BMW EVolve App helps drivers evaluate their EV readiness

Nowadays, it seems as though everything has a companion app for the iPhone and Android systems, and automobiles are no exception.  BMW launched today its EVolve mobile app, which is designed to determine whether a given individual’s current travel habits are in sync with the EV lifestyle, without regard to the make of their vehicles, or even their chosen means to transit.

A part of BMW’s approach to what it calls ‘Collective Engineering’, the app was designed in conjunction with MINI E drivers, which are currently participating in BMW’s first formal field trial, started in 2009.  At the core of the app, is a feature that calculates and communicates potential cost savings and environmental benefits of the EV lifestyle, specifically through the filter of their pre-existing habits.  After about three excursions, a user is assigned a compatibility rating from the program.

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“With the EVolve app, BMW intends to help foster a wider acceptance of electric vehicles and understanding of the future of mobility, which is shifting rapidly and significantly. The discussion must break down barriers in the mind of the average driver as he or she is confronted with automobile purchase decisions ahead,” said Rich Steinberg, Manager of Electric Vehicle Operations & Strategy, BMW of North America. “During our first field trial with the MINI E Pioneers, we saw the value in collective engineering. It is a testament that the dialogue between drivers will be as essential with the ActiveE trial as it is to our engineers in preparation for the BMW i3 and i8, BMW’s next electric vehicles.”

For an even more comprehensive experience, users can engage with a site BMW set up at bmwactivatethefuture.com.  The site allows users to plug in their mobile app data or plot a manual trip for feedback from the EV dashboard.

Refresher: The BMW ActiveE is powered by an electric synchronous motor that produces 168-hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. That pushes the BMW ActiveE from 0-60 mph in just 9 seconds with a limited (to preserve battery charge) top speed of 90 mph. On a full charge of its lithium-ion battery provided by SB LiMotive, the BMW ActiveE can travel a total of 150 miles before needing to be recharged.

– By: Stephen Calogera