All-New MINI Electric Hatch And Iconic BMW I3 Surge Into 2020 #LeadingTheCharge EV Road Tour

The Leading The Charge 2020 Road Tour is New Zealand’s largest annual electric vehicle road trip, and a highlight of the country’s EV calendar. This year, the Road Tour runs from September 26 to October 3 and features separate EV tours of the North Island and South Island.

The event is organised by the Better NZ Trust and coincides with International Drive Electric Week, a worldwide celebration of today's widespread availability of plug-in vehicles and highlights the benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more.

The road trip started in 2015 and was initially planned to tackle range anxiety head on and prove that an EV could drive up and down the length of New Zealand with relative ease – and a little careful planning. The drivers are out to once again prove that driving long-distance using 100 percent electric power is possible with today’s charging infrastructure and to encourage more Kiwis to drive an electric vehicle.

This year, BMW Group New Zealand is partnering with ChargeNet NZ, the largest privately owned EV charging network in the Southern Hemisphere, to complete this 1,700 kilometre road tour of the North Island in two of its best EVs – the all-new MINI Electric Hatch, and the iconic BMW i3.

The MINI Electric Hatch is powered by a 32.6kWh latest-generation lithium-ion battery, producing an impressive 135kW of power, perfect for scaling the legendary New Zealand landscape.

With its batteries mounted low and in the centre of the car in a T-shape, the MINI Electric Hatch also promises MINI’s famed go-kart handling qualities that will make it a joy to drive on this tour.

Capable of a 233-kilometre drive range (WLTP) on a single charge, the 1,700 kilometre road tour may seem daunting to the MINI Electric Hatch at first; however, thanks to some 196 rapid DC charging stations across the country installed by ChargeNet, the MINI Electric can exploit its 50kW fast-charge ability to the fullest, juicing up to 80% in 36 minutes flat.

Designed to revolutionise local emissions-free mobility, 2020 marks the 7th year of production for the iconic BMW i3, the car that kick-started BMW Group’s foray into sustainable electric mobility. Since its launch in 2013, the BMW i3 has been the most widely sold electric vehicle in the premium segment, with more than 165,000 sales logged worldwide.

Customers around the world have since subjected both the vehicle and its original battery to a real endurance test, using the car not only for daily commuting, but also regularly for longer distances and even holiday trips – like the one BMW New Zealand is about to undertake with ChargeNet NZ.

The results are staggering – reports have logged the car using only 13kWh per 100km over the entire course of hundreds of thousands of kilometres.

The BMW i3 also employs extensive use of space-age carbon fibre for lightness, safety and strength; durable recycled plastic in its trim, sustainable wood in the dashboard, and high-tech energy recovery systems to minimise the car’s impact on the planet on the whole.

Thanks to technology like the i3’s kinetic energy recovery system, one owner even reported using the same set of brake discs and pads for 277,000 kilometres without needing to change them – an amazing demonstration of how light the EVs footprint can be for both cost of ownership and the environment.

The i3s futuristic looks, revolutionary design and superlight footprint make it nothing short of an EV icon – one that will prove its case again at #LeadingTheCharge 2020.

Visit www.leadingthecharge.org.nz for more details of the Leading The Charge 2020 Road Tour.

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The ChargeNet NZ story began in 2015 as a few enterprising Kiwis with a dream of encouraging people to turn on to electric vehicles. Through a mix of imagination, determination, and some pretty clever software, they’re now the largest privately owned, EV charging network in the Southern Hemisphere, with a network of 196 fast charging stations available.

It takes between 10 to 30 minutes on average to recharge an EV, many EV owners will still plug in and recharge their vehicles overnight at home. Cost is approx. 30c a ‘litre’ compared to $2.16 for petrol, with used EVs available at dealerships from around $10,000.

ChargeNet NZ is committed to providing and maintaining a world-class EV charging network to keep New Zealand charging into the future. Visit www.charge.net.nz/map to find a fast-charging station near you.

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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 2019, the BMW Group sold over 2,520,000 passenger vehicles and more than 175,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2018 was € 9.815 billion on revenues amounting to € 97.480 billion. As of 31 December 2018, the BMW Group had a workforce of 134,682 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.

www.bmwgroup.com

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