I Bought a Ten Year Old $3500 EV and I Increased its Range To Over 400 Miles!
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UPDATE.
The system works! I forgot to put this part in the video but the switch is foot activated so that I can add from the aux tank to the main tank while driving. When both tanks are full I can get about 300 miles on gas only. However At those speeds the Rex cannot maintain hold state of charge but It still cruises nicely at 75-80mph on the rex. The siphon is working great as well, when both tanks are full the main tank will pull from the aux automatically so the pump is rarely used. 700 miles covered so far 700 more to go!
Why BMW didnt add a 50 liter fuel tank from the factory is just stupid
Rich I want to know why you can't put an alternator on a electric car that would charge the batteries so that you don't have to stop and charge the batteries up at a charging station. Even if you run the alternator off the drive shaft or something.
I'm buying it when it drops. Greeting from Newark Nj
@@MIKEH.777 - This would be awesome, but I suspect the reason no one has done it is because the drain on the drive train by the alternator would be more than the charge it produced, making it essentially useless. Regenerative braking works on this exact premise, using the mass of the vehicle against resistance to create energy, but when you try to create energy with the vehicle in motion, it just isn't as efficient. Inventing a fix for this would probably make you billions.
@@MIKEH.777 No such thing as free energy.
Rich you should make a box truck an EV and see how many used Tesla battery packs you need in the back to make it go from New York to Los Angeles without stopping to charge
bro this ain't Ross creations lol
Its not an awful idea..
Cannonball Race.
They will arrest him for building a bomb.😂
BBCWB
There are some important differences between the European version of the i3 Rex and the one we got here. For one thing, the Rex in Europe has 2.4 gallons available whereas ours was only 1.9 gallons. Oddly, this is done through programming when the fuel pump shuts off rather than actually having a different sized tank. Also, the programming for the Rex was different. For example, on the Euro version you can start the gas engine at any time to "top up" the battery and save the EV-only driving for later. In the US version it only comes on when the battery reaches about 5%. Luckily, both of these behaviors (and others) can be changed to the Euro specifications through a "coding" process (search TH-cam).
You can’t actually “top up” the battery here in EU. You can ‘hold charge’. Then the rex tries to maintain the battery at let’s say 75%. However, if you stress it hard enough at 130 km/h, it can’t provide enough power to maintain charge and you start losing charge at a more slower rate than without rex.
Yep, great little cars... motor on speeds that you do on the highway and EV for the streets.
The software limit on the tank should be because it could not qualify for EV if it could run longer on petrol than electric., therefore it should not be a problem with the 33 kWh. In EU you can start the REX when battery are below 75% state of charge.
So the US version has a half gallon of fuel capacity it can't use.
@@robintieltjes"Bummer". It's too bad that batteries were just so expensive at that time (they still are, but still way less than they were back then) because if this had an EV range of 200 or more miles I think it would still be on sale. Those tires are still too thin for my liking though...
Rich Rebuilds reminds me SO MUCH of Car Talk on NPR. The way he says “Cahr” with that Boston twang brings back happy childhood memories of listening to Click and Clack on the radio in the car with my dad on a Saturday morning. Made all the better by the epic projects he takes on and completes. Loving it.
The i3 is actually a brilliant car that was ahead of its time. A modern 30kwh battery and a 10 gallon tank would make it amazing.
its looks makes you want to nuke the planet though
Went in one recently. Friend has had it for a long time now and I'd never had a chance to go in it. It has a full carbon passenger compartment, like a hypercar or something. Insane little piece of engineering. Utilitarian, but actually reliable for a BMW lol.
Agree. Ive run a late 33kW Rex for nearly 7 years and its great (110 miles EV with a small buffer, and 80-100 miles on Rex, which works out at 45 mpg (UK gallons)), but you definitely need to code it if you're in the US - over here, its 'coded' as standard and it makes it much more useable as you can flip it on at 75% SOC and it holds nicely up to about 65-70mph. Crucially, at higher SOC the Rex cuts off at low speed so you don't really hear it, whereas at low SOC its awful and makes the power delivery very juddery. With the later 40kw battery and a 3 gallon tank it would out range my Tesla. Tempting!
They have the 33 kWh from late 2016 and the REX gets a little more powerful. It works nice and also means you can use all of the battery. The DC charging are not standard on all but charge 50kW up to around 80%
@@andders2477 Yeah, I thought about picking one of those up but the absurd fuel tank turned me off.
Ev Rich is back 💪🏾💪🏾
🥱🤮
That's not how the video played out...
@@tsemnani It's hilarious that you think people can watch an entire video. I think if you are under 40 anything over 10 seconds is out of the question.
