BMW Launches EVolve Mobile App and Online Dashboard, Gauging Compatibility for Electric Vehicle Prospects

Tracking the mobility of today’s consumers, BMW EVolve helps drivers evaluate their EV readiness and aids BMW engineers in developing future innovations

Woodcliff Lake, NJ, April 19, 2011— BMW’s EVolve mobile app launches today, available through the Apple iTunes Store and to follow in the Android Marketplace. EVolve will determine if the current transportation habits of a driver are compatible with the electric vehicle lifestyle regardless of their cars’ make or even their mode of transportation.

The Wherever You Want To Go documentary series—which asked the world’s foremost minds how electric vehicles would change the futures of mobility, technology and cities—marked the beginning of the company’s foray into “Collective Engineering,” collaborative problem solving that looks beyond their all-electric vehicle, the BMW ActiveE field trial, and beyond BMW to address the mobility challenges of 21st Century urbanization overall.

To build upon the conversation initiated by these groundbreaking films, the EVolve app aims to open drivers’ minds to the benefits of adopting the EV lifestyle by demonstrating their potential cost savings and environmental impact. In line with the collective engineering notion, the app has been designed in partnership with MINI E drivers—actual EV drivers currently participating in the BMW Group’s first formal field trial, which began in 2009.   The app provides tips from this group of seasoned drivers, based on their experiences thus far. Drivers also have access to real-world comparisons that put their energy and transportation usage into context such as equating a vehicle’s CO2 emissions to that of a home television. Ultimately, following three complete “trips” with the app, the user will be given a compatibility rating letting them know how an EV might fit into their daily life.

“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.” Based on the 1 Series Coupe, the BMW ActiveE will accelerate from 0-60 mph in under nine seconds, making it the first electric vehicle to combine the dynamic characteristics typical of a BMW with the zero-emissions benefits of driving an electric vehicle.

For a richer experience, participants can visit the next iteration of bmwactivatethefuture.com where they can plug in mobile app data or create manual trips to interact with the EV Dashboard, which calculates the projected impact the switch to an EV could have on gas expenses or the environment over time. Additionally, dashboard users can earn reward badges that are shareable on social networks. Participants can also see how they stack up against drivers across the country. The hope is that the data aggregated at the BMW Activate the Future site will be useful to the architects of future vehicles, future cities and future technologies.  

About ActiveE

The BMW ActiveE will be an electric vehicle based on a BMW 1 Series Coupe that will use electric motor and battery cell technology developed in-house. It will represent the second phase of a three-phase electric vehicle development plan that will lead to a dedicated electric vehicle that will launch in 2013. The BMW ActiveE will be available for lease beginning this fall.