To power its upcoming test fleet of electric vehicles, BMW announced AeroVironment as the preferred supplier and installer for the ActiveE’s 240-volt home charging dock.
Based on the 1-Series, the BMW ActiveE has a 32-kWh lithium ion battery pack that provides a 100-mile range. The AeroVironment EVSE-RS charging station uses the industry standard SAE J1772 connector to deliver approximately 25 miles of driving range per hour of charging time. Using the EVSE-RS charger, a completely drained battery can be fully recharged in 4 to 5 hours.
BMWs aren’t the only electric cars the EVSE-RS can charge—AeroVironment’s weather-proof station is designed to work with any EV or plug-in hybrid that uses the SAE J1772 connector port. AeroVironment also supplies the home charging system for the Nissan Leaf, and Jay Leno uses the EVSE-RS to charge his Chevy Volt.
In addition to 240-volt home charging stations, AeroVironment provides 440-volt DC fast charging solutions, which recharge batteries up to 80 percent capacity in under 30 minutes. Oregon officials tapped AeroVironment to install eight DC fast chargers at $80,000 a pop along the state’s I-5 corridor and up to two dozen in the Portland area. The Nissan Leaf is the only EV on the market to support the fast-charging technology. However, the Mitsubishi i-Miev will be the next fast-charge-capable car on the market later this year, and the Tesla Model S will have fast-charging capability when it debuts in 2013.
BMW plans to ship 700 ActiveEs to the U.S. for long-term customer testing this fall. Priced at $499 per month with a $2,250 down payment for a 24-month lease, the ActiveEs will be available for drivers in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, Boston, and Connecticut. BMW will launch the all electric i3, formerly the Megacity Vehicle, in 2013.
