2015 BMW I3 Owner's Manual

of the Level 2 charging station. The permitted
charge current strength can vary by country.
The charge current strength for Level 2 charg‐
ing, refer to page 166, can be adjusted in the
vehicle in two steps.
At delivery, the charge current for
Level 2 charging is set to "Reduced". This set‐
ting should be maintained, unless it was veri‐
fied that a higher charge current strength is
permitted in the individual case.
The charge current changes depending on the
setting."Maximum""Reduced"32 A20 A
Depending on the charge current, the charging
duration changes.
Range Extender
With Range Extender, refer to page 69,
switched on, the current charging state can be
maintained. In this way, a higher range is ach‐
ieved.
Hints Working with electrical current
When working with electrical current, ob‐
serve the safety regulations. Otherwise, with
high voltage or excess current there is a risk to
persons and property, e.g., from electrocution or fire.◀
Have the charging device checked be‐
fore commissioning
Before the initial charging process, have your
own charging device checked at the charging location by a qualified electrician, that is,
charging port on the vehicle, charging cable,
charging station or household socket and con‐
nected circuits. Otherwise, there is a danger of
damage to the vehicle and overloading of the
supply mains at the charging location.◀
Follow instructions at the charging sta‐
tion
When working with electrical current, follow
the instructions at the charging station. Other‐
wise, there is a risk of an accident.◀
Make sure that the charging device is in
flawless operating condition
Only use the charging device in a flawless con‐
dition. Otherwise, a risk of fire may result, e.g.,
from the device heating up because of, say,
worn contacts or damage.◀
No simultaneous charging and refueling
Do not refuel while a charging cable is
plugged in, and maintain an adequate safety
distance from highly flammable materials. Oth‐
erwise, there is a danger of personal injury and
property damage from burning fuel vapors,
e.g., if the charging cable is improperly plug‐
ged in or unplugged.◀
Have the charging port cleaned by
trained personnel
If the charging port is dirty, have the car
cleaned only by appropriately trained person‐
nel. Otherwise, there is a danger of injury from high voltage.◀
Charging cable General information
Use a Level 1 charging cable, Level 2 charging
cable or the permanently installed charging ca‐
ble of a charging station to charge the vehicle.
Different charging cables can be required de‐ pending on the country.
Hints Use approved charging cables only
Use only approved charging cables or
charging stations for charging. Otherwise,
there is a danger of property damage or per‐Seite 161Charging vehicleMobility161
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 960 865 - II/15

sonal injury, e.g., from burning cables. Informa‐
tion about the approved charging cables can
be obtained from the service center.◀
Use the charging cable only for charging
the vehicle, and do not extend it
Use the charging cable only for charging the
vehicle and do not extend it with cables or
adapters. Otherwise, it may not be possible to
complete the charging process or property
damage might occur, e.g., due to a cable fire.◀
Do not use any damaged charging cables
Do not use any damaged charging ca‐
bles. Otherwise, there is a risk of injury from
high voltage.◀
Level 1 charging cable With the Level 1 charging cable, it is permissi‐
ble to perform charging from grounded house‐
hold sockets. At the power connection of a
household socket, charging is done with alter‐
nating current.
When a Level 1 charging cable is used, this
may produce efficiency values other than indi‐
cated on the energy label.
Level 2 charging cable
The Level 2 charging cable makes it possible
to recharge at sockets of designated
Level 2 charging stations using a special plug.
Charging is performed with alternating current
at designated Level 2 charging stations. The
charging process can be completed faster than
at household sockets.
If necessary, the charging cable is attached to
the charging station.
If a Level 2 charging cable is used, apply the
corresponding setting on the Control Display,
refer to page 166.
DC charging cable The DC charging cable that is permanently in‐
stalled at the charging station makes is possi‐ble to charge at DC charging stations. Charg‐
ing is performed with direct current at
designated DC charging stations. At the higher
lidacity current connection of a DC charger
station the charging time is significantly lower
than with a household socket or a level 2
charging station.
During charging at a DC charging station, an
indication in the instrument cluster, refer to
page 166, is displayed.
Storage
The Level 1 charging cable is located in the ca‐
ble compartment under the hood.
The Level 2 charging cable can be stored in
the same place.
Moisture can penetrate into the occasional use
cable compartment, e.g. in a car wash.
If required, store the charging cable with the
installed plug cover to prevent moisture in the
charging cable plug.Seite 162MobilityCharging vehicle162
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 960 865 - II/15

