BMW previews wireless charging for 2018 on 530e iPerformance
Wireless charging arrives for BMW vehicles next year, with the firm's plug-in 5-Series the first car to benefit
BMW has previewed its wireless charging system for plug-in vehicles, confirming that wireless charging will first be made available on the 530e iPerformance – the firm’s plug-in 5-Series – at some stage in 2018.
Ahead of the technology becoming available, BMW has released a short video explaining how the system works, alongside details of how long it takes to recharge the 530e iPerformance’s 9.2kWh battery pack using the new inductive charging pad.
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The pad itself is placed on the floor of the garage or parking space where the car is kept, and automatically begins recharging once the car is in place.
According to the video, the 530e’s birds-eye-view camera system is used in tandem with a front facing camera to guide the driver into place, so that the charging coils placed underneath the car are positioned right above the pad.
An alternating magnetic field is generated between the charging coils fitted to the car and pad, and the 530e’s cells are recharged wirelessly with a 3.2kW current, meaning a total charge time of 3.5 hours. That’s faster than through a standard UK household plug, but slower than the sub-three hour charge time BMW quotes for its 3.7kW wallbox charging station.
The system will become available at some stage next year, though BMW has not made it clear when in 2018 we can expect the pad to hit the 530e’s options list.
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