BMW and MINI: Apps Show Charging Cost in Advance as the Network Grows by 300,000 Points

The cost of charging the same electric car can vary depending on the operator, subscription and chosen tariff. BMW has decided to make that math visible before the cable even connects: the My BMW and MINI apps show a station’s power output, available tariffs and the estimated cost. The list includes tariffs saved in the Charging Wallet as well as ad-hoc prices from the operator itself.

The information isn’t limited to the phone. It also appears in BMW vehicles running Operating System 8.5 or later, as well as in current MINI models. Drivers can compare options along the route and pick a station with the right power and price without switching between apps.

A separate feature is reserved for BMW’s Neue Klasse family running Operating System X. During charging, the car’s display and the app show the price per kWh, the amount of energy added and the running total — much like a regular fuel pump tracks litres and cost. Older BMW EVs don’t get this feature automatically.

The BMW Maps and MINI Navigation route planner calculates stops if the remaining range won’t cover the distance to the destination. Drivers can set a minimum battery buffer in 5% increments, choose a preferred operator, and see the expected duration and cost of a charging stop in advance. As the car nears the station, the system checks its availability more often and reroutes if needed.

Ahead of a scheduled fast charge, the battery automatically warms up or cools down to the right temperature. Preconditioning isn’t required to plug in, but it shortens the stop and helps the car reach high power faster. It can also be triggered manually if the driver picked a station outside the built-in navigation.

The BMW Group Charging network keeps growing: it now counts 3.1 million charging points worldwide — 300,000 more than in December 2025. In Europe alone, the number rose by 100,000 over the same period to 1.1 million, while Germany added roughly 10%, reaching 200,000. Having a station listed in the app still doesn’t guarantee the same price everywhere — the final cost depends on the country, the operator and the customer’s active tariff.

A separate discount applies to customers on the Active tariff, who get access to the Preferred Partner Network with reduced rates at selected premium providers. Terms vary by country, but the discount is available anywhere in Europe, even outside the driver’s home market. 21% of all BMW Group Charging points in Europe are currently part of that network.

Before a long trip, it’s worth logging into the account, checking the linked payment card and loading the right tariffs into the Charging Wallet. For a car imported from another region, it’s also worth confirming that connected services and the account work correctly — without an active app, some of the newer features simply won’t be available.