BMW launches its world-first eDrive Zone technology in Ireland

BMW is making an important contribution to incentivise consumers to electric driving by launching a new digital service, BMW eDrive Zones in Ireland. With electric ranges of up to 88 kilometres, BMW plug-in hybrid models are perfectly suited to urban and city driving by completing most commutes with pure-electric power. This new service helps drivers do just that.

The BMW eDrive Zone technology automates the process of switching to electric-only power when a BMW plug-in hybrid vehicle enters a defined area of a city. Already active Dublin and Limerick, BMW has further plans to launch its eDrive Zones in Cork and Galway in the coming year.  

Unique in the worldwide automotive industry and a first in Ireland, a BMW eDrive Zone automatically ensures that the electric power is conserved for use during the part of the journey within defined zones, if the journey destination is entered into the vehicle’s navigation system.

This new technology ensures BMW plug-in hybrid models offer consumers the best of both worlds: electric-only driving in the city where it makes the most difference, and a highly efficient internal combustion engine to cover long distances.

In addition, there are plans in progress to introduce the BMW Points loyalty programme in Ireland, where drivers of BMW plug-in hybrid models will be rewarded with attractive offerings via a point system. This has already been launched to BMW customers in the UK. Every electrically driven kilometre will count and within an eDrive Zone, twice as many points can be collected.  

“This is the type of flexibility that customers want, as they make the transition to electromobility” said Kevin Davidson, Managing Director BMW Group Ireland commenting on the launch of BMW eDrive Zones.  “A plug-in hybrid vehicle combines the best of two worlds: emission-free city-driving as well as long-distance capabilities. We urge the Irish government to prioritise plug-in hybrid vehicles in order to achieve the shared objective of reducing CO2 emissions. This technology will help improve air quality in cities around Ireland and also reduces running costs for drivers. It’s win-win for everyone”, Davidson added.

The BMW eDrive Zones service, available as standard on BMW plug-in hybrid models running the latest BMW Operating System 7.0, uses geo-fencing technology via GPS within the vehicle’s navigation system. The eDrive Zones in Dublin and Limerick are highlighted graphically on the vehicle’s Central Control Display navigation screen, so drivers can see their location.

The BMW eDrive Zones service is available on the BMW 330e, BMW 530e, BMW 545e, BMW 745e, BMW X3 30e (produced from August 2021) and BMW X5 45e drivers with BMW Operating System 7.0. Additional compatible models launching in the future. BMW eDrive Zones has also been made available via a free over-the-air software update for compatible BMW plug-in hybrid vehicles, meaning existing customers can also benefit from this technology.

The significant contribution plug-in hybrid vehicles can make to reducing tailpipe emissions in cities was demonstrated in an early trial of this technology, carried out in the Netherlands in 2018. Results of this research project showed 90 per cent of all routes within the trial zone in Rotterdam were driven in electric-only mode.

BMW Group currently offers 14 electrified vehicles across its brand portfolio. This will be increased to a total of 25 electrified models on the road by the end of 2023, with more than half of those models fully electric. In Europe, the BMW Group expects that electrified vehicles will account for 25 per cent of sales by 2021, a third by 2025 and half by 2030. As the Company anchors sustainability in the heart of its corporate strategy, there is a goal to avoid the emissions of over 200 million tonnes of CO2 by 2030. This is equivalent to more than 20 times the annual CO2 emissions of a city with over a million inhabitants, like Munich. To achieve this, the BMW Group is reducing its vehicles’ carbon footprint throughout their lifecycle – from raw material extraction, through production and the use phase, to end-of-life recycling. Going forward, using fewer resources will be one of the priorities. More details on that announcement can be found here: 

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^{*All figures relating to output, charging capacity, performance, energy consumption and range are provisional.}

The electric power consumption and operating range figures are determined according to the European Regulation (EC) 715/2007 in the version applicable and as per the WLTP procedure. They refer to vehicles in the German market. Where a range is shown, WLTP figures take into account the impact of any optional extras.

All values were calculated based on the new WLTP test cycle. WLTP values are taken as the basis for determining vehicle-related taxes or other duties based (at least inter alia) on CO₂ emissions as well as eligibility for any applicable vehicle-specific subsidies. Further information on the WLTP and NEDC measurement procedures can also be found at www.bmw.de/wltp.

Further information on official fuel consumption figures and specific CO₂ emission values of new passenger cars is included in the following guideline: 'Leitfaden über den Kraftstoffverbrauch, die CO₂-Emissionen und den Stromverbrauch neuer Personenkraftwagen' (Guide to the fuel economy, CO₂ emissions and electric power consumption of new passenger cars), which can be obtained free of charge from all dealerships, from Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH (DAT), Hellmuth-Hirth-Str. 1, 73760 Ostfildern-Scharnhausen and at https://www.dat.de/co2/

The BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises 31 production and assembly facilities in 15 countries; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2020, the BMW Group sold over 2.3 million passenger vehicles and more than 169,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2019 was € 7.118 billion on revenues amounting to € 104.210 billion As of 31 December 2020, the BMW Group had a workforce of 120,726 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.

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For further information, please contact:

Laura Condron | Corporate Communications & Events Manager | 086 047 7549 | Laura.Condron@BMW.ie