BMW i is introducing a factory-fitted, fully integrated inductive charging facility for the high-voltage battery in a plug-in hybrid vehicle. Production will start in July. The BMW Wireless Charging option can be ordered now as a leasing-option for the BMW 530e iPerformance (fuel consumption in legislative EU test-cycle combined: 2.3 – 1.9 l/100 km; electricity consumption combined: 13.9 – 13.3 kWh/100 km; CO₂ emissions combined: 52 – 47 g/km).

The system has a charging power of 3.2 kW, enabling the high-voltage batteries on board the BMW 530e iPerformance to be fully charged in around three-and-a-half hours. The efficiency rate is around 85%.

The product offer starts with Germany, subsequently followed by the UK, the US, Japan and China.

BMW Wireless Charging enables electric energy from the grid supply to be transmitted to a vehicle’s high-voltage battery without any cables when the vehicle is positioned over a base pad, which can be installed in a garage, for example. The launch of this technology sees the BMW Group move another step closer to an infrastructure that will make charging the battery of an electrified vehicle even simpler than refueling a car with a conventional engine.

Available to customers as an option, BMW Wireless Charging consists of a Inductive Charging Station

(GroundPad), which can be installed either in a garage or outdoors, and a secondary vehicle component (CarPad) fixed to the underside of the vehicle. The contactless transfer of energy between the GroundPad and CarPad is conducted over a distance of around eight centimeters. The GroundPad generates a magnetic field. In the CarPad an electric current is induced, which then charges the high-voltage battery.

As soon as the vehicle has been parked in the correct position above the inductive Charging Station, followed by a simple push of the Start/Stop button, the charging process is initiated. Once the battery is fully charged, the system switches off automatically.

BMW Wireless Charging also helps the driver to maneuver into the correct parking position. Communication between the charging station and vehicle is established via WiFi. An overhead view of the car and its surroundings then appears in the Control Display with colored lines that help guide the driver while parking. A graphic icon shows when the correct parking position for inductive charging has been reached. This can deviate from the optimum position by up to seven centimeters longitudinally and up to 14 centimeters laterally.

The GroundPad can also be installed outdoors, where it may be used regardless of the weather conditions. All components that conduct electricity are protected from rain and snow, and driving over the GroundPad will not damage it in any way. During charging, ambient electromagnetic radiation is limited to the vehicle undercarriage. The GroundPad is permanently monitored and will be switched off if any foreign matters are detected. The BMW Group also offers an installation service for BMW Wireless Charging, on request.