phantom drain on them is nuts

[@brunoheggli2888]

Wow you have a Bolt!Thats amazing!Lucky you!

[@Kimbrough87]

@@brunoheggli2888 😂

[@brunoheggli2888]

@@Kimbrough87 The Chevy Bolt is the best deal you can get!

[@BillACK]

Snow tires in the winter are a must with an i3 if you live where there's regular snow.

[@andresmirnov3940]

I would fully second that!

[@FocaJDM]

It has been 3 years now with my i3 rex with the german hack so far, so good in the cold and warm weather i learn a lot of it.. i got my snow tires for the winter regen, don't worry me that much, and if it get that bad i can turn off my regen system and drive like a normal car. Honesly range sucks on cold weather, and you will also loose haft of the performance power. When your climate heater is on, will suck the crap out the batteries fast. You need to drive like a old lady below 54mph to make it last.. but overall i love the car is fun wierd and cool car to own😊

[@WACONimages]

Great video again! We drive a i3 full EV latest version in the EU for 3years now and near 100.000km's. Never had any issues with it so far. Drove and drive many cars overtime but the i3 always put a smile on me and makes me more relaxt driving.

[@daweed980]

I'll watch any video about this cool i3. Thanks Andre

[@admranger]

Just getting around to watching this video. I see Boulder continues its tradition of solar snow removal.

[@tomstdenis]

my 2nd gen Volt did well in the cold including cold starts (though I almost always prewarmed) because once you hit below -9C it runs the engine anyways (until the coolant hits above 60C). After 56,000km it had a lifetime mpg of 121 and we sold it to buy a Model 3 AWD. It's a shame they discontinued it before having a viable sedan EV to replace it.

[@nevco8774]

Yes, when it comes to a PHEV Chevrolet Volt second generation is a much less compromised vs BMW i3 car on longer trips especially in cold. The dealbreaker for me though is the fake seat in the middle of rear bench where is no place for the legs. The luggage capacity in its hatch is no much more compromised vs i3 especially considerung REX with very poor luggage space. Volt has proper tires, does not chew them, front traction with proper heavy engine and winter tires is just fine. Even pure EV range is 53 miles before engine starts which is not bad except when very cold when engine starts anyway. There is no need to ask front passenger to get out to open the front door then rear suicide door which for me is more than annoying. Second gen Volt does not require premium fuel which is a plus and has a proper gas tank vs that gimmick in i3 of 2 gallons.

[@georgepelton5645]

I modified my 2014 Volt to avoid the dreaded ERDTT (Engine Running Due To Temperature) feature. There was no need to run the &%$# engine to drive 7 miles to work. My range dropped to as low as 25 miles, but most days that was enough. The Volt was a great car, but always nicer to drive when in EV mode.

[@nevco8774]

@@georgepelton5645 First gen is a 4 seater sedan - real deal breaker. Liftback version of second gen is slightly better with better trunk and a fake fifth seat, better pure EV range, better MPG when battery is depleted, no need for premium gas, no weird noisy range extender engine but just a regular GM engine. For me the fake fifth seat with no leg room in the back is still a deal breaker.

[@georgepelton5645]

@@nevco8774 I owned two first gen Volts: one of the first 2011’s built, and a 2014. The second gen was better in every respect. However my 2014 had enough EV range, acceleration, etc. to meet my needs, so I held off on upgrading it until the Tesla Model 3 came out. I bought one of the first Model 3’s built and sold my Volt. That was an awesome upgrade. I am still driving it and have no desire to upgrade to something newer.

[@nevco8774]

@@georgepelton5645 I almost bought a second gen Volt since my wife liked it but I hated the middle rear row "sitting" straddling with no leg room whatsowever. Also I hate the lack of rear window wiper when you get sprayed with mud and have to stop to wash the glass just to see through rear window. In Tesla lineup I hate the rear of all of them but I am ok with front end: I never liked fastback/liftback shape of the rear of any car. I saw a KZbin video when somebody in the UK modified a Tesla Model S making a real station wagon to cary his dog. That practicality and shape I liked a lot.

[@Sylvan_dB]

That's not even cold, and less than 3 days? I sure hope it works. And with the range extender you have gas for backup. A vehicle that cannot handle being parked like that is broken.

