CES 2015: BMW i showcases home charging system

BMW i has showcased its home charging system at the CES 2015. As the name suggests it is a home -based system for the i3 and the i8 and will be available for purchase from 2016 onwards. It was presented in concept form last year as the Design Works USA solar carport concept and is a fully automated system based on the German automaker’s Wallbox pro system which allows for solar and grid-based charging. 

The system charges the car using solar power and if that is not available it uses what the company deems ‘cheapest off-peak rates’ from the power grid. The entire setup designed to look like a covered parking, takes up a roof area of 25-sq-meters. Using solar energy it can generate power for 32,000km of electric driving. 

The system, in the future, will be joined by stationary energy home storage system which has been built using repurposed BMW I batteries. This system allows from the storing of power generated through solar  energy. 

The BMW i programme is expected to be at the forefront of a variety of models from the Bavaria-based automaker and the creation of such technology means the cars will be fun to drive but in a much more environment friendly way.  

We in India already have such technology. It has been developed by Mahindra Reva and works in pretty much the same manner.