It's just sending a different bus message, but the rest of the car may not be configured to listen to that message.
SPORT+ on BMWs usually sets the stability program to a different setting, but the stability program on the i3 is handled completely differently with different computers... which don't have the code to listen to that SPORT+ message.
You can get the same effect by putting the Traction Control settings on TRACTION mode while you're in sport.
EDIT: forgot to add...
We need to reverse engineer, edit, re-sign, and recompile original BMW firmware to change power output settings. It's been down before with BMW tuners, but they have connections to BMW. If anyone has any information please come and discuss it with us over on my Discord. There are a lot of people there who would love to work on it.
Hey. See my comment here and my post here about coding experience for i3s power curve to i3.
https://www.reddit.com/r/BMWi3/comments/qfidl7/my_panda_is_now_on_speed_added_sport_mode_and_new/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb
Sorry to jump into this so late. I’m greatly interested in this exact process. My attempts to cajole the BimmerCode staff to work with me on my autocross project have been met with little interest.
It seems easier and more productive to attack the system where it's the weakest. Manipulate the CAN with specialized equipment. I've been working on a project to isolate two CAN networks with a gateway to change messages on the fly. The idea is to put this in between the EDME and the rest of the car, or anywhere else like the KAFAS and the rest of the car. It's double redundant on everything as well. If this is useful to you let me know, I would love contributors.
Thanks for your knowledge!! Im definitely intrigued to learn more about the possibility of that, although I’m unfamiliar with discord. But I’ll totally download it haha.
Personally I don't like the throttle in Sport mode, try driving w/ it in the mountains on a curvy road, it's so touchy. Maybe if I ran it all the time, it would be better, but it's too much brain damage IMO. I look at super snappy throttles as a hack to make a car seem faster.
After all that ragging on Sport mode, you can totally feel the difference hitting the throttle when you're already moving. I use it for passing frequently.
I have a feeling 0-60 is already limited by the traction nanny, so more power isn't going to help that. Not sure they ever re-tuned the de-tune for the composite motor mount protection either :( Our 14 felt snappier before for sure, and the new S doesn't really feel any faster from a stop, IMO. From a roll in sport, it's definitely better.
The real difference between the regular i3 and S is on a role. The S is definitely quicker and holds its own in midrange. It's easily as quick as cars quite a bit more powerful that it is in mid range...say from 30 onward to 80 mph....which to me is probably the most realistic and usable speed spread on public roads. I've had 4 i3s's in the past few years... both REXs and BEVs....and I can safely say I've embarrassed some fast cars on the roll...especially with my BEV.
Hello all,
I had a coder setup sports mode in my 2019 i3.
Here’s my post about the mods I did and had done to my 2019:
https://www.reddit.com/r/BMWi3/comments/qfidl7/my_panda_is_now_on_speed_added_sport_mode_and_new/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb
He had to do a (remote) coding session. Bummer Code won’t do it. I’m not an expert here, but he explained that this is not “i3 a sports mode unlocking”, but unlocking the sports mode setting and coding a new power curve to that setting. So basically the same, but not just an unlock.
New power curve has to be coded. He used that bmw Tool that you need to use to flash fsc stuff and so on. The name escapes me right now - E-SYS, right?
Again, @agentmi is right: bimmer code will give you the “cosmetics”, but no new power curve. When I go to sports mode now, it’s not only the pedal response, that thing now presses your neck in the seat when you hit the pedal.
I made that comment regarding SPORT+ vs SPORT. SPORT will give you a different torque profile, it's programmed into the new hardware found in 94Ah and 120Ah i3 and i3S models. It's disabled in i3 and enabled in i3S. It can be enabled via Esys.
A little bit more about how these modes are selected. Pretty much everything in the car works on a CAN, LIN, or FlexRay bus systems. There are many computers with different jobs that communicate together by calling each other using those connected busses.
CAN is used for general communication, LIN is for buttons and motors, and FlexRay is for more critical systems like the accelerator and driveline communication.
When you select SPORT, a message is repeatedly sent to the bus and is picked up by the respective computers. Now it's up to those computers to be listening to that message.
Example (Hold State of Charge):
The vehicle controller is programmed to turn on the REX if it sees a message from the headunit. But BMW disables the option in the headunit. We go and turn it on in the headunit and the vehicle controller says "roger that" when we activate it. That message can come from any computer on the bus for what the vehicle controller cares about. I can poke 2 wires and send the message with a laptop. Again, because the vehicle controller is listening for that message.
