Sandra and Paul live in Vancouver, and wanted to be environmentally conscious when searching for a new vehicle. They wanted to reduce their oil and gas consumption as much as possible and were drawn to electric vehicles on that principle.
Says Paul, “Gas cars give off most of their energy as heat. Electric motors are way more efficient than gas, and everything about electric is more logical. Why would you make a gas car with so many parts if you don’t have to anymore?”
They have been long-time BMW drivers, and decided to switch their leased gas vehicle for a BMW i3 with range extender. In addition to cutting emissions, they were also drawn to the i3’s artful cabin design and reduced use of plastic. They were further impressed by the i3’s handling and torque, and the versatility provided by the range extender: a two-cylinder on-board generator that can recharge the battery by using gas if necessary.
Their i3 has a battery range of 180 km, so the range extender never gets used for daily driving. Paul uses the car for commuting to work, where he can plug into a regular 110v outlet. While they have a level 2 charging station installed at home, they have found that the regular plug-in at work covers virtually all of their charging. Paul has worked out the cost of electricity to be about $4.50 for 200km of driving, and hasn’t needed the gasoline range extender for months.
“Gas cars give off most of their energy as heat. Electric motors are way more efficient than gas, and everything about electric is more logical.”
Paul | EV Owner
They have used the electric car to travel in Washington State, to Whistler and through the Fraser Valley. Since getting their i3, they have noticed the increasing popularity of electric cars and look forward to more charging infrastructure in popular destinations like Whistler.
When travelling, they appreciate the information provided by charging station apps like PlugShare. In particular, the comment feature has come in handy, so they make a point to leave their own comments or updates when charging.
Driving the i3 has convinced Sandra and Paul of the electric lifestyle. While they still have a gas second car, they look forward to replacing it with another EV. Again, sustainability is top of mind, so they are eager to see what advances in materials and batteries the next generation of electric vehicles will bring.