"Hybrid Rich" lol
Almost not even hybrid
You can take a train from Orlando to Virginia. It’s called the auto train from Amtrak. They put your car on the train and you ride in the comfort.
What about the overal cost ? (honest question, no tricks)
@@jplacido9999 $165-$210 for that ride
@@1-2_Flush_Water_Saver That's actually not bad.
@@1-2_Flush_Water_Saver more like $800+ when adding a car. $280 for one person plus $540 for a standard sized vehicle (round trip).
Wouldn't it be a better overall solution to have the filler-neck go to the new tank, then the new tank goes into the stock one, but breather is on the new one, so it would constantly be filling up the stock one until the new tank is empty? Virtually just creating a bigger tank and all the car sees is that the fuel level isn't going down until the new tank is empty
Its range Rich, its range.
yes we fixed it
Hay uncle Rich no concerns with safety just strap a gas tank square in the front end of the car LoL
Fuel *cell*
Crash test ? Lol
@@bgee461he was right....... Fuel cells are never taller than they are wide or long! 😂
Ford Pinto baybeeee
Gas tank became crumple zone. lol I think he could move it to the back to make it safer, but this was a nice experiment.
Rich, if the "gas station is closed" but the lights are still on the pumps, you can still fill up. It will tell you prior if it's truly "closed"
Came here to say this. I've filled up at "closed" gas stations a handful of times. The pumps are usually left on 24/7.
Can we all take a moment to appreciate that the car didn't catch fire at all in this video, well done Rich 👌
You are looking to much crap on TV ... Not everything everytime blows up and/or catches fire immediately... FFS
@@StarLink85 always a matter of time before the life of the party shows up 😄
Rich, great video. As the owner of a 2018 BMW i3S (and from Ocala) I can say some of the things you mentioned were spot on. By the way your i3 is pretty much maxed out as far as options. 20 inch wheels, Terra world interior, electronic package, etc. The bigger tank in front is a very good solution as the frunk is basically useless anyway. Keep up the great content.
Silver Spring Shores here!
My brothers and sisters graduated from Lake Weir High. Small world.@@MrBrianpdj
Gainesville here.
I have the same car in Port Orange.
We've got a 2014 i3 (bought used, owned it for about a year and a half), it's a great around town car, we've taken it on a few "longer" trips as well. So far it's been awesome
That AC issue could be a very expensive thing. Metallic parts can break off from the compressor blades, and get into the coolant lines requiring major repairs. The compressor, condenser, and HV battery accumulator may need to be replaced. A flush is also needed.
I had my compressor fail like that. I had to replace the condenser twice because it got clogged. At least the condenser works like a filter for large metal pieces.
The really slick trick would be to design a thin tank that can fit into the nooks and crannies in the front area and be rotationally molded. The frunk liner looks like it's not making use of every millimeter it could in width and front to back, so do some Cardboard Aided Design to fabricate a prototype that can be used to make a fiberglass mold inside for laying up nice fiberglass liners - designed to accommodate the new auxiliary tank.
Wherever the OEM tiny tank is, I bet there are spaces it could be bulged out into so a new tank could hold more fuel.
6:47 was that Linda in the background
Oh you saw the cake too...
This is the comment I was looking for. Stay focused boys.
@@waltciii3 bruh how do you not see that?!
@@bradhaines3142shit was just poking out too well 😭
6:40 "Ok, this is really important." #bootytime
For a second, I thought the Hayabusa engine was the range extender.
I mean they been swapping them into Mini's and Smart cars for a while now...... Would only make sense 😂
@@commonsenseisdeadin2024 best one ive seen Hayabusa Swapped EV Mini Citicar
I have a Suzuki carry with hub motors and original diesel engine its amazing. can good way too fast for the frame though
A hayabusa engine would be a far better range extender dude.
Hey Rich, that is a really cool idea adding and small gas tank in the frunk area of the i3. I might have to try it out sometime very inspiring. We usually drive the i3 from Santa Clarita to Reno a hand full of times a year to visit family and friends. Here’s what we do to survive the 440 mile commuter in our i3 with only a few rex fill ups and 1 charge stop. Our i3 is a 2017 (33 Kw battery) so I get around 116-125 miles per charge, a bit more than the one you guys drove. Ok, we start out leaving the house with a full charge, we drive 50 miles on battery to get the battery down to 74% (1 percent under 75%).
Then switch over to the REX and drive 70 miles with the REX. Then stop for 5 mins to top off the REX drive another 70 miles.
Then switch over to the battery and drive 50 miles on the battery.
We usually stop in Santa Nella, Ca take a break to eat, restroom Ect... for about 35 minutes and charge the battery to 85% we use the ChargePoint charger. At this point we have driven 240 miles (roughly) which is about half way of our trip.
