BMW I3 Performs 30-Minute Full Charge at Public Station
Rapid recharging is as important to electric cars as engines are to airplanes. That is to say, they won’t take off without them.
BMW is one of eight manufacturers that will use the SAE International fast-charge connectors in its electric cars. The company brought an i3 electric city car to San Diego where the first of these fast chargers is located.
“The start of the public DC Combo Fast Charging Infrastructure installations in the U.S. is a great base for the U.S. launch of the new BMW i3 because it will offer our customers the ability to recharge their EV in less than 30 minutes instead of the three hours needed with conventional 220 volt public charging stations” said Cliff Fietzek, Manager Connected eMobility at BMW of North America.
SEE ALSO: BMW i3 Production Begins Today
Chevrolet’s Spark EV will be the first electric vehicle to go on sale with an optional combo charger in December. The BMW i3 will follow it in the second quarter of next year.
The i3 is priced from $42,275 in the U.S. and can carry up to five people. While fully recharging the battery takes 30 minutes on a quick charger, BMW says it can reach 80 percent in 20 minutes. The battery feeds an electric motor, which sends 170 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels. BMW also says the car should be able to travel between 80 and 100 miles.
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Luke is an energetic automotive journalist who spends his time covering industry news and crawling the internet for the latest breaking story. When he isn't in the office, Luke can be found obsessively browsing used car listings, drinking scotch at his favorite bar and dreaming of what to drive next, though the list grows a lot faster than his bank account. He's always on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> looking for a good car conversation. Find Luke on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> and <A title="Luke on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/112531385961538774338?rel=author">Google+</A>.
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