Where can I charge an electric car?

Your electric car can be charged everywhere – whether at home or at the workplace, from a conventional socket or with the BMW Wallbox for faster charging. When you are travelling, public AC charging stations are available from providers such as ChargeNow or high-power charging stations provided by other charging network providers.

What does it cost to charge an electric car average?

The average costs for charging an electric car vary and depend on the local electricity tariff and/or the provider of the charging station. Currently the ChargeNow public charging stations are free of charge to all BMW Group customers, however there may be a cost when using alternative charging stations provided by other charging network providers.

What is the right way to charge an electric car?

Charging an electric car correctly simply involves inserting the plug. The coloured display inside the charging port flap tells you whether charging is taking place correctly. The charging operation is terminated automatically when the battery is fully charged, which thus protects the battery. At public charging stations please follow the instructions on the respective charging station.

Do I definitely need a charging card to recharge my electric car at charging stations?

Whether a charge card or an app is needed to charge an electric vehicle depends on the charging station. The regular BMW Wallbox can be used without a so-called RFID card whereas the BMW Wallbox Plus has an access-protected control function that uses the RFID card supplied. When on the move, for example, you can use the BMW Charging/ChargeNow card.

How long does it take to charge an electric car or plug-in hybrid?

The time taken to charge electric cars (depending on the cable or charging station) takes longer with alternating current (AC), while direct current (DC) is significantly faster. The new BMW i3, for example, is charged from 0-80% after approx. 40 min. when charged with 50 kW at a high-power charging (DC) station. It requires an app or a card for the DC station depending on the provider. Using the BMW Wallbox takes 3 h 12 min. Since BMW plug-in hybrids can currently only use a maximum of 3.7 kW, they take longer to charge. You can find the exact charging times in the documentation for your vehicle.

Is there any way to speed up the charging process for an electric car?

Yes, there is. You can speed up the charging process for an electric car by using a high-power charging station (DC). For domestic purposes, the use of a Wallbox has advantages over a regular socket. However, the plugs of BMW plug-in hybrids are not compatible with high-power charging stations, no option for fast charging is available here.

BMW charging BMW i3s man at charging station

CHARGING OF OUR ELECTRIC CARS AND PLUG-IN HYBRIDS.

ALL THE INFORMATION & TIPS ON OUR CHARGING OPTIONS.

To make sure you can find the right charging options for your plug-in hybrid or your electric car easily and conveniently, we have compiled the essential information for private and public charging as well as the appropriate cable types. You will also find useful tips here.

BMW public charging BMW hybrid vehicles at a charging station in front of a building

Public charging of electric cars and plug-in hybrids.

Various charging stations are available for charging in public. Currently there are more than 55 ChargeNow charging stations across South Africa and neighbouring countries.

BMW private charging BMW i3 at a charging station in front of a private home

Private charging of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.

Especially when you are at home, charging your battery should be as convenient as possible. This is why we offer several options of charging stations, so-called BMW Wallboxes, as well as a charging cable that you can plug into any socket. This enables you to adapt the charging times and corresponding ranges to match your precise circumstances.

BMW WALLBOXES.

The easiest way to recharge an electric car is to do it at home. With a BMW Wallbox, this can be done quickly and easily. The Wallbox comes in two different versions – check the product descriptions below and select the one that best suits your needs.

BMW Wallbox Original.

The BMW Wallbox Original not only looks better than a conventional socket but is also more practical. It has both single-phase and three-phase technology as well as an integrated charging cable. This device allows you to charge significantly faster than with a conventional socket – for instance, the battery of a BMW i3 can be charged up to a level of 80% in only three hours, which generally means a reduction in charging time of up to 85% compared with a standard cable. It is important to note here that the charging time may be affected by the accessible electricity mains and the vehicle functions.

BMW Wallbox Plus.

