What do I have to consider if my electric car is left standing still or parked for a longer period of time?

If you need to park your vehicle for a long time, say when away on holiday, there are different factors than can have a positive effect on the battery: maintain a charge of between 30 and 50% and park your car in a cool place or in the shade in summer, and in a garage in winter. Do not leave your vehicle plugged in to charge for longer stationary periods.

BMW ELECTRIC CARS.

DYNAMIC. CONVENIENT. 100 % ELECTRIC.

Go to the models

{model.description}: Energy consumption, combined WLTP in kWh/100 km^[1]: {techdata.electricConsumption}; Electric range, WLTP in km^[2]: {techdata.electricRangeWltpCombined}

BMW iX M60: Energy consumption, combined WLTP in kWh/100 km^[1]: {techdata.electricConsumption}; Electric range, WLTP in km^[2]: {techdata.electricRangeWltpCombined}

Experience the future of e-mobility with the wide range of models from the BMW i Series. Electric cars from compact small cars to elegant Sedans, spacious Tourings and fully electric SUVs – our fully electric ranges get you to your destination on everyday trips and longer journeys.

THE WIDE RANGE OF BMW ELECTRIC CAR MODELS.

- BMW i4 M50 xDrive
- Electric Range (WLTP)^[2]
  {techdata.electricRangeWltpCombined} km
- DC charging time (10-80% state of charge)^[3]
  {techdata.charge_DC_10_80} min
- Discover now

Electric Range (WLTP)^[2]	{techdata.electricRangeWltpCombined} km

DC charging time (10-80% state of charge)^[3]	{techdata.charge_DC_10_80} min

- BMW iX2 eDrive20
- Electric Range (WLTP)^[2]
  {techdata.electricRangeWltpCombined} km
- DC charging time (10-80% state of charge)^[3]
  {techdata.charge_DC_10_80} min
- Discover now
- BMW iX 40 Sport
- Electric Range (WLTP)^[2]
  {techdata.electricRangeWltpCombined} km
- DC charging time (10-80% state of charge)^[3]
  {techdata.charge_DC_10_80} min
- Discover now
- BMW iX1 eDrive20
- Electric Range (WLTP)^[2]
  {techdata.electricRangeWltpCombined} km
- DC charging time (10-80% state of charge)^[3]
  {techdata.charge_DC_10_80} min
- Discover now
- BMW iX3
- Electric Range (WLTP)^[2]
  - km
- DC charging time (10-80% state of charge)^[3]
  0:31 min
- Discover now
- BMW iX M60
- Electric Range (WLTP)^[2]
  {techdata.electricRangeWltpCombined} km
- DC charging time (10-80% state of charge)^[3]
  {techdata.charge_DC_10_80} min
- Discover now

Electric Range (WLTP)^[2]	{techdata.electricRangeWltpCombined} km

DC charging time (10-80% state of charge)^[3]	{techdata.charge_DC_10_80} min

Electric Range (WLTP)^[2]	{techdata.electricRangeWltpCombined} km

DC charging time (10-80% state of charge)^[3]	{techdata.charge_DC_10_80} min

Electric Range (WLTP)^[2]	{techdata.electricRangeWltpCombined} km

DC charging time (10-80% state of charge)^[3]	{techdata.charge_DC_10_80} min

Electric Range (WLTP)^[2]	- km

DC charging time (10-80% state of charge)^[3]	0:31 min

Electric Range (WLTP)^[2]	{techdata.electricRangeWltpCombined} km

DC charging time (10-80% state of charge)^[3]	{techdata.charge_DC_10_80} min

{model.description}: Energy consumption, combined WLTP in kWh/100 km^[1]: {techdata.electricConsumption}; Electric range, WLTP in km^[2]: {techdata.electricRangeWltpCombined}

BMW i4 M50 xDrive: Energy consumption, combined WLTP in kWh/100 km^[1]: 22.5 - 18; Electric range, WLTP in km^[2]: 415 - 520

