2015 BMW I3 vehicle battery

The energy recovery occurs during coasting
and braking and is displayed in the perform‐
ance display by the accelerator pedal indicator.
The accelerator pedal pointer is within the
CHARGE range.
Efficient energy recovery:
▷The accelerator pedal moves to the left
within the blue range of the CHARGE dis‐
play, arrow 1.▷The energy use while driving can be opti‐
mized by efficient acceleration.
Efficient acceleration:
▷The accelerator pedal moves to the right
within the blue range of the ePOWER dis‐
play, arrow 2.▷Use deceleration during coasting as often
as possible for energy recovery.
Brake according to traffic and circum‐
stances
Brake in accordance with the traffic conditions,
or there is the risk of accident.◀
Discharge of the high-voltage battery
Longer idle periods, refer to page 203, can re‐
duce the charging state of the high-voltage
battery.
Do not allow the vehicle to sit idle for ex‐
tended periods with a low charging state
Before storing the vehicle for an extended pe‐
riod, check the battery charge indicator to en‐
sure that the high-voltage battery is fully
charged. During the idle period, connect the
vehicle to a charging station at a suitable
charging location. If necessary, the high-volt‐
age battery will be charged automatically.
Make sure that the charging process takes
place. Regularly check the charging state.
Don't allow battery charge status to drop too
low - it will damage the battery.◀
General driving notes
Closing the tailgate Drive with the tailgate closed
Only drive with the tailgate closed; other‐
wise, in the event of an accident or braking and
evasive maneuvers, passengers and other traf‐
fic may be injured, and the vehicle may be
damaged. Moreover, exhaust gases can get
into the vehicle interior and the lights in the
tailgate cannot be recognized.◀
If driving with the tailgate open cannot be
avoided:▷Close all windows and the glass sunroof.▷Greatly increase the air flow from the vents.▷Drive moderately.
Hot exhaust system
Hot exhaust system
High temperatures are generated in the
exhaust system.
Do not remove the heat shields installed and
never apply undercoating to them. Make sure
that flammable materials, e. g. hay, leaves,
grass, etc. do not come in contact with the hot
exhaust system while driving, while in idle po‐
sition mode, or when parked. Such contact
could lead to a fire, resulting in an increased
risk of serious personal injury as well as prop‐
erty damage.
Do not touch hot exhaust pipes; otherwise,
there is a danger of getting burned.◀
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Increase rangeGeneral informationThe vehicle contains comprehensive technolo‐
gies for reducing the energy consumption and
for maximizing the range.
The range depends on a number of different
factors.
The implementation of certain measures, driv‐
ing style and regular maintenance can increase
range and thereby also reduce the environ‐
mental impact.
Remove unnecessary cargo
Additional weight reduces the range.
Remove attached parts
following use
Attached parts on the vehicle impair the aero‐ dynamics and increase the energy consump‐
tion.
Close the windows and glass
sunroof
Driving with the glass sunroof and windows
open results in increased air resistance and
thereby reduces the range.
Tires
General information
Tires can affect energy consumption in various
ways, for instance energy consumption can be
influenced by tire size.Check the tire inflation pressure
regularly
Check and, if needed, correct the tire inflationpressure at least twice a month and before
starting on a long trip.
Low tire inflation pressure increases rolling re‐
sistance and thus raises energy consumption
and tire wear.
Standing air conditioning Run advance climate control, refer to
page 133, in the vehicle during charging if pos‐
sible before driving off.
Heating and cooling operations are very en‐
ergy intensive and substantially reduce the
electric range.
Look well ahead when
driving
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking.
By maintaining a suitable distance to the vehi‐
cle driving ahead of you.
Driving smoothly and proactively reduces en‐
ergy consumption.
Longer braking procedures result in more effi‐
cient charging of the high-voltage battery via
energy recovery from braking.
Use accelerator pedal for
deceleration and coasting
When approaching a red light, use accelerator
pedal for decelerating.
For going downhill use coasting function; for
this purpose, press accelerator pedal just
enough that the vehicle rolls.Seite 154Driving tipsIncrease range154
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Charging vehicleVehicle features and options
This chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and
systems. The respectively applicable country
provisions must be observed when using the
respective features and systems.
The concept
The vehicle can be charged using various
charging cables at charging stations or hous‐
hold sockets. Control and monitoring of the
charging process are handled completely au‐
tomatically. The charge current strength can
be set by means of the Control Display.
General information High-voltage batteryThe high-voltage battery is used as an energy
accumulator. The high-voltage battery can be
charged by energy recovery during the trip or
via the power grid.
When charging via the power grid, you can
chose between the following variants.▷Level 1 charging via a household socket.▷Level 2 charging via a Level 2 charging sta‐
tion.▷Charging via a DC charging station.
Level 1 charging is possible via a household
socket within a voltage range of 100 volts to
240 volts.
For optimal use of the energy from the power
grid, charging at a Level 2 charging station,
such as BMW i Wallbox, is recommended.