The BMW Wallbox Plus has the same product characteristics as the BMW Wallbox. In contrast, however, several designated RFID cards can be allocated to a BMW Wallbox Plus so that different users are able to share or are entitled to operate the BMW Wallbox Plus. This is a particular advantage for Wallboxes installed in buildings with a number of dwellings, such as apartment blocks. In addition, a LAN connection to your electricity meter can be set up so that the Wallbox regulates its own electricity consumption and does not overload the electricity supply for the building.

CHARGING CABLE FOR ELECTRIC CARS AND PLUG-IN HYBRIDS.

Charging cables are distinguished by the type and charging intensity. For private charging, a standard cable, the so-called “Mode 2” charging cable, is supplied with the vehicle and can be used in combination with conventional domestic sockets with alternating current (AC). For public charging, however, the public AC charging cable or also “Mode 3” charging cable is recommended. As hybrid and electric vehicles are designed for certain charging capacities, the rate of charging varies according to the vehicle. Our plug-in hybrids have a maximum charging speed of 3.7 kW. For purely electric vehicles, higher AC and DC charging speeds including high-power charging are available.

Standard cable.

The standard cable is supplied automatically with your electric car or plug-in hybrid. It can be used both for charging at home and, if required, at the workplace, provided a normal domestic socket is available for charging. The cable is 5 metres long and designed for an electricity supply with 230 volts.

BMW AC charging cable in front of grey setting

Public AC charging cable.

The public AC charging cable is used for charging at normal public charging stations. It has a “Type 2” plug on both ends of the cable. and is available in two different versions. For the BMW plug-in hybrids, use the single-phase cable with a maximum output of 3.7 kW. For electric vehicles, you also have the options of a single-phase cable with 7.4 kW or the three-phase cable with 22 kW, of which our BMW electric vehicles have so far been able to use up to 11 kW of the output.

FAQ ON CHARGING ELECTRIC CARS.

Where can I charge an electric car?
Your electric car can be charged everywhere – whether at home or at the workplace, from a conventional socket or with the BMW Wallbox for faster charging. When you are travelling, public AC charging stations are available from providers such as ChargeNow or high-power charging stations provided by other charging network providers.
- BMW Shop
- Find a public charging station
What does it cost to charge an electric car average?
The average costs for charging an electric car vary and depend on the local electricity tariff and/or the provider of the charging station. Currently the ChargeNow public charging stations are free of charge to all BMW Group customers, however there may be a cost when using alternative charging stations provided by other charging network providers.
What is the right way to charge an electric car?
Charging an electric car correctly simply involves inserting the plug. The coloured display inside the charging port flap tells you whether charging is taking place correctly. The charging operation is terminated automatically when the battery is fully charged, which thus protects the battery. At public charging stations please follow the instructions on the respective charging station.
Do I definitely need a charging card to recharge my electric car at charging stations?
Whether a charge card or an app is needed to charge an electric vehicle depends on the charging station. The regular BMW Wallbox can be used without a so-called RFID card whereas the BMW Wallbox Plus has an access-protected control function that uses the RFID card supplied. When on the move, for example, you can use the BMW Charging/ChargeNow card.
How long does it take to charge an electric car or plug-in hybrid?
The time taken to charge electric cars (depending on the cable or charging station) takes longer with alternating current (AC), while direct current (DC) is significantly faster. The new BMW i3, for example, is charged from 0-80% after approx. 40 min. when charged with 50 kW at a high-power charging (DC) station. It requires an app or a card for the DC station depending on the provider. Using the BMW Wallbox takes 3 h 12 min. Since BMW plug-in hybrids can currently only use a maximum of 3.7 kW, they take longer to charge. You can find the exact charging times in the documentation for your vehicle.
Is there any way to speed up the charging process for an electric car?
Yes, there is. You can speed up the charging process for an electric car by using a high-power charging station (DC). For domestic purposes, the use of a Wallbox has advantages over a regular socket. However, the plugs of BMW plug-in hybrids are not compatible with high-power charging stations, no option for fast charging is available here.