{model.description}: Energy consumption, combined WLTP in kWh/100 km^[1]: {techdata.electricConsumption}; Electric range, WLTP in km^[2]: {techdata.electricRangeWltpCombined}

BMW iX2 eDrive20: Energy consumption, combined WLTP in kWh/100 km^[1]: {techdata.electricConsumption}; Electric range, WLTP in km^[2]: {techdata.electricRangeWltpCombined}

BMW iX 40 Sport: Energy consumption, combined WLTP in kWh/100 km^[1]: 20.8–20.2; Electric range, WLTP in km^[2]: 406–418

BMW iX1 eDrive20: Energy consumption, combined WLTP in kWh/100 km^[1]: {techdata.electricConsumption}; Electric range, WLTP in km^[2]: {techdata.electricRangeWltpCombined}

BMW iX3: Energy consumption, combined WLTP in kWh/100 km^[1]: -; Electric range, WLTP in km^[2]: -

BMW iX M60: Energy consumption, combined WLTP in kWh/100 km^[1]: {techdata.electricConsumption}; Electric range, WLTP in km^[2]: {techdata.electricRangeWltpCombined}

COMPARE CARS AND CHOOSE THE RIGHT BMW.

Choose the cars that interest you. These are clearly displayed next to each other. For example, compare an electric car with a model with a plug-in hybrid drive and a combustion engine, with diesel or petrol. You can see at a glance how the vehicles differ from each other. This way you can make your own, informed decision.

Compare vehicles

ELECTRIC CAR OFFERS

FIND YOUR BMW ELECTRIC CAR.

YOUR NEW BMW ELECTRIC CAR.

Find available BMW models and buy or lease your BMW directly online. Fully electric cars and plug-in hybrids. For example, the BMW iX, the BMW i4 or the BMW i5. There are many offers to choose from.

BMW electric cars available now

USED BMW ELECTRIC CARS.

Used BMW cars have no reason to hide. The same of course applies to BMW’s electric cars. Find available used BMW electric cars, for sale or to lease.

BMW electric cars available now

THE BENEFITS OF BMW ELECTRIC CARS.

LOCALLY EMISSION-FREE.

Now you can drive locally emission-free and almost silently on shorter trips or around town. This means that you can reduce your CO2 emissions and noise levels in town, and at the same time set an example of environmentally-conscious mobility. Find out more about how e-mobility impacts our environment.

CHARGING MADE EASY.

Use your own wallbox to charge your electric car conveniently from the comfort of your own home. Charge it overnight to start the day with a charged battery. The benefits of having your own charging station: you save time and your electric car charges reliably at home.

LOW RUNNING COSTS.

Reduce CO2 and save costs. The ongoing service costs of an electric car are lower compared to a combustion engine car. As some parts are not susceptible to wear, like spark plugs, oil filters or an exhaust system, the service costs are lower.

HOW TO POSITIVELY IMPACT THE SERVICE LIFE OF YOUR ELECTRIC CAR BATTERY.

Find out how the battery and electric motor of an electric car work. How you can positively influence the life of the high-voltage battery. And how quietly and powerfully an electric car accelerates and cleverly recovers energy when you brake.

Find out more

ELECTRIC CAR RANGE

FAR. FURTHER. ELECTRIC RANGE.

Get to far-flung destinations with ease with the range of our electric cars. The charge-optimised route planner in the vehicle automatically finds the best and fastest charging options along the route according to your needs. At the same time, an anticipatory and even driving style further increases the range of your electric car. You can conveniently plan your route in advance from the comfort of your home on the My BMW app.

VIEW CHARGING STATIONS AND RANGE FOR YOUR ELECTRIC CAR.

km Range (WLTP)

Find out more

Range of

Start

Destination

Charging stops required

Stop(s)

Total charging time

Remaining state of charge

Total travel time incl. charging

Total travel time

Charging power depends on the state of charge, ambient temperature, individual driving profile, the use of auxiliary consumers, and the chosen vehicle. The charging times apply to ambient temperatures of 23 C following previous driving, and may differ depending on usage behaviour. The figures shown represent suggested figures for the basic configuration of the selected model. These figures may differ for vehicles with a different equipment specification.