Charge current
The charge current strength is indicated in am‐
peres.
The vehicle cannot automatically detect the
maximum permissible charge current strength
of the power grid during charging via a house‐
hold socket or charging station.
Level 1 charging Prior to the first Level 1 charging at your own
household socket, as well as when charging at external electrical power sockets in Level 1,
the allowed charge current strength must be
determined, e.g. by a qualified electrician.
The charge current strength for Level 1 charg‐
ing, refer to page 165, can be adjusted in the
vehicle in three steps.
At delivery, the charge current for
Level 1 charging is set to "Low".
Depending on the country-specific version,
one of four ampere ratings is printed on the
Level 1 charging cable. This ampere rating is
the limit which must be adhered to for the vehi‐
cle if the charge current is set to "Maximum".
According to the market-specific version, the
charge current strength changes differently if
the setting "Reduced" or "Low" is selected."Maximum""Reduced""Low"8 A6 A6 A10 A7.5 A6 A12 A9 A6 A15 A11.25 A7.5 A
Charging at a Level 2 charging station
The permitted charge current strength must
be determined prior to charging at a
Level 2 charging station, e.g. from the operator
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Manually unlocking charging port flapIn case of an electrical malfunction of the
charging cable lock, the charging port flap can
be manually unlocked.1.Open rear door on the side of the charging
port flap.2.Remove the cover.3. Pull the blue knob, arrow. This releases
the charging port flap.4.If necessary, press the knob back into the
initial position.
Manual unlocking of the charging
cable
In case of an electrical malfunction, the charg‐
ing cable can be manually unlocked.
When charging at a charging station, complete
the charging process at the charging station
before unlocking the charging cable.
1.Open rear door on the side of the charging
port flap.2.Remove the cover.3. Pull the blue knob, arrow. Charging ca‐
ble is manually unlocked.4.Grasp the charging cable at the gripping
areas.5.Remove charging cable.
Charging operation
Hints Following safety instructions of the
power mains connection
During the charging process, heed the safety
instructions of the respective power mains
connection. Otherwise, there could be a risk of
personal injury or property damage from high
voltage, e.g., from electrocution or fire.◀
Using a Level 1 charging cable at other
household sockets
Before charging at other household sockets,
adapt the charging current strength to the
mains. Otherwise, there is a risk of fire, e.g.,
from overheating of the household socket or
overloading of the power mains.◀
Starting charging process
1.Engage selector lever position P. Set the
parking brake if needed.2.Planning charging process, refer to
page 165.3.Switch off drive readiness.4.Connect either a Level 1 or Level 2 charg‐
ing cable to the household socket or the
port on the charging station.5.Open charging port flap.6.Connect charging cable to the vehicle, re‐
fer to page 163.
At high temperatures, initially the high-voltage
battery is cooled. The charging process can be
started with a delay.
Display of the charging status
The charging status is indicated by the indica‐
tor light at the charging port.
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3."AC charging power:"
Settings are stored. When you change charg‐
ing locations you also might need to change
the setting for charging.
Set the charge current strength at other
household sockets to "Low".
Setting charging via a
Level 2 charging cable
Depending on the electrical mains, the vehicle
must be charged with a different charging cur‐
rent strength, refer to page 160.
When charging with a Level 2 charging cable,
the charging process can be completed faster
at a Level 2 charging station.
1."Settings"2."Charging"3."Level 2:"
Settings are stored. When you change charg‐
ing locations you also might need to change
the setting for charging.
Stopping charging process The charging operation can be stopped at any
time by removing the charging cable and con‐
tinued at a later time by connecting the charg‐
ing cable in order to use other loads on the
power connection or to prevent simultaneous
high power from multiple loads.
The charging operation is interrupted when the
vehicle is unlocked and automatically resumed
after a brief time or when it is locked.
Continue charging operation If the charging operation is interrupted, e.g.,
through a temporary power failure, the charg‐
ing operation is automatically continued after
the interruption.
Terminating charging process1.Removing the charging cable from the ve‐
hicle, refer to page 163.2.Stow the charging cable as required.3.Close the charging port flap.4.Lock vehicle if it is unlocked.
Displays in the instrument
cluster
The charging state indicator light, refer to page 77, shows the charging state of the high-
voltage battery in the instrument cluster, if op‐
erating readiness is switched on. If all seg‐
ments are filled, the high-voltage battery is
fully charged.
Even if no segments are filled, the high-voltage
system is still under high voltage.
Information regarding the charging process are
shown on the charging screen, refer to
page 76.
DisplayMeaningBlue plug: charging process active
or completed.
White plug: charging interruption.Running light: animated with active
charging operation.End of charging time or set depar‐
ture time.Charging progress bar.
Running light: animated with active
charging operation.DC charging active on a DC charg‐
ing station.Indicator in blue: charged electrical
range.Seite 166MobilityCharging vehicle166
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Climate controlGeneral information
The following settings for climate control of
the vehicle are possible:▷Activate stationary climate control immedi‐
ately, refer to page 133.
