Free charging if you buy this BMW electric car

BMW Group Australia and Chargefox have teamed up to offer free charging for new i3 and i3s 120Ah electric hatchback customers.

However, the charge-free charging period will only last three years, with just 250kWh of juice allotted to every 12 months.

This amounts to just over six zero-to-100 per cent charges every year, or around 1600km of emissions-free travel distance.

After the allowance is used though, customers can juice up at a discounted rate at four of Chargefox’s Victorian ultra-fast charging stations (Barnawartha, Euroa, Torquay and Airport West) or in Toombul, Queensland.

Chargefox’s charging network will expand to 22 stations around the country by year’s end.

Making use of 350kW ultra-rapid chargers, Chargefox’s network can top up an electric vehicle (EV) from zero to 80 per cent in about 15 minutes, while all electricity used is from 100 per cent renewable energy.

BMW’s i3 and i3s meanwhile, cost $68,700 before on-road costs and $69,900 respectively.

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Both feature an electric motor that sends drive to the rear wheels with the i3 developing 125kW/205Nm and the more potent i3s boasting 135kW/250Nm.

BMW Group Australia boss Vikram Pawah said: “This new collaboration with Chargefox perfectly underlines our commitment to customer centricity.

“Our partnership will make owning an i3 even more pleasurable. Customers can recharge their vehicle very quickly thanks to the new ultra-rapid chargers, and the best is still yet to come with many more charging locations becoming available around Australia before the end of the year,” he said.

BMW Australia also offers plug-in variants of its X5 large SUV, 3 Series mid-sizer and 5 Series large sedan.