BMW Group Ireland has announced that it has appointed EV charging specialist Pod Point as its preferred home charge point supplier for the country.
Three-year warranty
The three-year agreement between BMW Ireland and Pod Point will see all customers who purchase an electric or plug-in hybrid car from a BMW or MINI dealer given the option of a home charger consultation and installation by a Pod Point technician, with a three-year warranty from Pod Point included on all newly installed chargers.
"Charging at home is the most convenient and cost-effective way of charging an electric car," said Kevin Davidson, managing director at BMW Group Ireland.
"We are delighted to be partnering with Pod Point, they offer safe and intelligent charging with a proven reputation for delivering outstanding customer service."
Don't forget the grant
Pod Point's offering in Ireland starts from €1,060 for its wifi-enabled Solo 3 7kW universal socket (to which all electric cars can connect), though in ascending order of cost, a faster 22kW universal socket, a 7kW tethered charger, and a 22kW tethered charger are also available, the latter at €1,918.80.
While that may sound like a hefty outlay, bear in mind that householders can apply for a grant of up to €600 towards the cost of a home EV charger installation, removing some of the sting.
Because the charge points are internet-connected, they can be updated over the air without additional hardware and remotely diagnosed should something go wrong. As a smart charger too, the Pod Point Solo can also be programmed via an app to charge during certain hours to make the best use of off-peak electricity tariffs, with the app also providing the user with insights as to their electricity usage and just how much it's costing to run an electric vehicle.
Pod Point in Ireland
"We're delighted to be working with BMW Group Ireland as a preferred charge point supplier," said Erik Fairbairn, Pod Point's CEO.
"BMW has won praise for having some of the best electric cars and is consistently lauded for efficiency and range, and we're excited about the electric vehicles it will bring to market in the coming months."
Pod Point's appointment as BMW Group Ireland's preferred supplier comes after the firm was also announced as BMW Group UK's favoured home charger supplier in June and, to date, the company has installed more than 3,800 home chargers for BMW and MINI owners in the UK.
While Pod Point oversees a relatively substantial network of its own public chargers in Britain, the firm's public presence is a little thin on the ground in Ireland. The company operates just one location in Dublin (Dundrum), but Northern Ireland is slightly better served with one location in Craigavon, four in the greater Belfast area and another in Eglinton, not far from Derry.