BMW i3 electric car charging guide home & public

Welcome to the BMW range of EVs.

How to charge your BMW i3 (for i3 from 2014 onwards).

Introduced in 2014 and in tandem with the i8 the i3 represented BMWs bold view of an electric and sustainable future.

The BMW i3 EV is surprisingly fast, but did you also know it's uniquely made up of 95% recyclable and sustainable materials, as well as being vegan-friendly, with no animal products used in it's assembly and construction.

Range

Battery Capacity

Plug Type

200 km

33.2 kWh

Type 2

Solar Charge

Yes

Charging

AC & DC

The i3 is BMWs first mass produced low-emission vehicle and they've come a long way since it was first released.

This is a great EV, whether you're buying one direct from the dealer or as a second-hand car, we reckon it'll convert you to electric for good.

All in all, this is car is just about as unique as they come!

The BMW i3 is typically equipped one of two with two charger ports; J1772 or Mennekes (you can check with the dealer or owner when you purchase your i3). However, we can make charging a lot easier and faster by installing a universal charger and matching cable, or a specific charger for your BMW.

Plug Standard: Type 1 / J1772 or Type 2 Mennekes

Maximum AC charge rate: 30 Amps*

Average time to recharge BMW i3

Dealer Supplied Charger 12 hours

15 Amp Charger 5 - 7 hours

32 Amp Charger 3 - 4.5 hours

It's important to note that some BMW i3s can only charge at 15 amps or 3.3kw (rather than 6.6kw) as they only have a single onboard charger.

This means that,irrespective of the EVSE you connect, 3.3kw is best you rate you can charge at.

To check your vehicle navigate to bmwvin.com/ and enter the VIN number of your car. The feature you are looking for is a second "S4U8A -KLE Convenience Charging AC"

BMW i3 electric car...how long to charge at home with a wallbox?

Basically, with the supplied charging cable, the average time to recharge your BMW i3 is up to 12 hours, which suits overnight charging.

But, if you'd like to get that time down a bit and get a faster charge in between work, the school run and home, PLUS do all this with your own self-generated solar power, we have a couple of sleek options for your garage wall.

Firstly, using a 15 amp charger will get your charge time down to 5 - 7 hours and a 32amp charger down to 3 - 4.5 hours; if you don't already have one, you have to get a 15amp powerpoint installed by your electrician.

Or, for fast and efficient wall-mounted charging units, the British-designed Myenergi Zappi and the Swedish ChargeAmps HALO are smart charging units that look great and give you a streamlined EV driving experience.

The Zappi is solar-aware, meaning it connects to your solar system and will only use your own self-generated power. In short, it'll charge your i3 until you need power elsewhere in the house, divert it there, then return it to your EV. You don't pull or pay for power from the grid.