Advanced app should make life with the i3 a doddle
By Gavin Conway on January 4, 2012 12:07 PM
Ahead of the 2013 on-sale date for the Golf-sized BMW i3 pure-electric car, the German automaker has released teaser details of an advanced smartphone app that’s like nothing we’ve seen.
As with existing smartphone apps for cars like the Nissan LEAF, the app – previewed on the BMW i Facebook page – allows operators to pre-set charging times to take advantage of cheaper leccy, to pre-heat or cool the car while it's still on the mains and to check the charge level of the battery.
But in a really neat twist, the app includes a route planning function that acknowledges that some trips might require other forms of transportation. So tell it where you want to go and it’ll give precise details about how to get there – you’ll get the message when the highway icon becomes a train for the next leg, or even a pedestrian on foot for the final stretch. Each section has precise timing so you know exactly how long the journey will take. It’s a great idea, and one that should make life with a pure-electric car so much easier.
We’re likely to get more details from next week’s Detroit Auto Show, so check back with us for the latest news.