Take This Park and Wire It: BMW Wants to Get Your EV to the Hills
It’s looking like some sites just might not be feasible. Still, BMW, in partnership with the National Park Foundation, National Park Service and Department of Energy, has hatched a plan to lure electric vehicles out of their safe urban confines and into the wilderness.
It’s starting in New Jersey, about 12 miles west of New York City. (Hey, you have to begin somewhere.)
While the first EV charging station installed by the group can be found, fittingly, at Thomas Edison’s Glenmont laboratory in Llewellyn Park, NJ, plans are afoot to add up to 100 stations in or near national parks in the near future.
You might not see any in the Dry Tortugas, and Denali seems a little remote, but the advent of longer-ranged EVs has made emissions-free road trips possible (at least, with some planning). The current crop of low-cost, Interstate-happy electrics, led by the Chevrolet Bolt, should fuel some demand for the stations, despite EVs making up less than one percent of the U.S. vehicle market.
In a joint news release, the partners said that a team will identify appropriate locations for charging stations. Some could be in towns close to national parks, allowing an EV to slip into the wilderness and back. The site’s proximity to EV-heavy markets is just one of the considerations being looked at.
While the parks people imply that there won’t be a BMW-branded hookup spoiling anyone’s scenic photo, enough opportunities exist to make the initiative worthwhile.
“Dozens of parks have already expressed interest and are exploring site options,” the release states. The Department of Energy’s Clean Cities program and BMW will handle the technical side of things.
As of late, there’s no shortage of automakers teaming up with various levels of government to bring electrification to consumers. In its home continent, BMW has already joined with Ford, Daimler and Volkswagen Group to proliferate a high-speed charging network across Europe.
Distances are far greater in the U.S., and national parks are often well off the beaten path. It will be interesting to see if BMW uses its longest ranged electric vehicle — the 114-mile i3 — as a yardstick when it comes to measuring station-to-station distances.
[Image: Wikipedia ( CC BY-SA 3.0)]
More by Steph Willems
Latest Car Reviews
Read moreLatest Product Reviews
Read moreRecent Comments
- Hari Your route home sounds like the perfect stretch for a car like the Alfa Romeo Giulia. Its renowned handling and dynamic performance make it an ideal match for those curves. For enthusiasts or potential owners interested in understanding all the capabilities of the Giulia 2017, the owner’s manual is an invaluable resource. Check it out here: https://chatwithmanuals.com/automobiles/2017-alfa-romeo-giulia-owners-manual/. Our AI-powered chat makes navigating the manual simple, helping you quickly find specific details about the car's features and specs. Perfect for making the most out of those driving moments and truly understanding your vehicle!
- Dale I'd consider the RAV4 if the Prime were on the table as paying for gas is for suckers. Otherwise, we have a couple of Mazdas and they are swell. I've driven older versions of both and the CX-5 is a nicer place to live.
- Haran Spot-on review of the Mercedes-AMG GT’s price adjustments and new features! For those intrigued by the all-wheel drive and enhanced features of the latest model, you can delve deeper with the complete operator's manual available here: https://chatwithmanuals.com/automobiles/mercedes-amg-gt-operators-manual-edition-c2020/. It’s a fantastic resource for understanding all the specs and new additions without getting bogged down by the complexity typically associated with car manuals. Chat with the manual using AI to quickly find exactly what you need to know about this sporty beast. Perfect for those who appreciate detailed insights on their luxury investments!
- Flashindapan Beautiful color combinations. I assumed they stop selling the TT here at least five or six years ago.
- Carson D Just don't be the whistleblower who reports on the falsification of safety data. That's a deadly profession.
Comments
Join the conversation
I get the impression that the majority of these National Parks are readily accessible by vehicle.
How many EV charging standards are there? I know Tesla is different but what about the rest? Can different makes use different chargers? I honestly don't know as my EV experience is limited to an 08 Club Car. Anyway seems that needs to get sorted somewhat.