BMW Defeats Appeal in Drivers’ Electric Car Battery Class Suit

BMW of North America Inc. defeated an appeal by a class of California drivers who alleged they overpaid for their i3 electric cars because a flawed a range extender option throttled battery power under certain conditions, causing the cars to decelerate.

Barry Braverman and others can’t support their claims because they haven’t shown that the REx is defective, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit said.

• The REx is a small gas-powered engine that engages to recharge the car’s electric battery when it runs low. It kicks in when the battery charge falls below 6 1/2% and causes ...