As manufacturers continue to make the shift towards electrification, one of the largest hurdles to making that transition is charging an electric vehicle. Even as impressive fast charging technology works to close the gap, charging an electric vehicle still takes significantly longer than refueling a combustion-powered car, and manufacturers throughout the industry are coming up with solutions that make it easy, comfortable, and convenient when it does come time to charge your car.
BMW’s latest innovation seeks to make EV charging more convenient and user-friendly than before, and it’s by turning your car into a rolling credit card for payments at public charging stations. MINI and BMW drivers in Germany have been able to use the feature since March 16, being able to use public charging stations with Plug & Charge without a prior charging contract.
The feature uses a credit card that is on file with BMW or MINI, and after logging in with a customer ID in the vehicle, the credit card is authenticated and the charging process starts automatically. This eliminates the need for things like an additional app, a charging card, or other manual steps.
For supported charging stations, pricing is also transparently displayed in the vehicle or on the app. Currently, the feature is available to those with a BMW or MINI account, even in rented or company cars, across over 1,400 charging points in Germany and Austria. Over the course of the year, BMW Group says that the feature will launch with additional charging point operators and markets.
Image Source: BMW