ConnectionTo connect, engage selector lever in position P
and unlock the vehicle. Set the parking brake if
needed.1.Tap on the charging port flap, arrow.2.Remove the charging port lid, arrow.3.Connect either a Level 1 or Level 2 charg‐
ing cable to the household socket or the
port on the charging station.4.Remove cover of the charging cable plug if
needed.5.Insert the charging cable plug correspond‐
ing to the charging port, and push it in until
it latches.
When charging at a charging station, follow the
instructions at the charging station.
Remove
When the vehicle is locked, the charging cable
is locked. Unlock the vehicle before removing
the cable.
1.Unlock the vehicle by remote control if it is
locked.Charging cable is unlocked.2.Press the release button on the handle, ar‐
row 1, and grasp the charging cable at the
gripping areas.
Charging process is interrupted.3.Remove the charging cable from the
charging port, arrow 2.4.Put the charging port lid back on.5.Close the charging port flap.6.Attach cover of the charging cable plug if
needed.7.Disconnect either the Level 1 or Level 2
charging cable from the household socket
or the port on the charging station as
needed.8.Stow the charging cable.
At a charging station, insert the perma‐
nently installed charging cable in the place
provided for it.
Manual release
The charging port flap is automatically locked
while driving.
The charging cable may be locked during the
charging process if the vehicle is locked.
Seite 163Charging vehicleMobility163
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 960 865 - II/15

Manually unlocking charging port flapIn case of an electrical malfunction of the
charging cable lock, the charging port flap can
be manually unlocked.1.Open rear door on the side of the charging
port flap.2.Remove the cover.3. Pull the blue knob, arrow. This releases
the charging port flap.4.If necessary, press the knob back into the
initial position.
Manual unlocking of the charging
cable
In case of an electrical malfunction, the charg‐
ing cable can be manually unlocked.
When charging at a charging station, complete
the charging process at the charging station
before unlocking the charging cable.
1.Open rear door on the side of the charging
port flap.2.Remove the cover.3. Pull the blue knob, arrow. Charging ca‐
ble is manually unlocked.4.Grasp the charging cable at the gripping
areas.5.Remove charging cable.
Charging operation
Hints Following safety instructions of the
power mains connection
During the charging process, heed the safety
instructions of the respective power mains
connection. Otherwise, there could be a risk of
personal injury or property damage from high
voltage, e.g., from electrocution or fire.◀
Using a Level 1 charging cable at other
household sockets
Before charging at other household sockets,
adapt the charging current strength to the
mains. Otherwise, there is a risk of fire, e.g.,
from overheating of the household socket or
overloading of the power mains.◀
Starting charging process
1.Engage selector lever position P. Set the
parking brake if needed.2.Planning charging process, refer to
page 165.3.Switch off drive readiness.4.Connect either a Level 1 or Level 2 charg‐
ing cable to the household socket or the
port on the charging station.5.Open charging port flap.6.Connect charging cable to the vehicle, re‐
fer to page 163.
At high temperatures, initially the high-voltage
battery is cooled. The charging process can be
started with a delay.
Display of the charging status
The charging status is indicated by the indica‐
tor light at the charging port.
Seite 164MobilityCharging vehicle164
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 960 865 - II/15

▷Lamp white: charging cable can be con‐
nected or removed.▷Lamp flashes yellow: charging process is
being initialized▷Lamp blue: charging process is started at a
set time.▷Lamp flashes blue: charging process ac‐
tive.▷Lamp flashes red: fault in the charging
process.▷Lamp green: charging process completed.
When the vehicle is locked, the indicator lamp
goes out after some time.
When the vehicle is unlocked, the blue indica‐
tor lamp flashes continuously. The other indi‐
cator lights go out after some time.
To check the charging process, press the

key on the remote control. The charging status
is indicated on the indicator lamp. In some
cases the vehicle is locked.
Additional messages regarding the charging
status, e.g., probable end of charging or the
planned departure time, can be displayed in
the instrument cluster, on the Control Display
and via the BMW i Remote App on the smart‐
phone.
Planning charging process The charging process can be adapted to con‐
straints, e.g., the cost of electricity. The vehicle
can control the charging process in such a way
that the charging process is completed at the
departure time. A departure time must be set
for this purpose, refer to page 167.
The following settings are available:▷Immediate charging.▷Set time window for favorable charging.▷Set charging via a Level 1 charging cable.▷Set charging via a Level 2 charging cable.
If drive readiness is switched off, changes can
be made on the Control Display. Departure
time can only be changed once. Scheduled de‐
parture times are not adjusted. Settings for
standing air conditioning and loading process
are accepted for planned departure times too.
Immediate chargingThe charging process starts as soon as the
charging cable is connected.
1."Settings"2."Charging"3."Charge immediately"
Setting time window for favorable
charging
Level 1 or Level 2 charging:
When departure time is set, a time window for
charging with a favorable electricity rate can be
set.
1."Settings"2."Charging"3."Low cost charging"4.Set rate begin. Turn the controller until the
desired time is set and press the controller.5.Set rate end. Turn the controller until the
desired time is set and press the controller.
Setting charging via a
Level 1 charging cable
Depending on the electrical mains, the vehicle
must be charged with a different charging cur‐
rent strength, refer to page 160.
1."Settings"2."Charging"Seite 165Charging vehicleMobility165
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 960 865 - II/15

