Here’s something that will be transitioning from your phone to your car. BMW is very close to rolling out a wireless charging pad for its cars. That’s right, their cars. The feature is already there, but being able to wirelessly charge your car will be a new addition.
How big is the charging pad? It’s big alright. The charging pad for the 530e iPerformance plug-in hybrid will showcase a charging pad that will go directly under your car. According to BMW, the 9.4kWh battery in the 530e can be charged in about 3.5 hours at 3.2W of power, so just about close to the level you would get when your car is plugged in.
The pad will be connected to a 220-volt outlet. The car’s sensors will then be able to help you steer so that your car lands in the right position for the charging pad. The pad is still under testing and evaluation phase for the US and Canada. BMW plans to launch the wireless charging system as early as next year, but will only work with the 530e iPerformance plug-in hybrid sedan. Other BMW cars such as the i3 and i8 will get the system at a later date.
We currently do not have any information on what the cost might be for the charging pad or when it will arrive commercially to the entire BMW electric fleet. BMW is one of the first manufacturers that will offer wireless vehicle charging from the factory on a model. Looks like Tesla may have some catching up to do.
