Free charging for BMW iX & i4 at Electrify America
In the USA, BMW is offering iX and i4 drivers two years of free fast charging at Electrify America’s more than 3,000 public charging stations. This covers up to 30 minutes of free fast charging per charging session.
The VW subsidiary Electrify America says that the offer starts in March with the launch of the two models in the US. The promotion should be valid from the date of vehicle purchase. For now, the offer is limited to the iX and i4 (each in both engine options), with the German carmakers promising “additional models and benefits” to be announced later.
“The collaboration with Electrify America is one more step on our road towards a sustainable future,” said Sebastian Mackensen, president and CEO of BMW of North America. “Charging availability is a key feature when it comes to electric vehicles.”
With their peak charging capacities of up to 200 kW and a relatively flat charging curve, BMW models should be able to recharge significant amounts of energy during the free 30-minute window. The standard charging process from ten to 80 per cent takes 31 minutes for the 80.6 kWh battery of the of the i4, while the iX xDrive40 (71 kWh) also takes 31 minutes and the iX xDrive 50 with 105.2 kWh takes 35 minutes.
Electrify America currently operates 800 charging parks in North America with a total of 3,500 charging points. In the US, the CCS1 standard is used, and the charging stations set up by Electrify America have a capacity of between 150 and 350 kW. By 2026, the company plans to more than double its infrastructure with 1,800 charging stations consisting of 10,000 individual chargers in the United States and Canada.
While free charging for a certain duration is not available to customers of the iX and i4 in Europe, some other charging perks are: Those who purchase an iX3, i4 or iX are exempt from the basic charge for one year on BMW Charging’s ‘Active’ tariff, which equates to around 60 euros and further savings due to the lower charging costs compared to the free ‘Flex’ tariff. In addition, buyers of the aforementioned three models in Europe receive the Ionity Plus package for one year without a basic fee, which here corresponds to 13 euros per month (i.e., 156 euros) and saving of 0.44 euros/kWh: With the package, only 0.35 euros/kWh is billed instead of 0.79 euros/kWh.
0 Comments