Ok, drive another 25 miles on battery until 74% and hold state of charge and switch over and use the REX and drive for 70 miles. Stop for 5 mins at the gas station and top off REX and drive another 70 miles and then switch back to the battery and drive 35 miles to our destination and wah-la that's the way to drive an i3 on a longer trip.
People don't realize you can drive the BMW i3 really far if you have the REX and code the car to “hold State of charge” at 75% of battery and use your REX to plan out on a longer trip. There’s always a gas station within 80 miles of driving, so you can top off the REX anytime you need to and calculate how you want to use the battery so you’re not stopping for long periods of time, but the 8 gallon gas tank idea is the "BOMB". I have to say we absolutely love our i3, so much we bought a second one for our family. Thanks for sharing this video, it is totally AWESOME!! 😎
Sounds exhausting!
You really should have bought a Tesla.
Not really, it's just a couple of quick stops for some gas and your good to go. @@randyland1000
Nah, we love our i3, much has nicer interior than Tesla IMO. Also it has physical buttons to turn things on and off which Tesla's don't have. @@tedmoss
To much work and stress
Rich, try the pumps at "closed" gas stations. Some stations leave their pumps operable if you use credit or debit cards. Those stations usually leave the lights on at the pumps, even when the "store" part is closed.
I just sold my i3 yesterday. I owned it for almost 4 years. It's hands down one of the best commuters. I drove it from northern Indiana to central Florida and back, no extra fuel cell but coded. It took about 26 hours 1100 miles. Great car!
What does "coded" mean? Can you unlock extra capacity in the built-in tank?
@@heiner71Does all sorts of neat things like makes it where you can push a button on the dash at any time and it turns the gas engine on instead of turning on automatically when it gets down to say 5% charge, and it unlocks the full 2.4 gallon capacity of the fuel tank. How that last one works I don’t recall but believe it was software limited stupidly. I coded mine to do some Rolls-Royce noises and menu things but I didn’t have the REx.
@@jaoliver999 , thank you. That was helpful.
"no extra fuel cell but coded" - Does that make sense to just random people? I know I have zero clue what that means.
Learn to code ... I mean that unironically.
Simply put a petrol tank trailer on a tow hitch
Until you get rear ended 😂😂
He put in the front to make a giant fire ball when you crash.
Then you still gotta stop every hour to fill it up yourself lol
@@adamdrumonde1664just wire a fuel pump and hose it to the engine
Mad Max build
1) how did you tap in the fuel and vapor lines? 2) how/when is the front pump activated?
Stuka87 😉.
Great Idea... I thought about this a few times when I purchased my i3 Rex back in 2020. Now, I'll have to do it this hack. Btw, a few years ago, Lyon Smart offered a battery for the BMW i3 with over 400 miles of range. I reached out to them today to see if that battery is still available.
Do they have the battery?
When he said "stop every hour for gas" ... I was like April fools yall!
its march 31
That's pretty close to what they do. 2 gallon tank and 35-40mpg on the highway.
I live in the Netherlands and i roughly drive 10 miles a day. guess its more for this market! i do still see those fairly often here.
just been to French Alps and back from Wales , 1600 mile round trip in i3S Rex, no problem mixing some DC charging and gas, indeed some queues on the DC chargers coming home so no need to wait. Such a cool premium fit for purpose a-b car also brilliant for touring.
Funny. i just watched your Fisker Ocean review and even commented. And now you are talking about the i3. I own a 2020 i3s REX and I actually drove it round trip Phoenix to Philadelphia and back. I was clever about it. I hacked it so you can turn on the REX at 75% or lower state of charge. I would drive it till 25% battery, approx 140 miles, then run the REX for it's 70ish miles and tank up again for a second 70 miles. So 140 + 70 + 70 = 280. Then I would tank up and charge. Was not as bad as you think as I would drive about 6 hrs a day so 280 miles was 4 hrs or most of the time longer with some traffic slow downs, Then that 35-40 charging break. The gas stops to fill the 2,2 gallon tank I don't count as a pain as it's a very quick stop. Nice video here as well.
Rich: Does a very advanced upgrade
Me: Puts a gas can in the frunk
😂
Yeah I was wondering that also.
Exactly. I still have to stop every hour, but no worries about being in the middle of nowhere.
@@ksnax - Exactly.... Just pull off the side of the road like you do to pee then pour a splash of gas in and you're off. 😂
I'd probably just put th fuel pump in the frunk tank and use the small tank as a reserve tank... That's just ridiculous.