The My BMW app tells you the range and state of charge any time, anywhere, at a glance. You can also easily plan routes optimised for charging and send them to your vehicle. Download the app now and try it out in demo mode.

km Range (WLTP)

Find out more

Charging Times

Charging times for

Public Charging

High-power charging station

DC fast charging station

AC charging station

Home Charging

Wallbox / Flexible Fast Charger

Filter charging stations

High-power charging station

DC fast charging station

AC charging station

The charging capacity depends on the charge level, ambient temperature, individual driving profile and use of auxiliary devices as well as the actual vehicle selected. The charging times apply to ambient temperatures of 23 °C following a prior journey and may deviate according to usage characteristics. The values displayed are examples for the basic configuration of the model selected. The values may vary if the same vehicle has different equipment options.

The My BMW app tells you the range and state of charge any time, anywhere, at a glance. You can also easily plan routes optimised for charging and send them to your vehicle. Download the app now and try it out in demo mode.

CAREFREE CHARGING OF YOUR ELECTRIC CAR.

Find out more about modern charging technologies in a convenient charging infrastructure and the different types of charging with BMW Charging. Whether you need a fast charge on a long journey, near a café, or conveniently at your home using a wallbox. Find the right charging option for your electric car, to suit your lifestyle.

FOR CUSTOMERS BY CUSTOMERS: ELECTROMOBILITY IN EVERYDAY LIFE.

"I quickly realised how much fun driving an electric vehicle can be."

Once BMW, always BMW. Once electric, always electric. Watch the video to see how a long-time fan of sporty combustion engines discovered the fascination and driving pleasure of fully electric mobility.

0:00 / 0:00

Configure BMW iX M60

Explore the BMW iX

Available BMW iX

Watch episode 1

THE COST OF AN ELECTRIC CAR.

What does it cost to charge an electric car? Save money with lower service costs and lower taxes. Are there subsidies or incentives for electric cars? Find out if an electric car makes sense for you.

PLUG-IN HYBRID: FLEXIBLY ON THE GO.

BMW plug-in hybrid models combine the best of both worlds. You can now drive locally emission-free with an electric drive on shorter trips or around town. And, as usual, their petrol engine will support you on longer journeys. 

HYDROGEN AS THE FUEL OF THE FUTURE.

With the BMW iX5 Hydrogen concept car, BMW is presenting an innovative hydrogen vehicle. The BMW iX5 Hydrogen only needs 3-4 minutes to refuel for a range of up to 504 km. This means you can use it as you would a car with a regular combustion engine, while offering you all the advantages of electric mobility.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.

A BEV (battery electric vehicle) drives exclusively on electricity, driven by an electric motor. It therefore has no combustion engine to power the vehicle. The electrical energy is stored in a high-voltage battery. Alongside other factors^[1] it is mainly its capacity that determines the range of the electric car, in other words, the distance that it can cover with one battery charge. An electric car is considerably more efficient than vehicles with combustion engines, among other things because the drive motor feeds the brake energy back to the battery, a process called recuperation. In addition, electric cars drive locally emission-free. This is a significant difference from combustion engines

Fully electric cars are ideal for users who can charge their electric car battery at work or at home. At the same time, the public charging infrastructure is expanding at a rapid pace. New charging stations are therefore appearing all the time in urban areas and along motorways. There are also a number of high-power charging stations for ultra-fast charging on longer journeys, such as the charging stations operated by our partner IONITY in Europe. Long journeys are set to become ever simpler.

^[1] Other factors affecting the range include the aerodynamics of the vehicle, the travel speed (e. g. motorway/urban driving), driving style, outside temperature etc.

An electric car provides a completely new and emotional driving experience. You will experience amazing electric dynamics, thanks to maximum torque from a standing start with seamless acceleration. At the same time, the almost silent electric motor delivers a new and relaxed driving experience.

A battery electric vehicle is also locally emission-free. It's also almost silent and therefore does its best to protect our environment.

