[rollermonkey]

it's this one... https://www.i4talk.com/threads/electrical-smoke-while-charging-at-ea.13912/

And yet the cause seems to be completely on the charger side, so it doesn't seem relevant?

 

[i4.phil]

Unsure... probably can argue both ways. The car was just fine before the charger came along. The charger was also just fine before the car came along. In the end the fewer times they meet probably the fewer problems they'll have.

 

[toddggg]

If the open flap really bothers one... Amazon.com

Does this work on Red cars??

 

[i4eD40]

Does this work on Red cars??

It's a tad bit less effective but will work for a while

 

[Veyrix]

I got down to 1% two years ago things seem fine. Hope I didn't jinx myself. And yes I lost years off my life from that trip.

 

[xyrBimmer]

My new record today, 9%. Worked out well as I'm driving out west and there's a MB station on the way.

 

[Flyingman]

My lowest recorded is 2% on my 2022 i4e40. I was very close to home and knew I could make it. But generally I will recharge at 20%. On the road I might target 10% but I do suffer a bit from range anxiety. I think it's natural to do so. In an ICE you always know you have about a gallon left once you reach the low level light or "E", so another 25-35 miles. I don't want to know what my i4 will do when I reach "0".

 

[toddggg]

It will keep going, for a fair bit anyway! According to a couple YouTube testers.

Funny story-
I was on a group motorcycle ride in the small WV back roads once on my then new-to-me BMW adv bike, and miscalculated the two gas stops of the day. Well I was getting closer and closer to running out before we returned to civilization... I knew a couple of the guys had extra fuel with them so wasn't terribly worried. But my "remaining range" display ticked down to zero eventually - and then to my amusement started counting negative miles! LoL
I got to "-15 mi of range" before we hit a gas station, without any issue.
That was a nice buffer to have. Not that I've used it since, but now I know so don't sweat it anymore.

 

[Bobby “Brown”]

1% 2024 i4 M50. I’ve done it a couple of times 🤭

 

[i4m50Norway]

5 percent, but generally no reason, and not good for the battery to go below 10 percent.
Only go below 10 percent, if planned chargers do not work, or not accessible due to road work (quite common on German Autobahns).

But then I have charging options everywhere in my area. Here is one test of my most common roads/areas - starting at my local CircleK station :

However once I got to drive my old i3 15 kilometres after Zero - because did a google for CircleK charger, and was sent to a CircleK stations without chargers. However yesterday, I stopped at the same station - now they have removed some fuel pumps and installed four 400KW chargers under canopy. In addition they have four other 400KW chargers - that is also ok to use if not raining/snowing.

 

[wekebu]

I don't let it go before 50%. I've been through a 6.9 earthquake and a wildfire that took out our town. During the earthquake I was driving a gas car and it was impossible to get gas. No power. During the wildfire, I had an EV. Luckily, I made it to a good friend's house a town away and charge in a 110 outlet. Since then, I'm never below 50%.

 

[i4.phil]

Wow is that the Loma Prieta earthquake from 36 years ago... took down the buildings, freeways and bridges.

 

[wekebu]

Wow is that the Loma Prieta earthquake from 36 years ago... took down the buildings, freeways and bridges.

Wow, how time flies...it's been 36 years? Yes, Loma Prieta. Good guess, were you there too?

 

[bbgator]

not good for the battery to go below 10 percent.

Yes, manual states to keep it between 10% and 80%. From what I've read, going lower than 10% isn't horrible as long as you charge it soon after. Leaving it low appears to be the bigger issue. Either way, the manual says don't go below 10%, so I'm shooting for 10%. I've come home from a road trip at less than 3%. I'm not worrying about it and I'm doing almost everything I can to extend my battery life. A few times a year below 10% for a few hours is unlikely to have a noticeable battery degredation. Keeping your car at 80% for days in Summer heat, probably will damage your car battery a lot more. Heat kills batteries, especially at higher SOCs.

