Wireless charging for electric cars? BMW makes it possible

The BMW Digital Charging Service system will be available from 2018 and will fully charge our electrified car in three and a half hours.

BMW has launched an efficient and revolutionary charging system for its electrified cars. The so-called BMW Digital Charging Service will enable wireless charging – without the need for any cable – in electrified vehicles (both battery electric and plug-in hybrids). This innovative charging system will be available from 2018 onwards.

With the BMW Digital Charging Service system, the Munich-based company will become the first vehicle manufacturer in the world to offer a service of this kind, although Renault is also developing an alternative that would allow charging of electric cars while in motion.

The wireless charging of BMW is based on two main functions: optimising battery charging in terms of tariffs and the use of solar energy.

Regarding charging optimisation, the service adjusts the vehicle’s charging schedule to the customer’s electricity tariff so as to incur the lowest possible cost.

On the other hand, if the customer has the BMW Wallbox Connect system, the device could charge the zero-emission car using electricity generated by the home solar power system. However, not all of the vehicle’s electricity would come from solar energy in every case, since that would depend on the amount used by the customer at home. For this reason, the system’s power data and the latest weather forecast are used to predict how much solar energy will be available at a given time. This information is then used to determine how much solar energy is not being used in the home, which makes it possible to divert the appropriate amount of electricity to charge our electric car.

The BMW wireless charging system can be installed in a garage but also outdoors. How does it work? The system places charging coils under the vehicle’s underbody, which generate a magnetic field through which electricity is transmitted without any contact being required. The device offers a charging power of up to 3.2 kW and needs about three and a half hours to fully charge the electric vehicle.

The BMW wireless charging will be available as an option for the BMW 530e iPerformance from 2018 onwards.