BMW announced a pilot project back in 2019, aimed at convincing PHEV drivers to use their cars as intended, in specific areas, dubbed eDrive zones. In these restricted areas, the cars would automatically switch off the engine and allow the drivers to keep going while using electricity alone. Last year there were about 80 European cities using these eDrive zones across the old continent and now UK residents can take advantage of all its perks.
Drivers switching off their engines in these eDrive zones across the UK will be rewarded with BMW Points which they can later use to recharge their plug-in hybrid cars. This rewards scheme has been initially introduced in Germany, Belgium and Netherlands. Since it turned out to be quite a success, BMW decided to expand it to the UK as well. Therefore, for each mile covered in electric mode, drivers will get two points to their tally.
For each 3,200 points drivers will get £10-worth of charging credit. If you go even further, the rewards get even bigger. For 7,500 points you get a £25 credit while 14,500 points will bring you a £50 credit. It’s important to note that these rewards are valid in BMW’s own charging network, so you’ll have to use one of their chargers to get your money’s worth. Furthermore, the miles are clocked by My BMW App.
That’s not all. Some areas offer double the points, while charging for certain periods of time will also get you closer to a discount. For example, 20 points are awarded for each time the car is charged for over 15 minutes, with a monthly reward of 500 points for drivers who plug in 20 times a month for more than 15 minutes at a time. If you’re looking to get those points you should know these eDrive zones can be found in London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast, Liverpool, Bath and Manchester.
