CES 2015: BMW i Home Charging Services revealed

BMW unveiled the i Home Charging Services at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2015. The system has been developed for home charging of electric and plug-in hybrid BMW models. Jointly developed by BMW and Beegy, a provider for distributed energy-management, the carport concept is based on the i Wallbox Pro setup that BMW revealed in September, 2014.

The charging service can support both solar and grid power charging. BMW claims the solar carport with a roof area of 25 square metres or more can produce enough power for 32,000 kilometres of electric driving annually. The vehicle is charged with home-generated solar power whenever it is available. When solar energy is unavailable, the vehicle is automatically charged at the "cheapest off-peak rates". This makes it possible to take advantage of flexible electricity pricing that varies depending on the time of day in markets like the USA. BMW says this could save U.S. customers up to $800 (approximately Rs 50,000) a year.

Systems such as this one are being introduced as brands are looking to provide an impetus to their electric vehicle portfolio. While BMW hasn't announced any plans regarding the i3 for India, the i8 will be launched in our sub-continent in 2015.