Recuperation or energy recovery is also known as regenerative braking. When an electric car brakes, its electric motor becomes a generator. It converts the kinetic energy of the vehicle back into electrical energy – energy that would otherwise dissipate as heat in conventional vehicle brake systems. This recovered energy can thus be reused. But you need a smart brake system for energy recovery to work. This ensures maximum efficiency with all braking processes. And your BMW consumes less electricity. All vehicles fitted with an electric motor are capable of recuperation, not just electric cars. Even vehicles with a mild-hybrid system or plug-in hybrid vehicles are capable of regenerative braking or recuperation.

The electric car battery is the most expensive component of an electric car. Its value is, first and foremost, dependent on the energy it can store, often stated as capacity. The electric car battery has been carefully developed and designed to be used in any everyday situation. Moreover, your own usage habits can positively influence the longevity of the electric car battery.

When an electric car battery is cold, its internal conductivity declines. It emits less power and also takes in less power. The latest BMW electric vehicles are equipped with a battery heat management system to minimize the effects of cold. This ensures that a high level of driving dynamics and charging performance is also available in cold weather. Overall, the battery heat management system and passenger compartment heating system lead to increased consumption and to a reduced range.

An electric car battery warms up during driving and charging. And especially with high power requirements, such as when accelerating or fast charging. The internal temperature of the electric car battery varies according to the environment and its use. The latest electric vehicles from BMW are therefore equipped with a battery heat management system.

There are many ways of charging an electric car or a plug-in hybrid. Either conveniently at home or flexibly on the go. It's up to you. At home, you can charge safely and conveniently with the BMW Wallbox. Alternatively, you can use the BMW Flexible Fast Charger to charge at domestic or industrial charging sockets, and at various charging points near your home. When you’re on the move, you can use the fast charging cable (Mode 3) for public charging and the BMW Charging Card to charge at one of the many charging stations.

You can influence the service life of your battery with clever time management when charging. It's preferable to charge the battery shortly before your planned departure time. This applies especially to AC charging overnight. To this end, you can use the practical “Charging within a time frame” function in the My BMW app. This allows you to set the optimal charging start time. This ensures that your vehicle is perfectly prepared for your next trip. In day-to-day use, AC charging is the best option for conserving your battery. Charging the battery to 80 percent extends the service life of the battery and enhances the charging power. Are you planning a longer journey? If so, DC quick chargers along the route are the perfect choice for quick stops along the way. If you don't plan to use your BMW electric car for a longer period of time, you should keep it at a state of charge between 30 and 50 percent. This also conserves the integrity of the battery in the long term.

Use BMW Charging, a service provided by Digital Charging Solutions GmbH, to charge at facilities across Europe in one of the largest charging networks, which is growing all the time.

The best place to find detailed information about the availability of public charging infrastructure is at https://www.bmw-charging.com. Alternatively, you can easily view public charging posts on BMW Maps in your vehicle’s navigation system or the My BMW app. On all trips, your BMW's navigation system will help you by providing a charge-optimised route for journeys beyond your car's current range. Suggested time-optimised charging stations along the route – for instance at high-power charging stations operated by our partner IONITY – ensure that you can drive with peace of mind, even on longer journeys.