BMW Launches EV Simulation App

So, you're not considering to become a first adopter of electric vehicles, but you are considering to buy one at one point in your life. Thing is, most of us have no real idea on what owning an EV means, what are the challenges posed by this type of vehicle and, despite all the numbers thrown into the game by the manufacturers, how much range an EV can offer.

To help answer all those questions, before actually spending a fortune on an EV, BMW announced the Evolve app, a piece of software design to simulate the ownership of an EV. Available for iPhone and Android, Evolve is meant to shed some more light on the illusive EVs.

The app works in a very simple manner. As you start your day and get on board your regular internal combustion-engined car, you can start the app. It will immediately kick in, simulating an EV with a maximum range of 100 miles.

As you travel in your car, the app determines your position and how far you've traveled by using the GPS of the phone. The 100 miles you start with slowly begin to decrease, until you reach your destination. This feature will give customers a pretty good idea on whether an EV would meet their driving needs or not.

Once you've reached your destination, you can leave the app running, and it will begin simulating recharging. At the end of the day, a series of stats about distance traveled and time spent driving, parked and charging are brought to your attention.