Customers of new BMW and MINI EVs and PHEVs will have the option of a home charger installation or 3 years of free EV charging at Shell Recharge outlets.
According to a recent survey done by BMW Group Asia, 70 percent of respondents cited convenient access to public charging as one of the top motivators for purchasing an EV. While the public charging infrastructure continues to develop in Singapore, the German carmaker has collaborated with Shell to make a seamless transition towards electric mobility.
This comes in the form of the option of having either an EV charging unit, commonly known as a wall box installed at the customer’s residence or preferred location. If installation isn’t possible or wanted, the car owner gets 3 years worth of charging credits, capped at 10,000 kWh. This is the expected amount of electricity that BMW estimates an EV owner would consumed over the same period.
To qualify, all you need to do is to buy a new BMW EV such as the iX or iX3 or MINI Electric. Plug-in Hybrid Electric (PHEV) models such as the BMW 330e, 530e, 745Le, X3 xDrive30e and X5 xDrive45e would also qualify for this deal. Given that these cars do not solely rely on electricity to run, the 10,000kWh allocation should go a very long way indeed.
charging infrastructure set to grow.
“We are thrilled to help new BMW i and MINI EV owners ease their switch to e-mobility,” said Doong Shiwen, General Manager of Shell Mobility Singapore. “We aim to expand our charging network in the coming years to cater to a growing number of EVs on Singapore roads, starting with having Shell Recharge chargers at half of our service stations by 2022.”
Shell Recharge is the first to make EV charging available on its forecourts. Currently, these 50kW DC rapid chargers can be found in 19 locations across Singapore and is set to increase to at least half the Shell petrol stations island-wide. In addition to free charging, BMW and MINI EV and PHEV owners can send their cars for a complimentary car wash.
In addition to chargers at Shell stations, account holders of Shell Recharge, which ostensibly includes electric BMW and MINI owners, can access the network of Greenlots public chargers found in many commercial buildings locally. Greenlots was acquired by Shell New Energies in 2019. Before the acquisition, Greenlots was already working with BMW Group Asia when it launched the i3 and i8 in Singapore in 2014.
the green plan.
Today, the agenda to transition towards electrified motoring is stronger than ever for BMW Group as it aims to do its part to stop climate change.
“The most powerful driver on the path to climate neutrality is electric mobility; therefore, we are committed to helping our customers in Singapore make the switch to electrified vehicles by offering them reliable charging solutions and a range of EVs and PHEVs,” said Lars Nielsen, Managing Director, BMW Group Asia.
“Our partnership with Greenlots in Singapore began in 2014, continued through its acquisition by Shell in 2019, and is further expanding with Shell in 2022. We are excited to work closely with Shell to support the changing individual mobility needs of our customers.”
With petrol prices reaching historic highs, the promise of motoring without fuel bills may just be impossible for some to resist.
New to EVs? Read a newbie’s perspective of driving his first fully-electric BMW here.
