Tanked

I read this Car+Driver article with incredulity today.

The author of the piece, Robert Sorokanich is described as "the New York-based news reporter for both RoadAndTrack.com and CARandDRIVER.com." so you would hope he wouldn't make any silly errors.

It claims that a software hack will allow BMW i3 drivers in the US to get an extra half-gallon out of the fuel tank in the range-extender version of the car to bring it in line with the European version.

Apparently the US cars have a 1.9 gallon capacity whereas European ones hold 2.4 gallons.

SOFTWARE CAN MAKE A FUEL TANK BIGGER!?

About two-dozen readers have commented on this.  One suggests "tanks on all models hold 2.4 gallons. Sensors tell the ECU what the fuel level in the tank is. In the US, when the ecu detects there is 0.5 gallons left, shuts down the engine and won't restart it until the tank gets filled and the level detected is above 0.5 gallons"

That would mean all US i3s would have an odd half-gallon of petrol (sorry, of gas) swishing about in the bottom of their tanks all the time!

Daft.

Here's a clue as to what I think is going on...

These are Imperial Stormtroopers:

 These are US Desert Storm Troops:

 Notice that they are different.

According to this old 2013 Auto Express review of the i3 Range-Extender, the tank is 9 litres.

This is approx 1.9 Imperial Gallons
or 2.4 US Gallons.