BMW’s Smartphone App Will Tell Drivers How Easily They Could Daily Drive An EV

BMW i5 eDrive40Image: BMW

BMW’s electric i models have proven to be pretty popular for the brand, leading to record sales. The luxury automaker is trying to continue that momentum, so much so that a new ownership app will try and convince owners of gas powered BMW’s that they should go electric.

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First spotted by Inside EVs, the brand’s MY BMW app now includes a new feature for owners called Electric Vehicle Analysis. The analysis works with the cars operating system — the feature requires BMW’s Operating System 7 or newer — and requires that the owner initially select one of BMW’s electric models for analysis and comparison to the gas powered model. Say the owner chooses an i7 for instance.

Image: BMW

After 200 trips or 1,250 miles, the app will simulate those journeys with the electric model that the owner selected and then show the owner how much of those journeys could have been done on a charge in the EV that was initially selected. Essentially, BMW thinks that this analysis can use data to convince gas owners to make the switch to electric and combat things like range anxiety and other concerns people have about EVs. “This is intended to combat the range anxiety and concerns about the everyday practicality of all-electric vehicles that are still prevalent today,” BMW said in its release.

It may take a bit more than the suggestions of an app an owner may or may not use to convince them to go electric, but if BMW can pull it off, we’ll all be better for it.