Electric cars seem to be growing in popularity by the day at the moment, with more and more companies coming up with innovative ways to ensure people buy their EVs. However, it looks like BMW may be winning the race with their new inductive charging which has recently been launched in one western state.
Wireless Charging
One of the biggest downsides to owning an electric vehicle is trying to find somewhere to charge it. However, BMW have come up with a clever solution that may combat all the charging woes. Their new inductive charging technology is coming to market and will revolutionize the industry. However, you have to be living in one of 13 participating counties in California if you want to be one of the first to try it out.
How It Works
Each unit comes with both a GroundPad and CarPad to enable their wireless charging system to work. The GroundPad can be installed on a garage floor or somewhere outside, whereas the CarPad is attached to the undercarriage of the vehicle and connected to the battery. The car display then helps guide you to park directly onto the GroundPad, before you press the ‘Start’ button and watch as the magic works. The system then automatically switches off once your battery is full.
The Downside
The only downside to this, is that it’s only available for certain Californian residents on the 2019 530e plug-in hybrid sedan. Those interested must fill in an application form to be one of the 200 residents able to lease the car for 36 months. The lease cost includes the inductive charging, installation, maintenance, and removal after the lease is up.
This could be a real leap forward for electric vehicles, and we can expect BMW to roll this out around the world if the test goes well.