Further benefits of battery electric vehicles include the highest level of government subsidy and tax concessions.

Temperature is a key external factor that affects a battery's performance and capacity. This is no doubt a factor you may have experienced with your mobile phone: its capacity is also limited in very cold temperatures. It's the same with your vehicle. The influence of temperature is minimised by optimised operating strategies, however.

And did you know that the battery capacity also indicates your possible available range? Apart from the temperature, the range is largely affected by your personal driving style, and also by energy consumption factors, such as the air conditioning, trailer load, luggage etc. By far the most important factor in terms of driving style is your chosen motorway speed.

If you need to charge on the go, your BMW electric vehicle will be preconditioned when you enter a DC charging station^[1] as your destination. This means that the high-voltage battery will be adjusted to the optimum operating temperature when you reach your destination, which will increase its charging capability and shorten the charging time.

^[1] Only relevant for BMW electric vehicles.

Electric cars are considered environmentally friendly by the public because, unlike combustion engine cars, they do not produce exhaust emissions locally. However, looking at the entire life-cycle of an electric car paints a different picture: CO2 emissions and pollutants are generated in the raw material supply chains and during production of the vehicles. The type of electricity used also needs to be taken into account. Due to the energy-intensive production of the high-voltage battery, a finished electric vehicle has a higher carbon footprint than a comparable combustion engine model. This balance only shifts in favour of the electric car during its use. You can further improve your vehicle's environmental footprint by charging your electric car at home with green power such as using electricity from your own solar panels. Once you consider the whole life-cycle of an electric car, its global warming potential is lower than that of a comparable combustion vehicle.

You also need to consider the efficiency of your drive system. Here, efficiency means the percentage of the energy supplied that is actually converted into the required form of energy. The electric drive system in the current generation of BMW electric cars has an efficiency of up to 95%.^[1] However, the efficiency falls to around 75% if the driving cycle prescribed for the EU (WLTP) plus charging losses and battery depletion are also taken into account. So when driving a BMW electric car, around 75% of the energy charged is actually used for forward motion. Under comparable conditions, a petrol engine car has an efficiency of about 20%. Furthermore, electric cars have the advantage that they generate minimal noise, and so are less stressful for people and animals.

^[1] Drive unit consisting of electric motor, power electronics and transmission, best efficiency value

The ideal charge is between 10 and 80%. A lower or higher charge is possible, but a charge range of between 10 and 80% is recommended to optimise the service life of your battery. Simply and conveniently set your charging target to 80% in your vehicle menu, and let your car do the rest. 

A charging target of 80% will cover all your everyday trips. And when you really need more range, you can just set a higher charging target.

MORE INFORMATION.

TEST DRIVE THE BMW MODEL OF YOUR CHOICE.

Would you like to experience for yourself how your ideal electric model drives and feels? Simply arrange an online appointment for a test drive when it suits you. Your local BMW partner will contact you with all the information you need.

Book a test drive

WOULD YOU LIKE A PERSONAL CONSULTATION?

Please contact your local BMW dealership with any questions or for more information or a quotation. Our professional BMW service personnel will be happy to advise you by phone or in person.

Find your BMW Service Partner

BMW CUSTOMER SUPPORT.

BMW Customer Support is on hand to help you with all BMW-related issues – so that you get answers to all your questions: whether you're an existing BMW driver or are planning to purchase a new BMW.

Find out more

Consumption and CO2 emissions.

{model.description}: Energy consumption, combined WLTP in kWh/100 km^[1]: {techdata.electricConsumption}; Electric range, WLTP in km^[2]: {techdata.electricRangeWltpCombined}

BMW i4 M50 xDrive: Energy consumption, combined WLTP in kWh/100 km^[1]: 22.5 - 18; Electric range, WLTP in km^[2]: 415 - 520

{model.description}: Energy consumption, combined WLTP in kWh/100 km^[1]: {techdata.electricConsumption}; Electric range, WLTP in km^[2]: {techdata.electricRangeWltpCombined}

