For the car or truck owner who isn’t terribly interested in all the nitty gritty details of technology and just wants a more efficient way to get to and from their job, deciding whether or not an EV is the right choice can seem more insurmountable of a problem than trying to figure out how paper towel advertising math works.
But as is the way of the modern world, fear not—there is now an app for that.
BMW drivers can simulate the EV experience
That’s right. BMW has updated its My BMW and MINI App to include an Electric Vehicle Analysis to assist current customers in deciding whether to switch out their fossil-fueled Bimmer or Mini for an electric version.
The function works as follows. The app allows the driver to choose an electric BMW model they may be interested in, and then the app will simulate that car’s performance and characteristics against the owner’s current car. The ICE car must carry out a minimum of 200 trips and cover a distance of approximately 1,250 miles. The app will then use that data and show how many trips could have been completed with the selected EV on a single charge. This simulation is aimed squarely at combating the ever-present range anxiety that is a pervasive plague among new EV owners.
The app uses real-world data pulled from the My Trips function to analyze owners’ driving behaviors in a personalized way. BMW also intends to upgrade the Electric Vehicle Analysis with future updates, which will include evaluations of the time vehicles are not in use and long-distance trips. Further information regarding the locations of charging stations and factoring in the time it takes for the EV to charge will all provide comprehensive and unique feedback for unsure owners.
In order to be able to use the Electric Vehicle Analysis, customers must own an ICE BMW that uses BMW’s Operating System 7 or higher and give their consent for their driving data to be utilized for the analysis.
Senior Vice President of Sales Steering and Strategy, Digitalisation, Dirk Wiedmann, adds in BMW’s press release:
Electric vehicles can already be incorporated perfectly into the daily routine of many customers – it’s just that the majority of them haven’t tried it yet. Our app’s Electric Vehicle Analysis helps our customers to make an informed judgement in their choice of drive system.”
Many people find it challenging to decide to switch from an internal combustion engine to an electric vehicle due to concerns about range anxiety, charging infrastructure, cold weather, or a myriad of other issues that have come up along the way to the r(EV)olution. But BMW, being the ever-forward-thinking company it is, now allows its ICE customers a glimpse into the possibility of owning an EV without all the real-time trial and error.
