BMW i has taken the wraps off a solar-powered addition to its Wallbox Pro system at this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
The system, which BMW says will bring a further reduction in the cost of charging 'i' vehicles, integrates solar panels with the domestic electricity supply to charge an i3 or i8 virtually free of charge when the sun is shining. At other times the vehicle is automatically charged via the cheapest off-peak electricity rates, providing what BMW says is a flexible and cost effective charging solution.
BMW estimates than in the US, the system could save as much as $800 each year, and says that once installed, the fully-automated system remains as simple to use as the existing mains-fed Wallbox Pro charging unit.
"With Home Charging Services, BMW is the first vehicle manufacturer to offer such a broad-based EV smart charging product," said BMW project manager, Julian Lienich.
"Our aim is to make mobility as cheap as possible for users and to allow them to maximise their use of green power – but without having to organise everything themselves."
The system demonstrated in Las Vegas showed a solar carport connected to the BMW i Wallbox using real-time solar and home energy data gathering software. The display allows users to view weather and solar power forecasts to better manage optimal solar charging times, while also advising when the domestic electricity supply is at its cheapest.
The Home Charging Services demo also showed BMW's stationary energy storage system which utilises repurposed batteries, previously used in BMW i electric vehicles, to supply charging power gathered from the solar panels when the vehicle returns home each night. Assuming the vehicle isn't present, the stored power may then be used within the house itself, or fed back into the grid.
"The BMW i Smart Charging Services aim to optimise charging costs and make best possible use of home-generated solar power. The fact that the system is integrated with home energy management systems also makes it possible to achieve the best possible balance between household electricity consumption and power used for charging the electric vehicle," said Lienich.
"A solar carport with a roof area of 25 square metres or more can produce enough power for 32,000 kilometres of electric driving a year (global average). Smart use of this power will in future provide BMW i customers with a fully self-sufficient charging solution for their vehicle."
BMW says the system will be available to customers in Europe and the US by as early as 2016 with the Australian market set to follow shortly afterward.
BMW Australia's General Manager, Corporate Communications, Lenore Fletcher, says the local importer is "looking at every possibility available to the local market" and with the obvious benefits of a solar system locally, it will seek to offer the technology as soon as the business case allows.