Edit: Norway is cold, so I guess summer heat is relative. Where I live, 30C is a cool day. My car door handle is often too hot to touch with bare skin in the summer. The car bakes all day. Nothing I do will make my battery last as long as yours in a cold climate except to not drive it and store it in a freezer.

 

[i4.phil]

Wow, how time flies...it's been 36 years? Yes, Loma Prieta. Good guess, were you there too?

Not too far from there. Friend was going to school at berkeley and I went there right after the earthquake.

 

[Phillies8008]

I think I've written about this before, but a while back my kid had a blowout at the intersection of two major interstates at about Midnight. He'd never really done anything much with tires and hadn't been driving very long, so I wanted to go up there to help him. It was only about 40ish minutes away, but it got me thinking that if I'd been at a low SoC, and he'd been further away, I would've had a real problem getting there in any sort of timely fashion. I've also been in a couple of emergency situations where getting there now was very important. This experience has caused me to reconsider the way I charge – previously, I'd let it get down to 20% or so, and then charge. Now I try to keep it between 50 and 80%, just in case I need to get somewhere in a hurry.

I do have an ICE vehicle I could use in a pinch but it's a two-seat roadster, which may not be practical/adequate depending on the situation, so I don't really want to solely rely on it. It's easier to just keep the i4 at a decent SoC.

When traveling, I'll generally get down to 15-20%, just because I want some cushion in case the charging station has a problem, etc.

 

[First EV]

I think I've written about this before, but a while back my kid had a blowout at the intersection of two major interstates at about Midnight. He'd never really done anything much with tires and hadn't been driving very long, so I wanted to go up there to help him. It was only about 40ish minutes away, but it got me thinking that if I'd been at a low SoC, and he'd been further away, I would've had a real problem getting there in any sort of timely fashion. I've also been in a couple of emergency situations where getting there now was very important. This experience has caused me to reconsider the way I charge – previously, I'd let it get down to 20% or so, and then charge. Now I try to keep it between 50 and 80%, just in case I need to get somewhere in a hurry.

I do have an ICE vehicle I could use in a pinch but it's a two-seat roadster, which may not be practical/adequate depending on the situation, so I don't really want to solely rely on it. It's easier to just keep the i4 at a decent SoC.

When traveling, I'll generally get down to 15-20%, just because I want some cushion in case the charging station has a problem, etc.

I take a similar approach. Keep between 50-80 in the winter and 40-70 in the summer. The furthest family i can get to on a single charge I can get to with 40 in the summer and my car sits in the sun all day so keep it at a max of 70 then.

 

[Scandinavian]

I have had the range indicator go down to 1 km with SoC indicating 0% in the car. However the scanning tool indicated 6% battery Soc, so there is some safety margin.

Porsche for their Taycan actually have a technical bulletin for recalibrating the BMS where you should get to a SoC below 5% and let it rest there for at least 6 hours. Then recharge to 100% on level 2 (<= 11 kW) and let it rest there u disturbed for 6 hours. That process regained 3 or 4 % SoH in my case.

But generally not recommended to leave the car below 20%. And avoid high SoC for long times and especially in hot weather.

The best advice I got from a battery expert was to run the battery around 50% plus minus 20%.

 

[Mr. Widget]

I don't let it go before 50%. I've been through a 6.9 earthquake and a wildfire that took out our town. During the earthquake I was driving a gas car and it was impossible to get gas. No power. During the wildfire, I had an EV. Luckily, I made it to a good friend's house a town away and charge in a 110 outlet. Since then, I'm never below 50%.

Same.

I practically live on the Hayward fault and in the highest fire severity zone as rated by Cal Fire. Keeping a decent charge in the car and a fully stocked "go bag" are part of the cost of living in such an otherwise beautiful spot.

When I had an ICE vehicle, I would have to stop in at the nearest gas station on the way home whenever I hit half full or below. Plugging in at home is way more convenient.

 

[bbgator]

Keep between 50-80 in the winter and 40-70 in the summer.

Dropping the SoC during the summer is really smart and your battery will last longer.