BMW Facing Lawsuit Over I3 REx Power Loss

Mark Stevenson
by Mark Stevenson

Owners of BMW i3s equipped with optional range extenders — read: two-cylinder engine that generates electricity — are suing the automaker for an issue that could leave those drivers going slow in the fast lane.

According to Green Car Reports, the BMW i3 REx will drop down to 45 miles per hour under certain conditions, which some owners believe is a safety issue.

The class-action lawsuit alleges the small range extender isn’t strong enough keep up with motivational demand at highway speeds when the battery is nearly depleted. Engine and battery management software steps in and reduces the BMW i3’s speed to 45 mph so that battery charge can catch up with demand.

“The BMW i3 Range Extender feature is a dangerous instrumentality to the owners of the vehicles and to other motorists on the road,” said Jonathan Michaels of MLG Automotive Law, the firm handling the class-action suit. “Having a sudden and unexpected loss of power in a motor vehicle can result in a catastrophic situation for all those on the road. These cars are dangerous and should not be driven.”

Green Car Reports notes three of its editors have experienced the issue in addition to its many owners.

The outlet spoke with electric-car advocate Tom Moloughney, who is also a BMW i3 owner. He stated the issue mostly comes down to a lack of knowledge of how the range extender works, and refrained from blaming the i3 for a quirk that doesn’t affect any other vehicle on sale today.

“The biggest problem is the lack of information on how the REx works at the dealership level. I think if people understood how the range-extender system works, then there would be fewer problems,” Moloughney said.

A representative for BMW said the company can’t comment on pending litigation.

The BMW i3 REx stickers, without options, for $47,245, including destination.

[Image: © 2015 Alex L. Dykes/The Truth About Cars]

Mark Stevenson
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  • ToddAtlasF1 ToddAtlasF1 on May 23, 2016

    The sooner the weenies that rent these new give up on them, the sooner they can fall into the hands of shade tree mechanics who can find out if there is potential for repowering their hideous carbon fiber shells with Hayabusa or K-series engines and giving them a reason for existing.

    • See 2 previous
    • Redmondjp Redmondjp on May 23, 2016

      @Old Man Pants Well, they make "range extenders" for that problem too. Now where is that empty gatorade bottle?

  • SunnyvaleCA SunnyvaleCA on May 23, 2016

    The i3 is crippled to comply with California "electric vehicle" silliness to get taxpayer funding and get single-occupant use of the carpool lanes. Part of the crippling is that the engine won't charge the battery more than some very small amount. So, when you're headed to Lake Tahoe and know full well that you'll be putting considerable demands on the propulsion unit, you can't tell the i3 to charge the battery to, say 50% before you get to the mountain climb.

  • ToolGuy Ford is good at drifting all right... 😉
  • Dave Holzman A design award for the Prius?!!! Yes, the Prius is a great looking car, but the visibility is terrible from what I've read, notably Consumer Reports. Bad visibility is a dangerous, and very annoying design flaw.
  • Wjtinfwb I've owned multiple Mustang's, none perfect, all an absolute riot. My '85 GT with a big Holley 4 barrel and factory tube header manifolds was a screaming deal in its day and loved to rev. I replaced it with an '88 5.0 Convertible and added a Supercharger. Speed for days, handling... present. Brakes, ummm. But I couldn't kill it and it embarrassed a lot of much more expensive machinery. A '13 Boss 302 in Gotta Have It Green was a subtle as a sledgehammer, open up the exhaust cut outs and every day was Days of Thunder. I miss them all. They've gotten too expensive and too plush, I think, wish they'd go back to a LX version, ditch all the digital crap, cloth interior and just the Handling package as an add on. Keep it under 40k and give todays kids an alternative to a Civic or WRX.
  • Jpolicke In a communist dictatorship, there isn't much export activity that the government isn't aware of. That being the case, if the PRC wanted to, they could cut the flow of fentanyl down to a trickle. Since that isn't happening, I therefore assume Xi Jinping doesn't want it cut. China needs to feel the consequences for knowingly poisoning other countries' citizens.
  • El scotto Oh, ye nattering nabobs of negativism! Think of countries like restaurants. Our neighbors to the north and south are almost as good and the service is fantastic. They're awfully close to being as good as the US. Oh the Europeans are interesting and quaint but you really only go there a few times a year. Gents, the US is simply the hottest restaurant in town. Have to stand in line to get in? Of course. Can you hand out bribes to get in quicker? Of course. Suppliers and employees? Only the best on a constant basis.Did I mention there is a dress code? We strictly enforce it. Don't like it? Suck it.
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