For those owners of BMW i models (currently only the i3 or i8) will now be able to charge their car using solar power via an official system. Intuitively called BMW i Home Charging Services, it features a big solar panel, supporting structure and charger.
The automaker had already released its BMW i Wallbox Pro system in the spring of 2014, but now it can get its own electricity independent of the local grid.
Julian Lienich is the project manager and says that “with Home Charging Services, BMW is the first vehicle manufacturer to offer such a broad-based EV smart charging product,” adding that their “aim is to make mobility as cheap as possible for users and to allow them to maximise their use of green power – but without having to organise everything themselves.”
You can see the system in action at in Las Vegas right now, at the Consumer Electronics Show 2015. There you’ll get to see it all set up and working.
BMW hasn’t hinted at how much this costs, but it did say it will become available as of 2016. For reference, the BMW i Wallbox Pro costs around $500 without installation.
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