It was recently announced that BMW has partnered with Bosch Automotive Service Solutins to launch a new terminal for DC fast charging electric cars.

This new charger is remarkably compact effect. Its dimensions are as follows: 78 cm high, 48 cm wide, and 30 cm deep. This quick charge port will be sold primarily to dealers at a price of $6,548, which is five times less than other rad charging ports on the market.
BMW understands that the development of electric vehicles requires the development of infrastructure for rapid charging. This is the only way there will be less skeptics and more customers. The key difference between BMW and Tesla Motors Corp (NASDAQ: TSLA) in the charging sphere is that Tesla is trying to be the equivalent of Apple in the technology space and is isolating itself in its exclusivity. BMW, on the other hand, has an iDC Fast Charger, which is priced to appeal to a greater percentage of the market, and it compatible with many other electric vehicles.

Both Tesla and BMW realize that they need to expand and build more charging points in order to successfully grow sales of their electric vehicles. However, Tesla has chosen to develop and install Superchargers that service only drivers of the Model S. BMW has taken a more inclusive approach. With Bosch as its partner, BMW has developed a fast charger that is two times smaller than its current one, is easy to install, is more affordable, and is able to be used with other electric vehicles.

The BMW system operated on a current of 24 kW, while Tesla’s charger operates on a 120 kW current. The charger also operates in a temperature range of -40 degrees Fahrenheit to 185 degrees Fahrenheit. The system is small enough to fit in a suitcase and costs $6,600, whereas other modern chargers are the size of a refrigerator and costs tens of thousands of dollars.

In thirty minutes, a user of the BMW i3 can charge up to 80% of the vehicle’s battery. In comparison, Tesla’s Model S takes the same amount of time to charge just 50%. The BMW charger uses the SAE Combo 1 standard, which supports many other electric vehicles in the United States, including Ford, GM, Volkswagen, Audi, Daimler, Chrysler, and Porche. Starting August 1^st, the chargers will be available at most BMW dealers in the United States. Most of these chargers will also be packaged with the CHAdeMO standard that is used by Nissan and Mitsubishi, so that it can cater to the widest range of electric vehicles possible.

BMW’s goal is to tear down the barriers to access to power, choosing a different approach than Tesla, who wishes to cater exclusively to its own users.

BMW also set up an agreemtn with NRG Energy Inc (NYSE: NRG), an energy company, where BMW owners can charger their i3 batteries at NRG Evgo terminals located in California for free. By the end of 2015, NRG expects to build a network of 100 rapid charging stations in California.

 

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