@@xpndblhero5170 BMW owners can not be seen on the side of the road and using a jerry can full of gas. The hidden tank under the hood with fuel transfer pump is the only way. For context many BMWs don't have an oil dipstick because owner's would not want to get their hands dirty, instead the car has a digital oil sensor with dash display!
I can appreciate the project, and once done, the car could do many road trips, but would never make sense just to ‘get it home’. 2 min with a 2gal extra mini tank, repeat as needed, would have been faster, but hey, he’s got skills I don’t have, so why not? Definitely code it to unlock the SoC when you want and the extra 1/2 gal in the original tank too. Don’t forget winter tires too!
The i3 is a nice project base - well-documented, modular, lightweight.
Nice one for April 1st as it is so odd...
I own one and have a lot of good reasons...
One hint: Avoid the REX.
How has your experience been? I've always been a fan of the looks of it but I've heard some nightmare stories.
What is the issue with the REX version?
REX is inherently inefficient due to energy conversion losses (see Chevy Volt or Honda Clarity for solutions)
@@TherapyGel I don't like the exterior, the issue of brake rust, the lack of rear window lifter, the missing middle rear seat and I would love 25% extra range on my i3 120Ah.
I like all the rest of it, especially the materials - real wood, real leather, natural wool in my variant, aluminium, Kenaf (the grey door panels), the absence of odors, the practical trunk (opens 101cm x 61cm), interior and exterior lighting, audio, tires (on snow and rain especially), the low weight, the acceleration, the dashboard and iDrive, the features...
No nightmares so far, I drive i3 (non-REX) since 2019.
@@LuvADuc With the first battery ("60Ah"), the REX was a good idea. However, the bigger batteries 94Ah and 120Ah changed that.
The REX halves service intervals (from 2 years to 1 year) and almost doubles service and MOT cost, costing you 4x in service alone. It also adds 120kg, making the i3 slower and reducing EV range.
Additionally, the REX consumes a lot for what it does, so it really should only be used as a backup generator for emergencies.
where do you find an i3 for $3500?? They go for more even on copart with accident damage 🤷🏻♂️
Salvage title. Mentioned early in the video.
@@EUC-lid like I said…go to copart or IAA…none of them sell for that low!
yeah there's no way 🧢
In their state?
I would love to see you test out the new suspension regeneration products. I don't know who makes them but I seen a short about them the other day. Seems genius. Regeneration from potholes and taking the wasted energy from the shocks and making use of it. Making energy from something that won't take energy away.
You just need to adjust the throttle settings in the Fardriver app. You always seem to get a little lost when it comes to the electric stuff. I would be happy to help you with this. I work from home and I'm in the same time zone.
Hopefully you have the Bluetooth adapter for your controller. I can tell you what to change, why you're changing it , and best practices so you don't kill your motor and controller.
Forst thing I always do with a Fardriver is pop the top off and cover that stupid piezo beeper. The boards in those controllers are completely potted, so basically waterproof. If course in the top cover of the controller is a hole that they have simply put a sticker over. Absolutely hysterical. You gotta learn Chinglish to master these controllers. Oh man.
I’ve been daily driving my 2012 focus electric for 6 years. 50-75 miles of range is just fine for daily errands.
just drove over 1,000 miles in three days this weekend. not going to suit me.
How much is that replacement battery going to cost when it inevitably kicks the bucket? Probably just write off the car like all 10plus year old EV's. My 30 year old Corolla is greener than any EV on the road today.
@@JT-tz5hp I am hoping that after-market batteries for common makes will become common.
Battery prices have dropped in half in the last year.
@@JT-tz5hpMy decade old i3 is still going. Your Corolla still burns petrol which will never be ‘green’.
@@JT-tz5hp Your 30 year old corolla by US averages has emitted 30 years * 5.5 tons per year + 5 tons to manufacture for a total of 160.5 TONS OF CO2. An ev today only takes about 20-30 percent more emission to build after leaving the factory. Meaning your "green corolla" is about 🔥🛢 23 TIMES WORSE 🗑👿
I have a Chevy Volt. I love it. I get about 50 miles on a charge, and it has like a 12 gallon gas tank. My normal daily commute is about 40 miles and is done on electric and then I have the gas engine if I want to go farther. Of the 62K miles I have on it so far, 95% is on electric.
Sounds like you'll be soon driving a Tesla :D
@@rkan2 Bought one last August. So we have the Volt, and a Model Y. 😀
And go figure, Chevrolet had a great plug-in hybrid in the Volt, so they discontinued it. 🤦♂️
You just wrote, that you should drive an EV
Only a scary part is now you have a bomb strapped to the front of the car lol
14:25 I heard those cows down there can be a little menacing, they run in herds taking over small shopping centers and villages leaving their crap behind…!😂😂😂🤦🏻♂️
Definitely buying your book! I can use the pages to clean up all of the cow manure when they make it up north😂😂❤
I have an I3s. It’s my anti-car in terms of something easy vs my project cars. I have owned prolly 75 cars, and it may be the best overall commuter I have ever owned.
i like how Sam keeps breaking stuff, oblivious to his destructive power. gas cover dont open? PRY IT OPEN BY HAND!
