BMW plugs in comprehensive e-mobility plan

A BMW i3 is displayed at the 13th Shenyang (China) International Automobile Industry Expo 2014 in Shenyang, capital of Northeast China's Liaoning province, June 30, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua]

As it rolls out a solution to help Chinese customers get closer to green mobility, BMW says owning an electric car is not as difficult as people think.

"As BMW's sub-brand representing its e-mobility concepts, BMW i with its inspiring design and holistic approach to visionary mobility manifests BMW's determination to shape the trends of future mobility," said Gunther Quest, head of BMW i and E-mobility for Region China.

"We are launching a whole package of purpose-built e-mobility services and products including home charging, professional after-sales service and flexible financial solutions to ensure that every customer will enjoy the driving pleasure of the BMW i," Quest said.

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Home charging

The electric BMW i is fully charged overnight with the help of the carmaker's integrated solution that includes a home charging station.

The charging facility installation takes three steps, from pre-assessment, parking space inspection and installation.

Customers first need to make sure their parking spaces meet the requirements for installation and then will be asked to fill out a pre-assessment questionnaire to determine the feasibility.

That is followed by parking space inspection, where the service people work out the best solutions on where the facility will be installed and how the wiring is routed.

If an application for installation is required by local policies, BMW i's service people will help customers collect relevant materials and provide them with application service.

Next, BMW i's service staff work on wiring and installation, test it and then hand it over to customers.

BMW i offers a three-year warranty on the charging facility, which is effective from the date of handover.

"BMW China is in active discussions with a growing number of charger installation companies to make its home charging solutions available to BMW i customers," said Ne-Hyun Choi, senior manager for Aftersales BMW i.