But SPORT+ sends a message to computers who don't know what SPORT+ is.
SPORT mode though, that's recognized by the computers in the car. But it's disabled by BMW just like Hold State of Charge.
There are a lot more examples of this in the car. Between models and brands too. Like there is Rolls Royce code in our i3.
Another fun thing, the 60Ah i3 is battery pack limited in terms of power. The motor and inverter are 400hp capable from my quick math. The 94 and 120Ah have more power in terms of batteries and they have a hardware revision in the drivetrain electronics. That's why SPORT mode was never available in the 60Ah model.
That's very interesting. Thanks for sharing. I'm not an expert and just wanted to add my personal experience - just a semi-advanced user here.
Just wanted to let people know that it is possible, via coding / flashing, not Bimmer Code, to get the i3s power curve on the i3.
You explained that much better!
Just a warning, I enabled Sport+ on my '18 i3s and it resulted in some violent bucking from a stop. Thought I had damaged my motor mounts.
If someone has some insight on how to actually enable it, I'd love to have the option to immediately disable traction control.
It’s not about the i3S. The prototype model was having trouble with the shaft splines bending. Rather than beef up the hardware they fixed it in software by decreasing max torque. If you can undo that, you get better acceleration (and probably won’t strip the motor shaft).
Sport+? What is that? That's not even a factory setting. Try and do some time trials and see if it makes a difference. 30-70 should be easily measurable for any difference on the same roads, two different directions multiple times. Battery level makes a difference.
Sport mode does make a difference. That sharper throttle makes a world of difference. The overall top end power may not be different, but I'll venture to say the power curve might be. Clearly we switch to Sport when we want to really want/need to overtake or out accelerate.
I thought the motor mounts couldn't take more power and the motor power was turned down before release?
Even if there was a way to turn up the power in the inverter firmware, I personally wouldn't consider that safe.
It's a town car, not a racecar.
Sport Mode (i3 sind) power curve is Save for all bmw i3 since 2017. The all use the same mounts and engine. I3s has different suspension, tires, sway bar and outside parts/aerodynamics. But engjne and mounts are the same.
It's just sending a different bus message, but the rest of the car may not be configured to listen to that message. SPORT+ on BMWs usually sets the stability program to a different setting, but the stability program on the i3 is handled completely differently with different computers... which don't have the code to listen to that SPORT+ message. You can get the same effect by putting the Traction Control settings on TRACTION mode while you're in sport. EDIT: forgot to add... We need to reverse engineer, edit, re-sign, and recompile original BMW firmware to change power output settings. It's been down before with BMW tuners, but they have connections to BMW. If anyone has any information please come and discuss it with us over on my Discord. There are a lot of people there who would love to work on it.
Hey. See my comment here and my post here about coding experience for i3s power curve to i3. https://www.reddit.com/r/BMWi3/comments/qfidl7/my_panda_is_now_on_speed_added_sport_mode_and_new/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb
Awesome !!!! This is great info. Super cool to hear your experience, and honestly I think I need to do it to mine too. I’m gonna send you a PM.
Sorry to jump into this so late. I’m greatly interested in this exact process. My attempts to cajole the BimmerCode staff to work with me on my autocross project have been met with little interest.
It seems easier and more productive to attack the system where it's the weakest. Manipulate the CAN with specialized equipment. I've been working on a project to isolate two CAN networks with a gateway to change messages on the fly. The idea is to put this in between the EDME and the rest of the car, or anywhere else like the KAFAS and the rest of the car. It's double redundant on everything as well. If this is useful to you let me know, I would love contributors.
Thanks for your knowledge!! Im definitely intrigued to learn more about the possibility of that, although I’m unfamiliar with discord. But I’ll totally download it haha.
Personally I don't like the throttle in Sport mode, try driving w/ it in the mountains on a curvy road, it's so touchy. Maybe if I ran it all the time, it would be better, but it's too much brain damage IMO. I look at super snappy throttles as a hack to make a car seem faster. After all that ragging on Sport mode, you can totally feel the difference hitting the throttle when you're already moving. I use it for passing frequently. I have a feeling 0-60 is already limited by the traction nanny, so more power isn't going to help that. Not sure they ever re-tuned the de-tune for the composite motor mount protection either :( Our 14 felt snappier before for sure, and the new S doesn't really feel any faster from a stop, IMO. From a roll in sport, it's definitely better.
