ELECTRIC CARS.

The way in which an electric car functions differs fundamentally from that of a vehicle with a combustion engine in that the motor of an electric car is not powered by fuel but exclusively by electricity. This electricity is stored in a battery, the capacity of which determines the range, in other words, the distance that can be covered with one battery charge.

The advantages of an electric car are primarily as follows: it drives more or less silently and is emission-free when actually driving, i.e. in a very environmentally friendly and sustainable way.

Who an electric car is suitable for depends on the driver’s particular preferences – with an average range of several hundred kilometres, BMW electric cars can definitely exist both in urban and commuter traffic. A BMW i3 or BMW i3s with four seats is a suitable family car as will be the BMW iX3, which is due to launch soon. A plug-in hybrid is ideal for car drivers seeking the greatest possible versatility: firstly, an electric drive for every day use, such as the cost-optimised and sustainable commute to the office. And secondly, maximum range and flexibility for long distances such as for the weekend excursion with the family.

The combination of combustion engine and electric drive means that a plug-in hybrid can in fact achieve a higher overall range than the electric car. On the other hand, a purely electric car does receive the highest subsidies or tax incentives. In addition, it has the lowest level of emissions and is often more economical in terms of servicing and use due to lower insurance prices and electricity costs.

How can I supply my vehicle with electricity during the day and will my BMW still be charged in time before I have to leave? With the Digital Charging Service questions like this will no longer be necessary. This is because the intelligent charging assistant takes care of topping up the battery at the charging station in your home, during the day or night, or from the socket, fully automatically, efficiently and, above all, in an environmentally friendly way. Enter your electricity tariff, your planned departure time and your preferred charging mode in the BMW Connected App. Using this information, the Digital Charging Service will ensure that your BMW is supplied with electricity during the most economical tariff periods and is charged in time for your departure.

* Only possible in conjunction with the BMW Wallbox.

If there is sufficient charge for a trip into the city, will I be able to find a charging station there? Remote Services provides a convenient means of checking this via the BMW Connected App on your smartphone. You can also use the BMW Connected App to prepare your electric car for departure before you set off. A program installed in the vehicle then automatically sets the battery to the optimum status so that consumption and range can be exploited to maximum effect.

One exclusive navigation service for the BMW i3 is the range display, which is located in the navigation map and indicates the range of the electric car in the form of a blue zone. It shows precisely how much farther you can travel with the current charge level. As soon as you enter a destination that exceeds the calculated range, a stop for charging is proposed.

Let’s imagine you have found a destination, want to set off immediately without losing any time at all. It’s all very easy with Send to Car. Look for interesting locations such as your favourite restaurant or the nearest day trip in the “Destinations” section of the BMW Connected App. There you will also find a display of the nearest charging stations on your route. Then click on “Go” or send the data directly to the navigation system of your BMW. When you have clicked on “Go”, the navigation launches automatically as soon as it connects with your smartphone via Bluetooth when you enter the vehicle. When you have sent your desired destination to the navigation system, you will find the address saved under the menu item “Messages”. From there you can activate the navigation immediately or at a later point in time.