I notice that too and Rich just wraps it into comedic attempts 🤣
I had a 2015 i3 in Orange too. It was such a great little car and began my journey into EV ownership. While the battery and motor technology have advanced massively, it took the Lucid Air to challenge how future forward the i3 and i8 truly were. This mod is just amazing!
I'm gonna buy your book. You're brilliant and fun and insightful. Thanks for providing a fresh perspective on the automotive world.
I drove a 2017 I3 for three years and it was the best car I ever owned ...so much fun to drive!
Did you run the nylon straps around the AC lines?
After watching Rich Rebuilds for at least a year, I bought an i3 Rex and hoped he would eventually do a video about one. Now that I’ve already replaced the AC compressor and condenser myself in my garage…, I have little need for instructions on how to do that job with a kitchen knife.
But I do look forward to watching him do the projects that I’m procrastinating… And helping other i3 owners learn to work on theirs.
I also think this fills an interesting niche of luxury compact car. When every other manufacturer focuses on huge expensive luxury crossover SUVs and pickup trucks, this is the one luxury car that fits into a tiny footprint. And I think that's a great idea! Especially if you live in the city, you want something small, maneuverable, and easy to park. When people with money flock to cities, why must their luxury cars be colossal and difficult to drive in traffic? A little range-extended EV is perfect for that use case. Enough electric range for city driving, and with the range extender you can go a bit farther when venturing outside the city.
I honestly thing hybrids are the best of both worlds when it comes to the EV vs ICE debate. Perhaps not this one specifically (the concept is great though the execution is flawed), but the packaging challenges have long been solved by now and hybrids use different battery chemistries that last longer and are less flammable so they're better long term, so you get a practical fuel efficient vehicle with the range of a gas car (unless it's an i3) and the efficiency/regenerative braking benefits of an EV.
Have you heard of the Aston Martin Cygnet? It was only sold in Europe and is based on the Toyota/Scion iQ. Only 600 were ever sold in its 3 year runtime. Sadly, it doesn't seem to be popular to build a small luxury car.
Yes my Nissan Altima Hybrid did last for 12 years, but the dealer and the company refused to help me fix it when it had a computer problem, just buy a new car. So I bought a Tesla.
The elephant pubic hair door panels have always been my favorite feature from the i3. It has yet to be topped.
😂🤣😂🤣
April Fools?
You could make it so it can go a thousand miles without refueling. Fit a tow hitch and add a trailer with an even bigger tank on it.
It'll be like having your own fuel station behind the car. 🤔👍
I made a diesel range extender. Than I found out, that I don't need those batteries and electric engine, so I got rid of them. Now I'm only driving on a range extender.
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OK, I was joking, I simply bought a diesel car with a range of 1100-1300km (around 800miles).
:D
@rich rebuilds - A dutch company managed to squeeze in a new battery design that gave 400 miles range. The Rex is great, but genuinely fragile. I have a Rex here in Ireland and I use it sparingly. Don't overfill the tank either beyond the first click of the fuel pump, or the charcoal cannister gets soaked and throws EML lights all the damn time.
The banter between you and Sam always cracks me up.
Cracs
You, too, need to come up with some kind of comedy routine and do a nationwide tour. That's pure gold Jerry, pure gold.
😂😂
I used to race a BMW 325i and we dropped a round 8 gallon fuel cell into the spare tire well and plumbed it into the fuel filler neck just like you did here for when we ran endurance races. In 2005 we won the SCCA 13 hour race at VIR using that setup. Same deal, switch on the dash which was used when the regular tank got below 1/4 full.
Rich you make me want to get another one. I had the exact color setup on my i3 Rex that had the Tera package. the only thing that was the weak link was the EV range. it's a fun car to drive and the comfort was awesome. Yes, it got lots of attention and I love the hidden 4dr design. I also coded mine with all the best possible codes including increasing the main tank size to 2.0 gallons
Always put gas tanks in the crumple zone. Oh.. Never put…
Yeah, use a fuel cell instead like he did
You are so correct, I have never owned a car or truck with the gas tank in the front. But, all my motorcycles...
@@larsch6529 haha- true. But you likely wouldn’t be near it when it’s crushed! 💀
Got me thinking, this design may have benefits. This car is in a frontal collision, the plastic gas tank breaks, the leaking gasoline ignites, the driver is cremated. Scoop up the remains and save on funeral expenses.
