Photo: bmw
When developing an electric vehicle, it’s not enough to make it run on electricity for a certain amount of time, in order to reduce CO2 emissions. Sometimes, making an EV instead of a conventional car could mean a greater amount of CO2 is produced while building it, making the whole concept rather useless.
In dealing with such issues, manufacturers have to always keep in mind the fact that a holistic approach is better. BMW knows it and tried to apply the principles of eco friendly car making from the get go.
That’s why the i3 is being built using renewable energy and that’s why recyclable materials are being used in its construction. However, that’s not enough. Using electricity is just the tip of the iceberg, where this electricity comes from is the rest of it.
BMW just announced that it’s joining other auto manufacturers in developing smart charging. What that means is that, together with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the car makers will be working on creating a way to charge the cars with renewable energy and at the most convenient moments of the day.
Today, EVs are still rare birds and charging them doesn’t overwork the infrastructure, allowing the owners to do with them as they please. However, in the future, when their number is expected to grow, it could post some issues.
Furthermore, in the US, electricity prices vary by the time of day so charging your i3 when it’s most convenient is an issue you should keep in mind. That’s what this research is aiming for, making an automated system that takes that worry away from you.
EPRI will work with eight automakers and 15 utility providers across the US to make this happen. Therefore, in addition to making automatic charging a thing, it will also be looking to use renewable energy as much as possible.
“This collaboration will make it easier for electric vehicle drivers to save money by enabling the utility to schedule charging for times during the day when demand for electricity is relatively low,” said Cliff Fietzek, Manager BMW Connected eMobility Group.
“In addition to this collaboration, BMW is developing technology that will allow our customers to easily control when and how their cars charge, and also to seamlessly integrate with home solar power generation and energy management systems,” Fietzek added.
That’s why the i3 is being built using renewable energy and that’s why recyclable materials are being used in its construction. However, that’s not enough. Using electricity is just the tip of the iceberg, where this electricity comes from is the rest of it.
BMW just announced that it’s joining other auto manufacturers in developing smart charging. What that means is that, together with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the car makers will be working on creating a way to charge the cars with renewable energy and at the most convenient moments of the day.
Today, EVs are still rare birds and charging them doesn’t overwork the infrastructure, allowing the owners to do with them as they please. However, in the future, when their number is expected to grow, it could post some issues.
Furthermore, in the US, electricity prices vary by the time of day so charging your i3 when it’s most convenient is an issue you should keep in mind. That’s what this research is aiming for, making an automated system that takes that worry away from you.
EPRI will work with eight automakers and 15 utility providers across the US to make this happen. Therefore, in addition to making automatic charging a thing, it will also be looking to use renewable energy as much as possible.
“This collaboration will make it easier for electric vehicle drivers to save money by enabling the utility to schedule charging for times during the day when demand for electricity is relatively low,” said Cliff Fietzek, Manager BMW Connected eMobility Group.
“In addition to this collaboration, BMW is developing technology that will allow our customers to easily control when and how their cars charge, and also to seamlessly integrate with home solar power generation and energy management systems,” Fietzek added.
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