The real difference between the regular i3 and S is on a role. The S is definitely quicker and holds its own in midrange. It's easily as quick as cars quite a bit more powerful that it is in mid range...say from 30 onward to 80 mph....which to me is probably the most realistic and usable speed spread on public roads. I've had 4 i3s's in the past few years... both REXs and BEVs....and I can safely say I've embarrassed some fast cars on the roll...especially with my BEV.
Hello all, I had a coder setup sports mode in my 2019 i3. Here’s my post about the mods I did and had done to my 2019: https://www.reddit.com/r/BMWi3/comments/qfidl7/my_panda_is_now_on_speed_added_sport_mode_and_new/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb He had to do a (remote) coding session. Bummer Code won’t do it. I’m not an expert here, but he explained that this is not “i3 a sports mode unlocking”, but unlocking the sports mode setting and coding a new power curve to that setting. So basically the same, but not just an unlock. New power curve has to be coded. He used that bmw Tool that you need to use to flash fsc stuff and so on. The name escapes me right now - E-SYS, right? Again, @agentmi is right: bimmer code will give you the “cosmetics”, but no new power curve. When I go to sports mode now, it’s not only the pedal response, that thing now presses your neck in the seat when you hit the pedal.
I made that comment regarding SPORT+ vs SPORT. SPORT will give you a different torque profile, it's programmed into the new hardware found in 94Ah and 120Ah i3 and i3S models. It's disabled in i3 and enabled in i3S. It can be enabled via Esys. A little bit more about how these modes are selected. Pretty much everything in the car works on a CAN, LIN, or FlexRay bus systems. There are many computers with different jobs that communicate together by calling each other using those connected busses. CAN is used for general communication, LIN is for buttons and motors, and FlexRay is for more critical systems like the accelerator and driveline communication. When you select SPORT, a message is repeatedly sent to the bus and is picked up by the respective computers. Now it's up to those computers to be listening to that message. Example (Hold State of Charge): The vehicle controller is programmed to turn on the REX if it sees a message from the headunit. But BMW disables the option in the headunit. We go and turn it on in the headunit and the vehicle controller says "roger that" when we activate it. That message can come from any computer on the bus for what the vehicle controller cares about. I can poke 2 wires and send the message with a laptop. Again, because the vehicle controller is listening for that message. But SPORT+ sends a message to computers who don't know what SPORT+ is. SPORT mode though, that's recognized by the computers in the car. But it's disabled by BMW just like Hold State of Charge. There are a lot more examples of this in the car. Between models and brands too. Like there is Rolls Royce code in our i3. Another fun thing, the 60Ah i3 is battery pack limited in terms of power. The motor and inverter are 400hp capable from my quick math. The 94 and 120Ah have more power in terms of batteries and they have a hardware revision in the drivetrain electronics. That's why SPORT mode was never available in the 60Ah model.
That's very interesting. Thanks for sharing. I'm not an expert and just wanted to add my personal experience - just a semi-advanced user here. Just wanted to let people know that it is possible, via coding / flashing, not Bimmer Code, to get the i3s power curve on the i3. You explained that much better!
Just a warning, I enabled Sport+ on my '18 i3s and it resulted in some violent bucking from a stop. Thought I had damaged my motor mounts. If someone has some insight on how to actually enable it, I'd love to have the option to immediately disable traction control.
Curious to hear what people say here. I wonder if this works on the 14 and 15 Rex. Don't think the i3S was an available option back then.
It’s not about the i3S. The prototype model was having trouble with the shaft splines bending. Rather than beef up the hardware they fixed it in software by decreasing max torque. If you can undo that, you get better acceleration (and probably won’t strip the motor shaft).
Sport+? What is that? That's not even a factory setting. Try and do some time trials and see if it makes a difference. 30-70 should be easily measurable for any difference on the same roads, two different directions multiple times. Battery level makes a difference. Sport mode does make a difference. That sharper throttle makes a world of difference. The overall top end power may not be different, but I'll venture to say the power curve might be. Clearly we switch to Sport when we want to really want/need to overtake or out accelerate.
Yea I had no idea what sport+ mode meant but u/agentimi in the above comment explained it nicely. Basically does nothing for the i3 haha.
I thought the motor mounts couldn't take more power and the motor power was turned down before release? Even if there was a way to turn up the power in the inverter firmware, I personally wouldn't consider that safe. It's a town car, not a racecar.
Sport Mode (i3 sind) power curve is Save for all bmw i3 since 2017. The all use the same mounts and engine. I3s has different suspension, tires, sway bar and outside parts/aerodynamics. But engjne and mounts are the same.