BMW Group has launched BMW and Mini Charging to give customers access an electric vehicle (EV) charging network across the UK and Europe.
By using an RFID card or app, customers can access the network of 11,000 charge points from different operators across the UK, as well as 173 charge points across Europe, said BMW UK.
Charge point operators include BP Pulse (including ChargeYourCar), ESB, Osprey, Source London and Chargepoint Network UK (including InstaVolt). High-power charging stations via Ionity are also part of the BMW Charging network.
The network gives drivers access to over 8,500 AC and 1,500 DC charging points across the UK and 162,000 AC and 11,000 DC charging points across Europe.
BMW or Mini Charging customers can register for a pay-as-you-go ‘Flex tariff’, which provides the driver with access to all included network operators using a single charge card, without the need for a monthly membership or subscription to each individual operator. Customers choosing this tariff pay for the charging they have used, each month.
BMW and Mini Charging also offers two monthly subscription packages. The ‘BP Pulse’ package (£7.85 per month) offers customers pricing per/kWh when charging at over 5,500 BP Pulse charging points, said BMW UK.
Customers using up to 22kW AC pay just £0.12 per kWh, up to 43kW AC or 50kW DC is £0.15 per kWh, and up to 150kW DC at £0.27 per kWh.
For drivers who use the Ionity charging network, the ‘Ionity Plus’ package (£11.30 per month) provides access to a rate of £0.26 per kWh, saving drivers £0.43 per kWh compared to the pay-as-you-go rate when using up to 350kW DC charging, according to BMW UK.
Customers who purchase a new fully-electric or plug-in hybrid BMW or Mini via a BMW or Mini Centre – including the new Mini Electric – are offered the ‘BP Pulse’ package for 12 months without subscription fee.
The BMW Group is set to take Mini all-electric by the early 2030s with 50% of all its car sales fully electric vehicles (EV) by 2024 as part of a strategy targeting “significant profit growth”.
BMW customers who purchase a new BMW iX3 or BMW iX vehicle via a BMW Centre are also eligible for the ‘Ionity Plus’ package for 12 months, without subscription fee.
Drivers can see a breakdown of their charging history and fees using the App or at the new BMW or MINI Charging website, with the cost of completed charging sessions and any optional package subscriptions invoiced monthly.
Customers can use the My BMW App, Mini Connected App, new BMW/Mini Charging App or BMW/Mini Charging websites to locate nearby charge points.
The BMW and Mini Navigation system also shows nearby charge points, and all charging points within the network.