How BMW and improved charging make electric easy
BMW i4 owners Jim and Jennifer tell us how an improved charging infrastructure has helped them enjoy electric driving even more...
When Jim and Jennifer started out on their electric journey in a BMW i3 back in 2014, they were one of the first wave of EV owners to experience the joy of electric driving, but also to face the challenges of a charging infrastructure that was still early in development.
With not enough chargers – and not enough of the modern ultra-rapid chargers that are fast enough to do quick on-the-go top-ups and refills in a short amount of time – it meant that journey times were far longer than in a conventional petrol or diesel car.
Now, for Jim and Jennifer, driving their current electric BMW i4 is less of an adventure into the unknown, and more about exploring and discovering the possibilities and opportunities of new electric horizons. “Electric cars have been an adventure, that’s for sure,” says Jennifer.
Watch the video at the top of this page – or read on – to learn more.
Learn more about BMW’s electric line-up
Exploring a still-growing charging network
After driving (and loving) a BMW 5 Series for some years, Jim’s interest was piqued by the arrival of the all-electric BMW i3 in 2014, and he and Jennifer were quickly won over by its driving character.
“Back in 2014, I read about the i3 as an electric car, and we went to the dealer in Reading and drove it 100 yards out of the dealer,” says Jim. “I just said: ‘We’ve got to have one of these’.” As Jennifer adds: “I was sold. I just loved it from the beginning.”
Even with the limited range of early electric cars and the limitations charging infrastructure, Jim and Jennifer’s BMW i3 quickly became their go-to car for all and any drives from their home in Sheffield.
“We went everywhere in the i3,” says Jim. “It was a city car, but we were really testing the bounds of the range, and that required a lot of patience. The network just wasn’t there. Probably we would stop somewhere north of Derby. Then you had to have a plan B if that was broken, and then a plan C. That was very difficult to do then. And now, of course, it’s quite different.”
More range from every BMW electric model
So, what has changed? Well, first, today’s breed of all-electric models offers far more range than early models like the BMW i3. Take the BMW i4 that Jim is driving today. Depending on which spec you pick, it offers anywhere between 311 miles of range all the way up to 359 miles (WLTP)[1]. That’s enough to get Jim and Jennifer the 175-to-200 miles from Sheffield to see their family in Bristol on one charge.
And that’s true of all the models in BMW’s fast-growing line-up of all-electric models, giving you a comprehensive choice of all-electric saloons, estates and SUVs to fit your lifestyle. For example, the sporty BMW iX2 SUV coupé boasts up to 283 miles of range (WLTP)[1] – enough to get you from Birmingham to Bristol and back on one charge – while the BMW i7 can cover up to 387 miles (WLTP)[1]. That could get you from London to the Lake District on one charge.
More chargers; and more faster chargers
Equally, the UK’s charging network has grown at a rapid pace. According to zap-map.com, as of June 2024 there were over 64,000 devices at 33,800 UK locations. And the network continues to grow fast, with around 2,200 new devices added in June 2024 alone.
The way the network has been laid out also makes real sense. Around 20% of chargers are 50kW+ rapid chargers and 150kW+ ultra-rapid chargers that add a lot of miles in short periods of time – and these tend to be located at motorway service stations and petrol stations on major A-road routes where drivers want to do a quick top-up around coffee and lunch breaks.
That means you can use natural breaks in your journey to incorporate short bursts of top-up charging – something electric converts call ‘grazing’ – before finding a more cost-effective and time-effective ‘destination charging’ option at your final halt.
“The infrastructure is really incomparable with what it was back then,” says Jim. “There are lots of them, and they’re much more reliable.”
Equally, BMW has made accessing the UK’s fast-growing charging network even easier with BMW Charging. It’s an account with simple tariffs that give you easy one-card access to over 36,000 UK chargers and over 760,000 chargers across Europe – all without having to juggle multiple charging accounts and multiple charging cards, while offering the opportunity to take advantage of preferential rates with selected suppliers.[3]
Smarter in-car BMW electric navigation
The in-car BMW Maps on all of BMW’s electric models uses always-online cloud-based Connected Navigation with Connected Charging and Connected Parking to ensure that navigating this wealth of chargers is even more efficient.
BMW Maps can dynamically plot your ideal route: seamlessly syncing the latest real-time traffic with the best, fastest or most cost-effective charging solutions – whether it’s ultra-rapid chargers on your route or charging options near your destination where you can park your vehicle and charge at a slower, more cost-effective rate.
Plus, thanks to the always-online connectivity of electric BMWs, you can also interact seamlessly with your vehicle remotely using the My BMW App on your smartphone.
You can view your battery’s range and charging status from anywhere – whether it’s from the comfort of your sofa when your car is plugged into a home charger, or while you’re grabbing a coffee while your car is plugged into a public charger. It helps you control the time and cost spent charging.[2]
You can then plan the next leg of your journey remotely using the My BMW App, before syncing it seamlessly with the BMW Maps system in your vehicle. You can also pre-condition your car’s interior while it’s plugged in and charging, meaning you don’t waste a minute of your time or any valuable range to ensure your car is at the right temperature – whether cool or warm – for you to get in and head off.
“Driving the i4 is just an amazing experience,” says Jim. “Pretty much we can leave the house now and not worry about where we’re going. It will put a location in and recommend that you go to that, so I don’t look on five different apps to figure out where we’re going.”
As Jennifer adds: “I always ask him: ‘Where are we stopping? Have you planned?’. He says: ‘No need to Jennifer, we just need to go, it’ll be fine. And it is…”
Learn more about BMW’s electric line-up
[1] Battery electric vehicle require mains electricity for charging. These figures were obtained after the battery had been fully charged. Whilst we recommend the battery for this vehicle is normally charged to 80% to help optimise the health and life of your battery, this WLTP figure was obtained after the battery had been charged to 100%. Figures shown are for comparability purposes. Only compare fuel consumption, Co2 and electric range figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures. These figures may not reflect real life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors including the starting charge of the battery, accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load.
[2] Features and functionality dependent on vehicle type and specification.
[3] Customers who have purchased a new fully electric or plug-in-hybrid vehicle through a BMW Centre and whose vehicle handover takes plan on or after 01 April 2021 will receive the “bp pulse” package for one year without subscription fee if they have registered for the Flex tariff. Thereafter, it runs for an indefinite period and can be cancelled by the customer with effect to the contract qualifying date. The contract qualifying date is the day of a month preceding the day equivalent to the date the package was booked. BMW iX1, iX3, iX, i4, i5 and i7 new vehicle customers purchasing through a BMW Centre also receive the “IONITY Plus” package for one year without subscription fee. Thereafter, it runs for an indefinite period and can be cancelled by the customer with effect to the contract qualifying date. The contract qualifying date is the day of a month preceding the day equivalent to the date the package was booked. For full terms and conditions and more information visit: https://bmw-public-charging.com/web/en/bmw-gb/tariffs
