BMW i3 Home Charger Installation Home Charger Installation

The battery of the BMW i3 120 Ah has a total capacity of 42.2 kWh. The usable capacity is 37.9 kWh. A range of about 145 miles is achievable on a fully charged battery. The actual range will however depend on several factors including climate, terrain, use of climate control systems and driving style.

For example: sustaining high speeds in cold weather could result in a range of around 100 mi. However, driving at low speeds in mild weather will increase the range to around 225 mi.

Charging is done using a Type 2 connector and the on-board charger has a maximum power of 11 kW. This charges a fully depleted battery back to full in around 4 hours 15 minutes. However, a 3-phase grid connection is needed to achieve this. The majority of homes and charge points currently do not have this connection. In most cases the maximum charging power will be 7.4 kW, allowing for a charge time of 6 hours 15 minutes and a charge rate of 24 mph. Charging the car using a regular wall plug will take around 19 hours 30 minutes.

Rapid charging is possible through a CCS connection. The maximum rapid charge power is 49 kW. The battery can't be charged continuously at this power. In an average rapid charge session the average charge power will be around 47 kW. This charges the battery from 10% to 80% in around 40 minutes. A rapid charge like this will add about 100 miles of range.