BMW i3 Fully Electric Vehicle - Battery & Charging Technology

The i3 Battery

The lithium-ion high-voltage battery is positioned centrally in the Drive module of the BMW i3 and thus optimally protected against outside influences. A specially-developed heating and air conditioning system ensures as little temperature fluctuations as possible which significantly increases the service life of the high-voltage battery.

The Battery Guard supports the BMW i3 owner by monitoring the high-voltage battery of the vehicle and notifying the owner, for example, if a deviation from the planned charging procedure occurs or, for example, if the vehicle lights were left on for too long.

The high-voltage battery is guaranteed for eight years or 100,000 km.*

* for 70 % of the charging capacity.

BMW iWallbox

If you have your own parking space at home, you can easily charge the BMW i3 using the BMW i Wallbox. This charging station, which is mounted to the wall of the house or the garage, not only completes the unique design of the BMW i vehicles, it also charges the BMW i3 up to 30 % faster than the standard included charging cable – thus charging the BMW i3 to 80 % charging capacity in under 6 hours.*

The Wallbox Pure, including individual installation service is available from BMW directly. To see if your private residence is suitable for the installation of the wallbox, please check the link below. And because BMW i stands for seamless sustainability in e-mobility, you can also conclude a green energy contract from a selected BMW i Partner, if desired.

* based on 16 A current     

ChargeNow - Public Charging

BMW i has created an innovative concept that also offers optimal charging options for the BMW i3 on the go. In addition to ChargeNow – a mobility service from BMW i and the largest association of mobile charging station providers – this concept also includes semi-public parking options for long-term parkers, where the BMW i3 can be charged; for example, in parking garages.

The navigation of the BMW i3 supports you during the search for suitable charging options, which are displayed in the vehicle, on the BMW i Remote App, and in the BMW ConnectedDrive Internet portal and are taken into account by the range assistant. The use is cashless and possible using a centrally valid access card, the ChargeNow card. You are simply billed monthly for the electricity costs.

Photos and data courtesy of BMW USA

Electric Vehicles More Polluting than Gas/Diesel Cars

Nissan Leaf. All electric vehicle at charging station.

Electric vehicle buyers have a new reason to feel conflicted about their forward-thinking purchases, thanks to a recent study which suggests EVs are potentially more polluting than their gas-powered counterparts.

According to The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, the environmental ramifications of EVs from well to wheel are significant. The study took into account all factors along the lifecycle of an electric vehicle, from the toxic battery ingredients like nickel and copper to the energy sources which power the grids that ultimately charge the cars' batteries. "The global warming potential from electric vehicle production is about twice that of conventional vehicles," one part of the study concludes, indicating that energy developed from lignite, coal, or heavy oil combustion makes it "counterproductive to promote electric vehicles."

One part of the finding suggests that EVs driven in Europe have an environmental advantage over other global communities. "Electric vehicles powered by the present European electricity mix offer a 10 percent to 24 percent decrease in their global warming potential relative to conventional diesel or petrol vehicles," the study says. Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche echoed that sentiment. "According to our results, a battery electric vehicle, with electricity produced by the power generation mix we currently have in Europe, compares favorably in the magnitude of 10 percent or so with diesel," he told the BBC.

Sources: The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (click for abstract), BBC; thanks to Shahdad Kelishadi for the tip!

by Basem Wasef | popular mechanics

New Battery Can Charge 120 Times Faster

The Chevy Volt

A group of Korean scientists, working at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), have developed a fast-charge lithium-ion battery that can be recharged 30 to 120 times faster than conventional li-ion batteries. The team believes it can build a battery pack for electric vehicles that can be fully charged in less than a minute.

One of the main issues with rechargeable batteries is that they take longer to recharge as their physical volume grows. When you recharge a battery, it charges from the outside in — so the larger the battery, the longer it takes. You can somewhat avoid this by breaking larger batteries into smaller individual cells, but that technique only gets you so far.

The Korean method takes the cathode material — standard lithium manganese oxide (LMO) in this case — and soaks it in a solution containing graphite. Then, by carbonizing the graphite-soaked LMO, the graphite turns into a dense network of conductive traces that run throughout the cathode. This new cathode is then packaged normally, with an electrolyte and graphite anode, to create the fast-charging li-ion battery. Other factors, such as the battery’s energy density and cycle life seem to remain unchanged.

These networks of carbonized graphite effectively act like blood vessels, allowing every part of the battery to recharge at the same time — thus speeding up recharge by 30 to 120 times.

Now, for all intents and purposes, this is a standard lithium-ion battery that could be used in smartphones and laptops — but the network of conductive traces does increase the overall size of the battery, so it’s probably better suited for use in electric vehicles (EVs). Obviously, an EV that can be recharged in under a minute is pretty crazy — though it still only brings them in-line with their gas-guzzling cousins. Being able to charge quickly is convenient, but it doesn't get around the fact that li-ion battery packs are incredibly expensive — and the Korean carbonized LMO battery certainly won’t be cheap.

I could see fast-charge batteries as being a nice option for smartphone and laptop users, though: You could have a normal battery and a fast-charge battery, and switch in whichever one makes most sense for your daily routine. Fast-charge batteries could be convenient in wireless mice and keyboards, and other gizmos, too.

Other Great Reads

• Save Big on Laptop and Phone Batteries
• Complete Guide: The Different Battery Types and Technologies
• Top 5 Laptop Battery Myths

Edited by Limewit Tech Blog
Written by Sebastian Anthony
Photos courtesy of UNIST