BMW is expanding its recharging network in China to support the brand's growing electric and hybrid vehicle line-up in the country.
The automaker said it planned to install more than 80,000 public charging poles in over 100 Chinese cities by the end of the year. At the end of 2017, the company had 65,000 units in place across 90 cities in the country.
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China is the world's largest market for electric vehicles (EVs), with sales of last year amounting to approximately 676,000 units – in addition to around 101,000 hybrid vehicles.
Sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) amounted to 777,000 units last year – 53% more than in 2016.
The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers expects sales of NEVs to exceed 1m units this year and 2m by 2020. They are expected to account for around 20% of total vehicle sales in the country by 2025.
BMW's Wallbox charging stations can recharge the brand's i3 model battery pack from zero to 80% within four hours.
The company is also offering a 1,680-hour or two-year free charging service to its NEV owners in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou and Chengdu who don't have their own private charging facilities.
According to data released by the China Electric Car Charging Technology and Industry Alliance, there were 440,000 EV charging poles installed across in China at the end of 2017.