I had a FT Bonito Kitcar with a 1.6 VW Van engine and gastank in the front, whole car was fibreglass any accident and I would've been dead@@larsch6529
The chevy volt has more electric range and has 13.5 gallons of gas !
But it's a Chevy........
I love mine!
Yeah but GM stopped making those. 🙄 Idk what they were thinking. I think the volt was the coolest hybrid they made.
@@commonsenseisdeadin2024 Chevy builds darn good cars when they actually give a crap. The problem is getting them to give a crap... however, the Volt and Bolt are two cars they did give a crap about and are actually good. But of course GM being GM they cancelled both right when they were getting popular.
i3 is a lovely car inside and to drive though
cant you use the gas pumps even when the gas station is closed? maybe my state or city has different laws, but you can still get gas at the pumps even when they are closed
Hay Rich. Instead of adding a gas tank, add more battery’s. That would get more range, remove the petrol engine and stick them in there, that would give you more range and make the car much simpler?
Simplicity comes from not reinventing the wheel though. A larger fuel supply is as simple as range mods come for these cars. More battery capacity is the next simple upgrade by replacing the main pack with newer larger capacity ones. Replacing the REx with cells would be the most complicated route and not get much extra, as the REx itself is a .6L scooter motor.
@@ksnax that does make sense, but Rich, has loads of batteries lying around, and it would make a good TH-cam video.
you did nor show how you made fuel out /filler neck connection....
Your channel continues to delve into the deeper inquiries that few are willing to ask. I look forward to your solution because I wanted know if this could be done.
Godspeed man!
29:00 You could use a swivel elbow fitting so you can leave the hose connected while removing the gas cap.
" 2014-16 i3 REx vehicles in the U.S. are limited to a fuel capacity of 7.2 L (1.6 imp gal; 1.9 US gal) electronically, in accordance with the car's classification as a range-extended battery-electric vehicle; with the full capacity, the gasoline-extended range would exceed the all-electric range"
How can the fuel capacity be limited electronically?
@@TheJamesLykins Honestly. I dont know, other than maybe a sensor and tank purge system combo that senses how full the tank is. Kicking the pump filler off any time it gets up past 1.5 gallons or so. I think this is what tthey were speaking about "coding it" to allow it to fill up higher. Wonky ass German Eco shite imho. Interesting though.
@@TheJamesLykins with a very good level sensor so that when the float or whatever gets down to the level where there's a half gallon left it shuts off the engine.
@@greggv8 It does not shut off the engine as such, what it does is prevent you form filling the entire gas tank. Thus the mystery we are talking about. How it electronically stops you from putting the last half a gallon or so in it.. It has to be something to do with how the pump kicks off automatically. Some cars when the gas tank evap Purge system gets clogged or fails, will kick the pump off even when the gas tank is near empty. I had a 2001 subaru like this. Try to pump full tank, it took you 45 mins, because every 30 cent or so it would kick the pump, because the gas would back up the tube.. because of air pressure not being able to be purged from the tank the right way, all the air had to come from the filler neck, thus it kick the pump repeatedly, you had to barely squeeze the pump handle to get it to trickle fill, so air could escape while you were adding fuel. PITA... We sold that car not long after a few tanks of gas in the winter...
@@crisnmaryfam7344 If it always shuts off the Rex with half a gallon in the tank then of course you cannot put more than 1.9 gallons in it. No "magic" at all.
Stevon has been posting on his own channel box eclectic
What's his channel please.
@@Franco66Box Eclectic
Using proper and complete sentences would really help promote his channel.
Here's a quick example;
Stevon has his own channel and actively posting! It's called "box eclectic" go check it out!
@@commonsenseisdeadin2024 ..!..
Eclectic and Ecelectic! Really not clear now! 😅
Hey Rich, no need for a fuel pump - fuel tank test system creates a vacuum to test the primary tank and actually draws the fuel into the primary tank from the auxiliary tank that you have on installed - so it works as long as the system is sealed properly - Jeremy PS i worked with a guy over 5 years ago did this same upgrade
Woah, this gas tank mod is wild! I gotta hand it to you, that level of creativity is awesome. Totally wasn't expecting that, but hey, if it gets you 400 miles on a single tank, more power to you. Now I'm super curious to see the results of that test drive! By the way, that plaid Model S peeking in at the end... that's just sharp. Can't wait to see more!
Rich's new old i3, or Robot Cantina's new old Jetta diesel?
I really sort of love the ritual of the extender. Get a tough racing fuel cell, Rich. Stick it in the very back, someplace.
6:42 is that a peach bottom left?
