Gas prices are getting ridiculous, and affordable electric trucks are practically nonexistent. So I bought a high-mileage 2017 BMW i3 REx at auction and decided to turn it into my own electric pickup truck.

2022 i3s

Also very thankful for my REX for this reason

I think the new Neue Klasse i3 should have its own subreddit, and r/BMWi3 should stay focused on the original 2013 to 2022 i3/i3s.
This has nothing to do with disliking the new car. I actually really like it, and would honestly be a dream car of mine. My concern is what happens to more than a decade of information already posted here.
This subreddit has been around since 2013. There are years of repair posts, REx troubleshooting, battery information, coding, wheel fitment, suspension issues, AC problems, DIY fixes, part numbers and owner experiences that all refer to the original i3.
The new i3 is a completely different car. It is a Neue Klasse electric 3 Series sedan with a different platform, drivetrain, electrical architecture, electronics and software. Other than the name, there really isn’t much technical overlap between the two.
That is going to make searching this subreddit increasingly messy.
Search “i3 wheel specs,” “i3 fuse,” “i3 12V battery,” “i3 charging problem,” “i3 suspension noise” or “i3 AC problem.”
Right now, you generally know what car those old posts are talking about. A few years from now, that won’t be true.
Flair helps, but it doesn’t solve the whole problem. Thirteen years of old posts weren’t written with generation labels because there was only one i3. People also find Reddit posts through Google and other search tools, not just by filtering flair inside the subreddit.
The biggest issue for me is the archive.
If we create a new subreddit for the original i3, none of the old information moves with us. The entire history of the original car stays here.
The Neue Klasse i3 is just starting its life. This is the easiest possible time to give it its own subreddit and let its technical archive grow there from the beginning.
Original i3/i3s stays here with the archive it has had since 2013.
Neue Klasse i3 gets its own subreddit.
Link the two communities prominently so anyone interested in both can easily find both.
I understand why the mods want to keep everything together. BMW reused the i3 name, so on the surface it makes sense. I just think the amount of technical information already attached to this subreddit makes this situation different.
Once years of posts about both completely different cars are mixed together, separating them later will be much much harder if not impossible.
I would really like to see a pinned community vote before that happens.

I think we deserve to get the chance to make a vote on it.

And the best thing? I'll never rust or look shaggy. I'm a very pleased owner.

I just received my second cupholder. Life is amazing.

So I guess many of you are wondering what to do with the battery if your i3 ever gets totalled or written off in some way. Here is one very useful project, using the i3 battery as a home powerwall! I completed this project in a few evenings, by following this guide on Github: github.com/dalathegreat/Battery-Emulator It was way easier than I could have imagined!

Would you consider using your i3 battery as a home powerwall?

It’s been 10 years and almost 150,000kms and she’s still as great as ever! Just gave her a nice interior clean and replaced the door rubber with some fresh seals.

the 35 sidewall might not be everybodys cup of tea but im happy with how the i8 wheels are sitting! 12mm spacer on the front and 15mm on the rear with the BC Coilovers. Running about -2 camber in the rear and 1.5 in the front.

After years of debating I’ve moved from my Model 3 back to an i3. After my trade in it cost me nothing from the dealer. Got the extended warranty for 5 years so I’m covered until 2030. After the zeig heil… it was time.

I always enjoyed the design and quirkiness of the i3. Happy to be back in the BMW family.

Previously I had a 2014 Rex so this is just pure EV this time around. Tech package, so I’ve got the larger screen and Highway Assist.

Can’t wait.

What's up.

I finally received this beauty from Carvana. Wanted some form of EV for my next car (other car is 2002 M3) ... Having only owned bimmers with this i3s being my 4th and Larry David being one of my favorites, I sought out an i3. Was very conflicted between black and the panda but everything in this looked good.

Thinking of a name for her.. so far I have Saka, Raya, Lanesra (huge arsenal fc fan)

Raya sounds best. Happy to join you all and enjoy these modern marvels for the foreseeable future!

I love it when that happens! The exact same colors and wheels too!

i8 wheels, imperial blue metallic on cohiba brown interior

What do we think? An evolution of the icon electric original... I'd love for BMW to evolve the original with the Neue Klasse design language. We can dream I guess... (via AI)

I finally passed the 100k mile mark on my 2015 Rex! I’ve had nothing but a good experience with this vehicle. No issues so far. Same 12v and the motor mounts are still good. Just need a new set of tires and I’m set. I used the Rex motor frequently and got all services done by BMW. Love this car!