Plug and play: BMW i Technology as a driver of electrification.

Sustainability. Innovation. Visionary planning. The BMW i models represent not only environmentally-conscious mobility, but also technological progress. Vehicle development is not the BMW Group’s only focus – because the same technology can also be used for many additional applications: From electrified boats and energy storage to local public transport – the BMW Group is literally driving electrification in a wide range of different areas.

With the launch of the BMW i3 in 2013, the BMW Group established itself early as an electromobility pioneer. It created BMW i, a brand dedicated to visionary vehicle concepts and sustainability. Since then, sales of BMW Group electric vehicles have rapidly gained momentum. 

Thanks to technological development and innovative concepts, electromobility will become a growing part of our everyday lives in the foreseeable future. The plug-and-play capabilities built into BMW i3 batteries by their designers open up lots of additional applications outside the car. For example, BMW i high-voltage batteries can also be used for stationary energy storage. By providing buffer storage for renewable solar and wind power, they can boost the energy efficiency of both residential and commercial buildings.

In the field of mobility, the batteries can also be used in many different ways outside the actual vehicle. One of these areas is the boating sector. On the water, the high-voltage battery developed for the BMW i3 also ensures emission-free mobility. Boat-engine manufacturer Torqeedo is now using the high-performance electric drive trains in its Deep Blue model series. The company, founded in 2005, is the world’s leading supplier of electric and hybrid boat-propulsion systems. This development supports the trend towards increased electrification on the water and will soon be used in boats such as ferries and water-taxis.

Electrification is also taking next steps on land: For the first time, a city-bus designed for Turkish manufacturer Karsan for inner-city traffic has been fitted with electric engines and high-voltage batteries developed for the BMW i3. Through this collaboration, BMW i is once again generating impetus for an urban mobility that is geared towards sustainability. The electric city-bus is already in use on one route of the BMW Group shuttle bus network as a pilot project. 
The service sector is also relying on electromobility. For example, since 2017, the BMW Group has supplied Streetscooter GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Deutsche Post, with energy storage technology for local emission-free mobility. The battery modules used in the scooters are structurally identical with those of the current BMW i3 and enable the street-scooter to deliver letters and packages all day long – without having to stop for interim charging.

Growing demand for electrified technology shows that BMW i’s focus on sustainability is both successful and ground-breaking. With concentrated development expertise in electric engines and high-voltage batteries, as well as battery management, the BMW Group is the ideal partner for projects aimed at electrifying everyday life. The signs of the future certainly point to electromobility – and, with its innovative solutions, the BMW Group is already building a more sustainable future.