Network development

In addition to home charging, the BMW i 360 Electric plan also makes it a top priority to develop public charging in communities and commercial areas. At present, it is working with its public charging service providers to develop the network.

In May, BMW announced cooperation with State Grid Shanghai Municipal Electric Power Co and Expo Shanghai Group to create 50 public charging pillars at Shanghai Expo Park.

BMW is also cooperating with leading Chinese property developer Vanke.

Vanke will help families in more than 400 existing and future residential communities nationwide to install home charging facilities.

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"We are still discussing possible cooperation with other developers and going to more cities to expand the charging choices for electric vehicle drivers," said Quest.

BMW i provides fast assistance in case of problems relating to the car's driving or charging, according to Choi, including a 24-hour hotline.

For repairs and maintenance, BMW i's authorized dealerships will provide professional services through qualified BMW i technicians.

In terms of the overall repair and maintenance costs, BMW i is comparable to or even lower than similar-class conventional combustion cars, according to Choi.

The BMW i remote after-sales service, in particular, has a battery protection feature that monitors the high-voltage battery and keeps the customer informed of information through short messages or email.

BMW i also offers customers an eight-year or 100,000 km battery warranty.

Financing choices

The BMW Finance Service Electrify Program includes packages for financing, insurance and "BMW Add-on Mobility".

In the Add-on Mobility plan, customers can switch to a conventional BMW model if they wish to cover longer distances when it's not practical to use an electric car or need more space for certain journeys.

In addition to discounts offered by BMW Add-on Mobility, every BMW i customer is entitled to three days of free use of models, priority use of new cars and free door-to-door delivery, among other privileges.

The BMW finance program offers a wide range of insurance services, including charging devices.