BMW enhances its app to cure petrol heads’ EV fear

BMW has enhanced its brand apps, My BMW and MINI App, with a new Electric Vehicle Analysis function allowing customers who drive a BMW with a combustion engine to simulate how well an all-electric BMW would suit their driving profile. In other words, accurate data to cure its petrol heads’ range anxiety.

The setup is quite simple. The customer selects an electric BMW model as an alternative vehicle in the app next to the current ICE model he is driving. After doing at least 200 trips and 2,000 kilometers, the analysis shows the number of journeys that could have been completed with the selected electric vehicle at a single charge.

Real-world driving data

“This is intended to combat the range anxiety and concerns about the everyday practicality of all-electric vehicles that are still prevalent today, ” BMW says. ‘Range anxiety’ or the fear of getting stuck with an empty battery is still one of the significant prejudices among people reluctant to switch to electric.

For the simulation, the app uses the real-world driving data for the combustion-engined model in question, as generated by the My Trips function. In general, most people don’t do more than 40 km on average daily, which the app will be able to show with real data.

A sound basis for deciding

” This app will give the customer a sound basis for deciding which drive type to choose in their next vehicle. The function will be upgraded in the future to expand the reach of the analysis. Evaluations of the time vehicles are not in use and of long-distance journeys will be added, combined with information on charging facilities and the time required for charging,” BMW adds.

“Electric vehicles can already be incorporated perfectly into the daily routine of many customers – it’s just that the majority of them haven’t tried it yet,” says Dirk Wiedmann, Senior Vice President of Sales Steering and Strategy, Digitalisation. “Our app’s Electric Vehicle Analysis helps our customers to make an informed judgment in their choice of drive system.”

Improved route planning

Along with the Electric Vehicle Analysis, BMW has worked on improved route planning for electric vehicles with options like avoiding highways, ferries, or toll roads and the possibility of adding individual charging stops. The app also shows available facilities near charging stations, such as restaurants, cafés, banks, and supermarkets, complete with detailed information.

Electric vehicle drivers can now select and manage preferred charging tariffs from a large number of providers in the app’s new Charging Wallet. When the app user selects a charging station, the applicable prices for the selected charging tariffs are shown, depending on availability, allowing the user to choose the cheapest tariff for them.