3."AC charging power:"
Settings are stored. When you change charg‐
ing locations you also might need to change
the setting for charging.
Set the charge current strength at other
household sockets to "Low".
Setting charging via a
Level 2 charging cable
Depending on the electrical mains, the vehicle
must be charged with a different charging cur‐
rent strength, refer to page 160.
When charging with a Level 2 charging cable,
the charging process can be completed faster
at a Level 2 charging station.
1."Settings"2."Charging"3."Level 2:"
Settings are stored. When you change charg‐
ing locations you also might need to change
the setting for charging.
Stopping charging process The charging operation can be stopped at any
time by removing the charging cable and con‐
tinued at a later time by connecting the charg‐
ing cable in order to use other loads on the
power connection or to prevent simultaneous
high power from multiple loads.
The charging operation is interrupted when the
vehicle is unlocked and automatically resumed
after a brief time or when it is locked.
Continue charging operation If the charging operation is interrupted, e.g.,
through a temporary power failure, the charg‐
ing operation is automatically continued after
the interruption.
Terminating charging process1.Removing the charging cable from the ve‐
hicle, refer to page 163.2.Stow the charging cable as required.3.Close the charging port flap.4.Lock vehicle if it is unlocked.
Displays in the instrument
cluster
The charging state indicator light, refer to page 77, shows the charging state of the high-
voltage battery in the instrument cluster, if op‐
erating readiness is switched on. If all seg‐
ments are filled, the high-voltage battery is
fully charged.
Even if no segments are filled, the high-voltage
system is still under high voltage.
Information regarding the charging process are
shown on the charging screen, refer to
page 76.
DisplayMeaningBlue plug: charging process active
or completed.
White plug: charging interruption.Running light: animated with active
charging operation.End of charging time or set depar‐
ture time.Charging progress bar.
Running light: animated with active
charging operation.DC charging active on a DC charg‐
ing station.Indicator in blue: charged electrical
range.Seite 166MobilityCharging vehicle166
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 960 865 - II/15

DisplayMeaningIndicator in white: maximum electri‐
cal range.White clock: departure time set.
Blue plug: charging process active
or completed.
White plug: charging interruption.Climate control activated at depar‐
ture time.Range with Range Extender.Flashing: ventilation active.Flashing: heating active.Flashing: cooling active.
Departure time
The concept For optimum range and climate control, the
departure time can be set before parking the
car.
With a set departure time, the vehicle is cli‐
mate controlled during the charging process
when climate control is set. Climate control
output is reduced during the trip. This in‐
creases the range.
The following settings are possible at depar‐
ture time:
▷Climate control at departure time.▷Planning a one-time departure time.▷Planning of up to three regular departure
times per day of the week.If drive readiness is switched off, changes can
be made on the Control Display. Departure
time can only be changed once. Scheduled de‐
parture times are not adjusted. Settings for cli‐
mate control and charging operation are also
applied for scheduled departure times.
Climate control at departure time1."Settings"2."Departure time"3."Precond. for departure"
Setting departure time
Level 1 or Level 2 charging:
1."Settings"2."Departure time"3."Departure 1:"4.Set the day of the week if needed.
Turn the controller until the desired day of
the week is set and press the controller.
To select other days of the week, repeat
the operation.5.Set the time.
Turn the controller until the desired time is
set and press the controller.
Up to three departure times can be set.
Activating the departure time
1."Settings"2."Departure time"
Set departure times are displayed.3.E. g. "Activate depart. time 1"
Up to three departure times can be activated.
The set departure time will be deactivated, if
the departure time was ignored three times in
a row.
Seite 167Charging vehicleMobility167
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 960 865 - II/15

Climate controlGeneral information
The following settings for climate control of
the vehicle are possible:▷Activate stationary climate control immedi‐
ately, refer to page 133.
With stationary climate control activated
and no charging cable connected, the
range is reduced.▷Planned climate control at the set depar‐
ture time, refer to page 134.
Discharged high-voltage and
vehicle battery
General information
In addition to the high-voltage battery, the ve‐
hicle has a 12 volt vehicle battery, which is re‐
quired for operation of the onboard electron‐
ics.
If the high-voltage battery and the vehicle bat‐
tery are discharged, it is not possible to oper‐
ate the vehicle.
Place vehicle in service To place the vehicle in service, charge as
usual.
If there is no possibility of charging on site,
contact the service center.
Charging vehicle with a discharged
vehicle battery
1.Unlock the vehicle, if needed, using the
integrated key, refer to page 38.2.Secure the vehicle against rolling.3.Manually unlock charging port flap if it is
locked, refer to page 163.4.Connect either a Level 1 or Level 2 charg‐
ing cable to the household socket or the
port on the charging station.5.Attach charging cable corresponding to
the charging socket connection.
Charging is started. The charging status is
not displayed. Do not open vehicle during
this time.
After several minutes, the vehicle is slightly
charged. The onboard electronics are ready
again. It is again possible to open the vehicle.
The charging status as well as the charging
state of the high-voltage battery can be dis‐
played again.
Continue charging vehicle until desired range
is possible.
If the vehicle battery cannot be charged, con‐
tact the service center.
Seite 168MobilityCharging vehicle168
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 960 865 - II/15