Saar: The kit is already available to order for the BMW 530e iPerformance and the BMW 530Le iPerformance.

At the 2018 Beijing Motor Show, which opened its gates on April 25 and will shut them on the eve of May 4, 2018, BMW has a lot to show. Apart from the X2 and the Concept iX3, which is BMW’s first pure electric vehicle, the company has also unveiled its wireless EV (electric vehicle) charging technology. It is the first time that has been showcased and is already available to order for BMW 530e iPerformance and its stretched twin, the 530Le iPerformance. Out of the two, it is the latter that is available on sale in China but neither are available in India.

Now sit back and grab a cup of coffee if you want because this piece will be a bit dry to swallow. The concept behind wireless EV charging is essentially the same as wireless mobile phone charging. The mobile phone’s back has a receiver, which takes the energy transmitted from the charging pad and juices-up the battery. This operation, in scientific terms, is called inductive charging.

BMW does the same thing with the above-mentioned models, both of which are PHEVs (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles). For an additional fee, BMW will equip the underbody of your car with a receiver. In BMW world, it is called a CarPad. To complete the inductive charging circuit, BMW’s GroundPad will work as the transmitter. The company claims that the contactless energy transfer is conducted over a distance of about eight centimetres. The GroundPad generates a magnetic field and within the CarPad, electric current is induced. This induction charges the onboard batteries.

With a maximum charging power of 3.2kW, the batteries in the 530es can be charged in about 3.5 hours. BMW is claiming an efficiency rate of 85 per cent, which translates to only 15 per cent of energy wasted due to other elements. To align the receiver and the transmitter properly, an overhead view of the car and the surroundings is available on the infotainment screen. As soon as the correct position is reached, the car notifies the driver using a graphic icon. To make things a little more convenient for the driver, the pairing between the receiver and the transmitter can deviate by up to 7 centimetres longitudinally and 14 centimetres laterally.

Also Read: BMW Concept iX3 Makes World Premiere In China

There are more clever touches to make the wireless charging experience as easy as possible. The GroundPad can be used outdoors, regardless of weather conditions. All important components are protected from rain and snow. In fact, even if you accidentally drive over the GroundPad while parking, it won’t get damaged. BMW also claims that the GroundPad is constantly monitored for foreign matters and is automatically switched off if something unusual comes in the way.

This wireless EV charging tech is an important ingredient in BMW’s iNext chapter, which will debut in 2021. Slowly and steadily, the same tech will become available for all PHEV and pure EVs from BMW’s family.

Also Read: Wireless Charging Tech Tested On Kia Soul EV

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Rachit Shad Trehan
A car nutter by heart. A hopeless engineer by education. Gunning for one goal - simplify cars.

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