1
NEWS
BMW to roll out 360° Electric locally
Prestige brand will introduce "suite of support services" for i3 EVBMW plans to launch its innovative i3 electric car in Australia next year with at least some backing from its '360° Electric' support program.
Developed for global markets wherever the i3 is to be sold, 360° Electric is "a suite of support services for the i brand," as BMW Australia's General Manager for Marketing, Toni Andreevski explained to motoring.com.au during the launch of the upgraded 5 Series this week.
According to Andreevski, 360° Electric will be tailored to suit different markets around the world. For Australian i3 buyers that means BMW will "consult with clients to find what they'll need..."
What they may need is a wallbox, to recharge the i3 to 80 per cent of battery capacity within six hours. The wallbox supplies charge to the car via a 16Amp connection (versus the standard 10Amp connection of standard household outlets). If the six-hour timeframe seems less than enticing, it is possible that period could be halved with our 240Volt grid. Through 360° Electric, BMW will offer i3 buyers installation of the wallbox, and a green energy contract. That may or may not be the case in Australia when the i3 goes on sale in July 2014.
In other markets the 360° Electric program will provide owners access to public charging facilities and time spent charging the battery can be debited from a credit card – with a smartphone app also available to keep the owner informed of the current battery charge level.
Yet another element of 360° Electric – and one likely to reach Australia – is 'Flexible mobility'.
"People can purchase extra days in another car," Andreevski explained.
On those occasions that an owner must undertake a journey beyond the ability of the i3, BMW can offer a choice of conventional vehicles for the purpose. Taking the spouse down the Great Ocean Road for a weekend away may call for swapping out of the i3 into a 3 Series Convertible. And towing the ski boat to Lake Macquarie is easier with an X5 than an i3.
Flexible Mobility seems to be an important adjunct to selling an electric vehicle in Australia, but it may not be as important as Australians seem to believe. Andreevski says that our age-old view of travel in our capital cities is something of a myth. It has been established statistically that average commutes in Sydney or Melbourne take no longer (or shorter) than peak hour trips elsewhere in the world – irrespective of our lower density housing and marginal road network.
It's why BMW is confident that the i3 will meet its local sales projections – whatever those are. That's despite the importer's determination it won't position the car at a price that's any more affordable than other EVs.
The aim, says Andreevski, is to offer the i3 to buyers who want a high-tech, prestige car that will contribute to their efforts to save the planet. Buyers simply in the market for a car that's cheap to run (and own) do not fall within the bounds of the company's target demographic. Given the i3's innovative construction – that's also expensive to manufacture – it's understandable BMW expects it is a car that can be sold at a higher price on the strength alone of its sophistication.
Andreevski says that BMW will "continue to innovate with new technologies... and charge an appropriate price."
It doesn't bode well for an immediately successful meme, like people dropping everything to rush out and buy a new EV once the i3 arrives. But BMW is laying the groundwork for environmentally sensitive vehicles that are actually profitable, as well as boosting brand image. The company is committed to the holistic concept of the i brand, with the i3 an integral element of that. To illustrate what that means, Andreevski mentioned that the power generation for the Leipzig factory building the EV is entirely supplied by wind generators on site.
And BMW is known for having invested heavily to develop the plant and source the raw materials for the car. At the highest levels of the company it's anticipated the i3 will be a profitable exercise – right around the world, including Australia.
Precise details of what 360° Electric will offer Australian consumers will be revealed closer to the car's launch.
Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site...
Don't forget to register to comment on this article.
Share this article
Written byKen Gratton
See all articlesOur team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Stay up to dateBecome a carsales member and get the latest news, reviews and advice straight to your inbox.
Subscribe todaySell your car with Instant Offer™
Like trade-in but price is regularly higher
1. Get a free Instant Offer™ online in minutes2. An official local dealer will inspect your car3. Finalise the details and get paid the next business day
Get a free Instant Offer
Related articles
Disclaimer
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Love every move.
Buy it. Sell it.Love it.
®Contact
Advertise with us
Local marketplaces
International marketplaces
Scan to download the carsales app
Want more info? Here’s our app landing page
App Store and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo
are trademarks of Google LLC.