BMW will lease 700 ActiveE electric cars, which are based on the 1 Series coupe, in the United States beginning this year. On Wednesday, the automaker announced a partnership to ensure that customers have a place to plug in.
BMW calls AeroVironment, a California-based supplier of charging units, its “preferred provider,” which is similar to the role filled by the supplier for the purely electric Nissan Leaf. “BMW looked around and did a thorough vetting of suppliers and decided our process was BMW-worthy,” said Kristen Helsel, director of E.V. Solutions at AeroVironment, in a telephone interview. “It’s a great validation.”
After completing an assessment of a lessee’s home, AeroVironment will work with the local government to obtain the necessary permits and then install its 240-volt EVSE-RS charger. According to Ms. Helsel, AeroVironment has installed at least 2,000 charging docks in more than 300 communities. She also notes that some municipalities allow homeowners to file permit paperwork online.
Rich Steinberg, manager of E.V. operations and strategy at BMW, said in a statement that the automaker was joining with AeroVironment because it “offers a seamless, automated customer handling process.” The AeroVironment EVSE-RS takes four to five hours to charge the ActiveE.
With lithium-ion batteries and a claimed 100-mile range, the four-passenger ActiveE succeeds the two-seat Mini E, which was also made available for lease in limited quantities over the last two years.
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