Glad you found a different way to fill, I was worried going through the vent would cause a lot of pressure in the main gas tank, and possible explosion lol.
It would be better to increase the battery size. We have one of the last ones made in UK with a 42Kwh battery.We can get 200mls out of it if you drive carefully. Highspeed charging 50Kwh + takes about 40 mins, just time for a coffee. The recharge netwrk is increasing rapidly. Maybe charging infrastructure isn't there in US.
@6:35 made me miss Leenda
Maybe in the book we’ll finally find out what happened to Steven?
Stevon has been posting on his own channel box eclectic
@@Mrpirateriasthat doesn't answer what happened......
@@Mrpiraterias I can't understand WTF you just said........
I don't need you to explain anything, so if you could tell me then I'll understand just fine!
I'm curious what happened to him not what became...... I don't care that he is doing some weird house work and the like.... What happened after the crash, why isn't he on here and why hasn't anything been said?
@@commonsenseisdeadin2024I went to his box electric page and saw a lot house renovating thumbnails.
I think he became a wise man to leave fast cars behind him and enjoy what he likes and don't gravitate towards an exotic thing that goes fast and goes BOOM!
If you watch his channel you will see he is still under house arrest. So I thinkt untill everything is settled they will not give any details.
Thank you for this … love the explanation of old school phone tech … I was always enamored with it when I was a kid …
I did notice you got the model without DC fast charging available. That makes a big difference in charging times without the need of a drastic modification and would make that more highway worthy.
to hell with a button, run a trigger to the pump
from the gauge and code it to kick on
*with AC or Cruise control* so it auto fills upto "preferred state"
Well, no shit. Except that's far more complex.
@@rustler08 lmao is it tho?
i think you forget the channel your on.
not to mention the car has most the shit i spoke of already there.
a good "dealer" level, or bmw software (which is widely available) is all one would need to code this. *buttons are used for triggers all the time. maybe just maybe, to complicated for you...?
I would connect the ventilation pipe from the main tank to the fuel line from the auxiliary tank, no fuel pump. Then the ventilation pipe from the auxiliary to the ventilation pipe from the original fuel cap.
This way you constantly are filling the main tank from the auxiliary without the need of an extra fuel pump. You do have to fill up both the tanks when filling up though
Important to get the AC working. The battery pack's thermal management is also done using the AC compressor.
I am shocked he just didn’t just upgrade the pack. You can do an upgrade to the later 94Ah pretty straight forward retrofit. You can do a 120Ah battery but not as straight forward but can be done as I successfully done one for someone. It technically is not hybrid the engine for only charging the HV battery and that it.
Don’t bother swapping the individual modules, it be a losing battle as those as all those cells will be on their way out and be a waste of time. The 650cc 2 cylinder engine only for charging the battery, so extending the tank won’t do much as those 60Ah battery do degrade quickly due to the way they were cycle. It going to get to the point of no range left regardless after a while and car won’t move without battery power as engine is only a generator. Those are not hybrids they are 100% electric and only use the engine REX model for charging the battery and that it.
The 94Ah battery would be the easiest and cheapest way to go and those don’t degrade as fast.
Yes the aircon compressor love to fail on those as they grenade itself and metal gets into whole system. They are expensive to replace. The compressor by itself is $800 to 1k for a used one which likely could be also bad, or in its way out and $1500 for a new one and that not including everything else that needs to be replaced. You need the AC working as it also used to help cool the battery pack. It cost around $3500 to fix the AC after all said and done. It is absolutely necessary as cools the battery pack, otherwise part the car out.
So why did you put the transfer tubes in at the tops of the tanks? A 3/4 in tube running from the bottom of one tank to the bottom of the other would fill and empty the tanks at almost the same rate without affecting the onboard sensors of the BMW. No electronics or monitoring necessary.
Nice one Rich. An Interesting use of tech is why I love your channel, BMW just needs a towbar with an ice generator.
Love the 5 year old explanation....it was there, then it was not there, and it's not my fault.
I kept thinking about buying a used i3, but I tried looking at tire stores for replacement tires. I tried (a while back) Tire Rack, and multiple tire chain stores and even Walmart. None had tires. So, when BMW quits hoarding tires, then what? Is there a wheel swap for easily available tires?
Rich said he was to old to slide around a car. Can anybody change his mind?
On my British spec i3, I quickly learned to only let the battery go to ~50% when doing an extended journey, as the REX can't keep up when pressing along, but gives a really good balance of range vs consumption. Mine has the DC prep so a fast charge from near empty is 30-40mins. It still means stopping every 2-2.5hrs but that is more palletable.
the internal battery resistance goes up exponentially starting around 50%. It's why going from 75% to 100% takes longer then 0-75%. So what your saying lines up.