[@bmartin7828]

Awesome video Andre, thanks for all you do.

[@andresmirnov3940]

Thank you for watching.

[@micahv9365]

3:48 when you panned down to the console I thought that was positioned between your legs for like 10 seconds and I could not figure out why BMW would design it that way

[@stephenjwprior6358]

Nice Video thank you 😋👍 - I got BMW i3 REX for two weeks 🙌 Love from London ❤

[@PraiseYAyoupeople]

it will be interesting to see after how many years battery finally will start failing.... Im hoping for at least 15 years

[@evankatz2893]

Andre ‘ The RussianFlash ‘ My main man’ your the best, another solid review!

[@motorv8N]

Interesting to see this car. We’ve got a Mini SE which I understand has a lot of the same EV architecture, except the front wheels are driven. They added one more regen option so now you’ve got max and min but I’d still love to be able to turn it right off at times. You can coast in neutral but that’s a bit more fiddling than I like while driving. Otherwise we love the car and appreciate the i3 blazing the trail for us!

[@markwitkop7022]

Have you tried that Traction Control? Does that turn Regen down, maybe?

[@Wised1000]

In fact, regen is the best way to tackle ice, since you can modulate braking very accurately just using the accelerator.

[@GregHassler]

Except that regen doesn't have ABS, and on this car doesn't utilize the front brakes. So actually it's the worst way to brake.

[@Wised1000]

@Greg Hassler It's much better than ABS since you can feather the accelerator so precisely that abs becomes basicly unnecessary. At least in my AWD EQS. Trust me, I was most pleasantly surprised. My area has had 60 inches of snow so far, so I've had plenty of practice. It is fabulous on ice. On really hostile ice conditions, I do 2 things; set the power on eco and set full regen. The best ice traction and control I have ever had by a noticeable margin. Just put it this way, what would you rather have on a steep dowhill off-road situation ABS or a proper low gear? No comparison. The big mistake our reviewer is committing is lifting off the accelerator instead of smoothly modulating the amount of regen. You lift enough to start slowing down and modulate it so you are always at the limit of traction. On ice, it's superior ABS.

[@GregHassler]

@@Wised1000 I can tell you've never driven an i3 on ice. I have, and Andre mentions it here. I have 200,000+ EV miles over ~9 years in over a half dozen vehicles. I'm glad it works okay for you in your etron, but that is definitely not the normal experience in most EVs. Tesla added software upgrades to better deal with this and can operate ABS due to blending with normal brakes, but before that driving Teslas on ice was sketchy. Fords have a very abrupt transition from regen to braking and if ABS needs to kick in it switches modes and turns off regen, createing a very nerve-wracking complete gap of braking before the mechanical brakes with ABS clamp on. In *ANY* vehicle it's a *terrible* idea to not use all 4 wheels to brake, especially on ice. This is why many 2WD EVs (whether FWD or RWD) have very limited regen braking capacity, it's dangerous and imbalanced - even in dry conditions - with only 2 wheels. Please stop spreading misinformation, this is patently incorrect.

[@Wised1000]

@Greg Hassler Well, I guess Mercedes knows how to build cars.....Not computers that happen to have wheels....

[@Kimbrough87]

I used to have the same car. Mine was the 2016 I used to drive it all the time on the Rex engine and the check engine light will come on all the time BMW say you’re not supposed to drive it with the gasoline engine only but hey, I was hardheaded. 😂

[@RB-es1vx]

That's what the rex is for.

[@RB-es1vx]

We need 15 degrees and below. 0 degree weather as well

[@Jflux69]

Mm, condensation in fuel Tank?

[@amigatommy7]

You can't set a lower regen?

[@duramaxadventures5832]

do you have dedicated snow tires? i wonder if it would help teh regen wiggle?

[@hereigoagain5050]

Fun to see how the technology has changed in just 10 years.

[@CandycaneBeyond]

My average is 5.6 must depend on the driver. I rarely use the breaks.

[@CandycaneBeyond]

What altitude are you at?

[@johnb7430]

Cold?? Test it northern Wisconsin or Minnesota. When the high is well below 0F that's cold. And pray the EME doesn't fail

[@mgarcia8878]

Let’s see a head to head i3 vs Bolt

[@48VAC]

I thought you said it was sitting in the cold? thats not cold

[@R.Nelson]

Boss at work has this same car

[@brunoheggli2888]

BMW is just the best!