BMW iX2 eDrive20: Energy consumption, combined WLTP in kWh/100 km^[1]: {techdata.electricConsumption}; Electric range, WLTP in km^[2]: {techdata.electricRangeWltpCombined}

BMW iX 40 Sport: Energy consumption, combined WLTP in kWh/100 km^[1]: 20.8–20.2; Electric range, WLTP in km^[2]: 406–418

BMW iX1 eDrive20: Energy consumption, combined WLTP in kWh/100 km^[1]: {techdata.electricConsumption}; Electric range, WLTP in km^[2]: {techdata.electricRangeWltpCombined}

BMW iX3: Energy consumption, combined WLTP in kWh/100 km^[1]: -; Electric range, WLTP in km^[2]: -

BMW iX M60: Energy consumption, combined WLTP in kWh/100 km^[1]: {techdata.electricConsumption}; Electric range, WLTP in km^[2]: {techdata.electricRangeWltpCombined}

The values of fuel consumptions, CO2 emissions and energy consumptions shown were determined according to the European Regulation (EC) 715/2007 in the version applicable at the time of type approval. The figures refer to a vehicle with basic configuration in Germany and the range shown considers optional equipment and the different size of wheels and tires available on the selected model.

The CO2 efficiency specifications are determined according to Directive 1999/94/EC and the European Regulation in its current version applicable. The values shown are based on the fuel consumption, CO2 values and energy consumptions according to the NEDC cycle for the classification.

When charging times are shown they can be affected by a number of factors such as type of charger, voltage supplied to the charger/car and type of current (AC or DC) supplied to the charger/car. The car also plays a role in charging times as it can be set by the driver to accept various different amperage and should preconditioning be used to heat or cool the vehicle while charging this will also affect the charging time.

The basis for the calculation of the charging times for 100 km range is the electric consumption of the vehicle based on the use of a high-Powered Charging station (HPC) or charging type and current as indicted in the literature above. The testing procedure measures are based on a 23 degrees Celsius battery start and ambient temperature with certification values excluding additional auxiliary consuming devices and systems within the vehicle such as seat heating, displays, air conditioning.

Individual consumption (fuel economy) may differ due to driving profile, vehicle load profile, auxiliary consumer usage, temperature, and ambient conditions. Consumption is based on WLTP or NEDC (whichever is indicated) best case conditions and is independently tested for BMW Group. If you are comparing this range with other models or brands make sure they are stating the same WLTP or NEDC testing regime. These results can be used to compare vehicles on a close to “like for like” basis but are unlikely to be achieved in real world conditions for reasons including temperature variation, driving conditions and the use of the auxiliary systems referred to above.

Information provided and images displayed on this site include overseas models and may show some features not available in New Zealand. Please contact an authorised BMW dealer for specific information on vehicles and features available in New Zealand. Product changes may have been made since production of this content.

^[1] Official data for fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, power consumption and electric range was determined in accordance with the prescribed measuring procedure and corresponds to European Regulation (EC) 715/2007 in the applicable version. For ranges, data determined as per WLTP takes into account any optional equipment (available on the German market in this case). For vehicles that have been newly type approved since 1 January 2021, only the official data according to WLTP exists. In addition, NEDC values are deleted from the certificates of conformity as of 1 January 2023 by EC regulation 2022/195. For more information about NEDC and WLTP measuring procedures visit www.bmw.com/wltp

Further information about fuel consumption and official model-specific CO2 emissions of new passenger cars can be found in the "Guideline for fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and electric power consumption for new passenger cars", available free of charge at all points of sale, at the Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH (DAT), Hellmuth-Hirth-Str. 1, 73760 Ostfildern-Scharnhausen, Germany, and under https://www.dat.de/co2/.

^[2] Range depends on various factors, in particular: individual driving style, route characteristics, outside temperature, heating/air conditioning, pre-conditioning.

^[3] The charging performance depends on the state of charge, ambient temperature, individual driving profile and use of auxiliary consumers. The ranges shown are based on the WLTP best case. The charging times apply to ambient temperatures of 23 degrees Celsius after a preceding drive and may differ depending on the usage behaviour.