I just want to say that to see a black man who works works with electric vehicles In such a passionate way really inspires me. I am an African American autistic mechanical engineering student who is working really hard to find a foothold in the electric vehicle industry. I've been afforded and internship opportunity with BMW this summer to work with their electric cars. This is an industry that I'm very passionate about and look forward to contributing to soon. You serve as a great inspiration to me and many others who want to follow your path
Hope you don't need to use a BP station if you have to open the hood to fill up. Evidently they won't let you pump with any panels open.
gonna blast the box eclectic channel for stevon since this channel wont.
What's this mean? 😂
Where is Stevon?
Free Stevon
he's still under house arrest i guess
@@commonsenseisdeadin2024 He's in legal trouble because of the accident and started up his own youtube channel while under house arrest. Recklessly driving and crashing an uninsured, unregistered vehicle on a public road is apparently a crime.
@@StrangestEcho4754 🤔 think Stevon has been in a little trouble in the past if that's the case.... I mean it's absolutely illegal but considering there was no OTHER injuries or damage, the punishment doesn't fit!
I tell you two magic words: Prius Prime. It goes 30 mile electric in EV mode (I don't drive like a lunatic) and overall 550-600 miles range in hybrid mode. Costs half as much as a BMW i3. Top that!
in the used car market, probably not
30 mile EV range is terrible, might as well not even have it.
@@tf6437 That range is enough for me to make multiple trips within the city limits (workout, groceries). But whenever I go to conferences / events to the Bay Area, SF or LA the hybrid mileage is great. A round trip to a SW conference in San Jose is almost just half tank even though I have to climb the Pacheco Pass. But once again, when I am not traveling 25 is enough, and Fresno is not even dense. I can imagine it would not be enough around Phoenix which is more distributed.
New, maybe. But used the i3 looks about $2k cheaper than the Prius Prime.
@@CsabaTothMr it's just wasted weight. That 25-30 mi of EV range, you could just get 25-30 mi more of gas range without the weight of the battery. Again, might as well just not have it.
If you engage regen setting, it will brake by lifting the gas pedal, allowing for 1 pedal driving, and putting electricity back in the battery.
I bought one of these years ago and drove it from Oklahoma to California and back. It was epic!
As an i3 owner, thanks for showing these things off and hopefully clawing back some of my rapid depreciation!
I wouldn't count on it 😂 be glad it's not a Mercedes, then it would be 99% off!
The i3 and i8 where early adopter EV´s the i3 REX basically was a Chevy Volt with its range extender, built in Leipzig Germany. Of course they where expensive. But while other early adopters like Renault/ Nissan held onto EV´s BMW lost it after these " concepts" and only recently brought them back as the heavy i4/ i5´s. We need cheaper lightweight EV´´s and the i3 was on a good way for that. Hopefully their new purely EV designs go into the right direction...
The i3 was no Chevy. It’s much, much better.
The i3 is not "running on gas" like a hybrid. It has a gas generator that charges the battery as you drive. Not a good idea to let the charge go way down and wait for the REX to come on. Better to code it for hold state of charge. Then you can strategically generate power for the battery without the fear of getting in a situation where the REX cannot hold the state of charge, but instead is falling behind. Anything above about 60-65 mph on the REX will slowly eat into your battery percentage. You do not want to be in that position at 6%-7% battery. The car is crippled without HSOC "coding".
I took an i3 apart to reuse the battery for my solar. I was wondering what rebuilding the battery with modern cells would be like.
Whoever is watching this video, I hope this day will be a great day.
Yep. BMW i3 and Gen1/2 Nissan LEAF will always be legendary.
You too, buddy. Thanks.
@@adamwilson2345 thanks
So, you swapped a K20 economy model and a 10 gallon tank into it?
Ha! I was half right.
"K20 economy model"
?
Gas stations can be closed? :O
I don't think i've seen one closed before, unless construction/accident something.
Shop is closed at night in some, but fuel stuff works 24/7 here.
I loved seeing all the collabs on the project.
Wow I am late but ahead of the curve. I love my i3 . Not taken it on a road trip but for what I use it for it's awesome
Always love a Sam & Rich collab. The banter is always a classic!
That little pulse pump runs a lot better when it's at 12v. Literally. It's got to do with the way the pump cycles. Too high of the voltage, the plunger doesn't cycle fully. So less flow.
I once pulled over 50 liters of diesel with nothing but this little pump. Took me a few hours, but it drained my tank completely without the need to drop the tank. Fuel was bad from being left for 2 years due to covid restrictions.
You're right about this dynamic HEV due from BMW; i3 & i8. This is a timeless design! 🎯👌🏽
10 gallon fuel cell.