With stationary climate control activated
and no charging cable connected, the
range is reduced.▷Planned climate control at the set depar‐
ture time, refer to page 134.
Discharged high-voltage and
vehicle battery
General information
In addition to the high-voltage battery, the ve‐
hicle has a 12 volt vehicle battery, which is re‐
quired for operation of the onboard electron‐
ics.
If the high-voltage battery and the vehicle bat‐
tery are discharged, it is not possible to oper‐
ate the vehicle.
Place vehicle in service To place the vehicle in service, charge as
usual.
If there is no possibility of charging on site,
contact the service center.
Charging vehicle with a discharged
vehicle battery
1.Unlock the vehicle, if needed, using the
integrated key, refer to page 38.2.Secure the vehicle against rolling.3.Manually unlock charging port flap if it is
locked, refer to page 163.4.Connect either a Level 1 or Level 2 charg‐
ing cable to the household socket or the
port on the charging station.5.Attach charging cable corresponding to
the charging socket connection.
Charging is started. The charging status is
not displayed. Do not open vehicle during
this time.
After several minutes, the vehicle is slightly
charged. The onboard electronics are ready
again. It is again possible to open the vehicle.
The charging status as well as the charging
state of the high-voltage battery can be dis‐
played again.
Continue charging vehicle until desired range
is possible.
If the vehicle battery cannot be charged, con‐
tact the service center.
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Changing wheels
Hints
Which is why no spare tire is available.
The tools for changing wheels are available as
accessories from your service center.
Jacking points for the vehicle jack
The jacking points for the vehicle jack are lo‐
cated at the positions shown.
Vehicle battery The vehicle battery has 12 volts. The battery
supplies the onboard electronics with energy.
Information about the high-voltage system, re‐
fer to page 160.
Maintenance
The battery is maintenance-free.
The added amount of acid is sufficient for the
service life of the battery.
Further information about the battery can be
obtained from your service center.
Battery replacement Use approved vehicle batteries only
Only use vehicle batteries that have been
approved for your vehicle by the manufacturer;
otherwise, the vehicle could be damaged and
systems or functions may not be fully availa‐
ble.◀
After a battery replacement, have the battery
registered on the vehicle by the service center
to ensure that all comfort features are fully
available and that any Check Control mes‐
sages of these comfort features are no longer
displayed.
Charge vehicle battery Do not use any charging devices
Do not charge the vehicle battery with an
external charging device; otherwise, there is a
risk of property damage, e. g., to the vehicle's
electronics.◀
Charging a discharged battery, refer to
page 168.
Power failure
After a temporary power loss, some equipment
needs to be newly initialized or individual set‐
tings updated, e. g.:▷Time: update.▷Date: update.▷Glass sunroof and sliding visor: initialize
the system, refer to page 52.
Disposing of old batteries
Have old batteries disposed of by your
service center or bring them to a recy‐
cling center.
Maintain the battery in an upright position for
transport and storage. Secure the battery so
that it does not tip over during transport.
Fuses Hints Replacing fuses
Never attempt to repair a blown fuse and
do not replace a defective fuse with a substi‐
tute of another color or amperage rating; this
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When the emergency request is received
at the BMW Response Center, the BMW
Response Center contacts you and takes
further steps to help you.
Even if you are unable to respond, the
BMW Response Center can take further
steps to help you under certain circum‐
stances.
For this, data are transmitted to the BMW
Response Center which serve to deter‐
mine the necessary rescue measures. E. g.
the current position of the vehicle, if it can
be established.▷If the LED is flashing green, but the BMW
Response Center can no longer be heard
via the speaker, you can nevertheless still
be heard at the BMW Response Center.
Initiating an Emergency Request
automatically
Under certain conditions, an Emergency Re‐
quest is automatically initiated immediately af‐
ter a severe accident. Automatic Collision Noti‐
fication is not affected by pressing the SOS
button.
Warning triangle
The warning triangle is located on the inside of
the tailgate.
To remove, loosen the bracket.
First aid kit
Note
Some of the articles have a limited service life.
Check the expiration dates of the contents
regularly and replace any expired items
promptly.
StorageThe first aid kit is located at the rear of the
trunk.
Jump-starting Not jumping or directly charging the ve‐
hicle battery
Do not jump or directly charge the vehicle bat‐
tery using conventional jump starting; other‐
wise, because of the high voltage of the drive
system, there is a danger of fatal injury from
electrocution.◀
If the high-voltage battery and the vehicle bat‐
tery are discharged, it is not possible to oper‐
ate the vehicle. In this case, do not give a jump
start, but instead charge the battery as usual
using the charging cable, refer to page 168.
Towing
Note Tow-starting and towing
For tow-starting or towing, switch off the
Intelligent Safety systems; otherwise malfunc‐
tions of the individual braking systems might
lead to accidents.◀Seite 197Breakdown assistanceMobility197
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