[@udlx]

... a random floss stick in the console?

[@fabulousoffroaddesigns5080]

Still a cool car Andre.

[@renebueno6149]

Hi! Andrei. I noticed Your ePower (upper) gauge not in fully lit.. Do you experience that all the time (winter). I bet it wont let You accelerate faster on those even if You floor it. I experienced the same here in my 2016 i3 Rex last year during peak summer time here in Vegas (3x), but went back to full normal gauge the following day. I wonder why its happening. Tried asking thru i3 forums, but got no specific answer. Any chance You might be able to figure it out? Thanks. BTW, my i3 is still my favorite daily drive. 😊

[@andreasvoss4931]

It's to protect the battery.....the colder it gets the more acceleration will be denied.....happens to my 2015 as well.....also I found out once the batteries are warmed up a little...usually after 10 to 15 mins....you will get full power back.

[@renebueno6149]

@@andreasvoss4931 Great! thanks.

[@racingfortheson]

Go do the slide again. I didn’t feel it 😂😂😂

[@CAPSTONE.]

Hahaha 💀💀💀❤️🔥fr tho

[@skyhawk21]

Here’s an idea, if you freeze a battery make sure it’s more than half charged…. Battery’s like it cold for storage…

[@rs660alec]

How can a car not have a brake how can you emergency brake?

[@RysterARCEE]

At least we know Andre remembers to floss 😂

[@CandycaneBeyond]

I uave fast charging on my 2014 Rex

[@aaronbritt2025]

This is the one Roman "tuned" to give it a greater fuel tank usage?

[@Digikidthevoiceofreason]

He mentioned that in the video that you apparently did not pay attention to.

[@andresmirnov3940]

That is correct. Tommy and I tuned it.

[@aaronbritt2025]

@@andresmirnov3940 Thanks.

[@stopdamadness]

I3 reminds me of a fancy golf cart

[@aussie2uGA]

Except used one in some states cost far less than fancy golf carts!

[@stopdamadness]

@@aussie2uGA my nextdoor neighbor has one and I'm always amazed when he fits in the little thing

[@aussie2uGA]

@@stopdamadness haha, I hear ya. My mom lives in a Florida golf club community and new lithium golf carts sell for nearly $20k, they have no a/c, will flip easily, and you're toast in a crash. Used 2014 BMW i3's are sold as low as $12k and the structure is made of carbon composite material and has an excellent crash rating. Even with those skinny tires they also handle pretty well. It's a no brainer on the used market at that price point.

[@brianengbrecht3124]

like there was any doubt it would be fine if the coldest was 15 deg f

[@JP-sw5ho]

I don't understand. I leave my EV parked outside, unplugged, in the cold all the time. It has never lost battery charge just by sitting out there

[@jamsu7126]

Same, they've had like dozens of EVs too, not sure why they would think this would kill the car

[@bartz118]

@@jamsu7126 they need content

[@jamsu7126]

@@bartz118 yeah I know, I get it, the "do EVs work in the cold???" thing is just starting to get old

[@desertdan100]

Many newer EVs including older Teslas have had issues when it gets real cold. When the Temps went below zero all Hell broke loose with many different models of EVs. What is funny is that some of the Gen 1 leafs and BMWs did better than newer and more expensive vehicles. The old Nissan leafs just shrug off the cold and don't care. The high Temps chew them up and spit them out. The lack of active battery cooling is their only downfall. The very rare older Ford Focus does well in all Temps but you just don't get a lot of winter range out of them.

[@CAPSTONE.]

Pretty kool 🔥🔥❤️

[@americanrambler4972]

“Behaving as new.” That is a rather dubious statement for a BMW. Especially the i3 with its reliability history.

[@fredharvey2720]

That's a BMW? 😱

[@the_jarmel]

HAPPY MONDAY EVERYONE ✌️ HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY....... GOOD JOB ANDRE ..

[@anengineer_]

Tank you Sir! You too 👍

[@jbirdzz]

Not going to lie the only thing I could think of is how ugly that cars interior and shifter was instead of focusing on the range, lmao.

[@amigatommy7]

Does it have a heat pump?

[@Digikidthevoiceofreason]

No.

[@eranschau]

Can Andre wear this hat in every video?

[@miket8909]

That's not a cold start, barely snow

[@WW-wf8tu]

In case anyone missed it: "it has been out there for 2 n 1/2 days" 🤣 Geeza Andre, you look like you are sitting in a car child seat. Drive it with your knees much? 😧 Was going to say I would consider an i3 if I were forced to take an EV, but idk, tinier than I remembered on the inside. Might be a poor fit for me. As for the "eats tires" it does make one wonder if all EV's wear tires down faster than an ICE vehicle. Either it is truly a torque problem, or the driver(s)are incapable of feathering the throttle like you would in an ICE vehicle. I get it, some are incredibly fun to plant your foot down in, but if it is an i3 that is meant for commuting around the city and or suburbs, is it really lead foot syndrome or is it a manufactured design flaw meant to add cost of ownership by purchasing tires faster than you might ordinarily? 🤔

[@RB-es1vx]

It's roomy for the driver's side, I wonder why he doesn't adjust the seat.

[@haanjamiis]

What, why would you be worried about car being parked for 2 days? Even if it's electric. Makes no sense. 🤷‍♂ How the steering wheel is between the knees is pretty funny though.

[@andykphoto]

I mean, it’s not a hydrogen 7, it won’t lose all its fuel in less than a week. 😂😂😂

[@alwaysplaythegame]

2.5 days is nothing. If you left it for 2 weeks I could see there being something unpredictable.

[@stephenc6955]

03:49 -- and floss to clean your teeth.

[@KrS14]

Imagine thinking that 32F will kill your EV battery lol And if there's no "ABS" on that BMW when return is active. Just wow. My Niro will very the Regen based on traction. :)

[@BillACK]

ABS is active if you apply the brakes but not when using regen.

[@KrS14]

@@BillACK but does the Regen for lack of a better term, 'relax' itself if it detects wheel slip is what I'm getting at.

[@Digikidthevoiceofreason]

Thing is that is NOT an true EV. That is a hybrid. Range extender or not that is nothing more than a hybrid. That said it is a nice looking hybrid.

[@aussie2uGA]

Depends on the model. You can get battery and battery engine.

[@ColeSpolaric]

Slow day I'm the office?

[@Digikidthevoiceofreason]

In* At* would have been a better grammatical choice.

[@ColeSpolaric]

@@Digikidthevoiceofreason phone thought it was smarter than me. It will be suggesting the right word as I swipe and then suddenly replace it with the wrong one lol

[@TheJazzoide]

Good video. But the car... omg it's ugly. Inside and out.

[@amigatommy7]

It's dead Jim! Should have got the Genesis GV60!

[@zachlafond2652]

Musk just said that oil and gas aren't going away for 50 years and peak oil usage won't happen for another 5 years. I'm in no hurry to go EV.

[@edsmale]

“Musk said” is your go to proof? Lol

[@TheAndrwwJohnson]

Ev has been so nice, saved over $3k last year in just fuel. If you're in no hurry to save money that's cool. Also saved me hours of time not waiting in costco lines for fuel.

[@Colgateras]

@@TheAndrwwJohnson it pays for itself just by saving gas, I have a mini ev since january 2021, 5€ in electricity bills a month doing 1000 km a month ✌🏻💪🏻😉 Paying 0.03€ per kw at night

[@torogi2]

it would be better if majority switch to EV, when that happens the price of petrol goes down, law of supply and demand

[@AM-kg2lo]

1st

[@Digikidthevoiceofreason]

Grow up.

[@jefferp]

I don’t know if my old brain will ever allow me to own an EV.

[@laloajuria4678]

same way you shouldnt use the internet.....

[@lawdog516]

For me its range anxiety, I wouldn’t even consider buying an EV until the battery range will surpass 500-600 miles per charge with a re-charge time of 1 hour, so I’ll be waiting for awhile I guess.

[@jefferp]

@@laloajuria4678 Whatever there, Skippy.

[@laloajuria4678]

@@lawdog516 you cant afford one, i get it. one day youll have nice things.

[@jefferp]

@@lawdog516 And…there is a Tesla charging station near me. It’s almost always full with someone waiting.

[@jaydenpetter6386]

Can't have heat or it will die first. Ridiculous