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Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla opens 50th European Supercharger, BMW smart charging in Singapore

Southeastern Illinois College wants to create a biofuel processing certification program. The school is waiting to hear about receiving $750,000 from a US Department of Labor grant that would allow it to expand its Biofuels Education curriculum to include certification for manufacturing biodiesel and ethanol. There are currently no such programs in existence, and its development would require Labor Department approval as well as input from biofuel companies. Southeastern Illinois College believes that biofuel processing certification would be a large draw for potential students. Read more at The Southern Illinoisan. Tesla has opened the 50th Supercharger in Europe. In the year since the first on was installed in Norway in August 2013, Tesla has been building the network that, like it does in the US, will allow Model S drivers to go long distances for free. There are now 168 Superchargers open throughout the world. Find more in the press release below. BMW is partnering with Greenlots to bring an open standards EV charging network to Singapore. As part of BMW's 360 Electric program, Greenlots will install public chargers and manage the network that allows BMW i owners to find and use the chargers with BMW's navigation system and ChargeNow card. The 30 possible public chargers Greenlots plans to install will use the company's SKY Smart Charging platform. Greenlots will also install the BMW i Wallbox Pure charger at customer's homes and offices. Read more in the press release below. Plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) sales are forecast to reach 1.8 million a year by 2023, according to a report by Navigant Research. Right now, North America is the biggest buyer of battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, but that should change as the Asia Pacific market is expected to outgrow it; still, the US alone is expected to have more than 2.7 million PEVs on the road in 2023. Urban areas are where we'll see the largest concentration, naturally, with Tokyo, Los Angeles and Paris having the most sales in 2023, respectively. With the increase in PEVs comes an increase in residential load on the electric grid, which is expected to rise by 33 to 37 percent. Read more at Hybrid Cars, or head to the Navigant Research website. Chinese automaker Dongfeng is now manufacturing its first mass-produced electric vehicle, the Aeolus E30. The small, two-seat urban EV has a limited speed of 50 miles per hour, but has a range of up to 100 miles.

BMW Smart Charging App helps drivers charge for less

As electric vehicles proliferate and people try to conserve energy, moves toward smart charging seem only natural. Now, BMW is offering smarter charging, and it should mean more money in the pockets of its customers when they charge at home. BMW owners who drive one of the company's i vehicles will be able to use the BMW Smart Charging App that taps into a national energy rate database (powered by Genability) to allow drivers to automate charging during off-peak hours when electricity usage costs are lower. Charging vehicles at these lower rates could save drivers as much as $400 a year, BMW says. It's a simple idea, but one that could make BMW's EVs even more attractive to potential customers. The BMW Smart Charging App is initially available to customers who have leased a BMW ActiveE from the company's 2012 test fleet, a group whom BMW dubs Electronauts, and many of whom are also early adopters of the BMW i3. The app will then become available to all BMW i3 and i8 customers beginning in 2015. The Smart Charging App is integrated with the BMW i Remote App, which links with the BMW ConnectedDrive interface to also allow drivers to monitor charging times and vehicle status, adjust charging settings and even adjust vehicle temperature so the car is ready before the driver gets in the vehicle. The Smart Charging App is available for iOS and Android devices. Find more information in the press release from BMW below. BMW Launches First App to Automate the Home Charging Process for BMW i Electric Vehicles. 09.06.2014 BMW Smart Charging App Determines Optimal Times for Charging Electric Vehicles Based on Rates and Calculates Cost. Woodcliff Lake, NJ – June 9, 2014... The new BMW Smart Charging App makes it possible for BMW i customers to automatically identify the best rates and times for charging their electric vehicles at home. Developed by the BMW Group and available for Android and iOS devices, the BMW Smart Charging App is integrated with the BMW i Remote App, which allows drivers to get vehicle information via their smartphone. The BMW Smart Charging App has the potential to save customers as much as $400 annually on their electric bills. BMW is the first automotive manufacturer to offer this automated and fully integrated functionality. In its initial phase, the BMW Smart Charging App is currently available to BMW Electronauts.

BMW recalls 840,000 vehicles to replace Takata airbags

The Basics: BMW will recall about 840,000 vehicles in the US, and they include: 2008–2013 1 Series Coupe (incl. 1M) 2008–2013 1 Series Convertible 2008–2013 3 Series Sedan (incl. M3) 2009–2011 335d Sedan 2006–2012 3 Series Sports Wagon 2007–2013 3 Series Coupe (incl. M3) 2007–2013 3 Series Convertible (incl. M3) 2013–2015 X1 2007–2010 X3 2007–2013 X5 (incl. X5 M) 2009–2013 X5 xDrive35d 2008–2014 X6 (incl. X6 M) 2010–2011 X6 ActiveHybrid The full list, which includes approximate volumes and production dates, is in BMW's statement, below. The Problem: The vehicles have Takata's PSDI-5 driver side airbag inflators, and the parts could rupture in a crash. Injuries/Deaths: None reported in this population of vehicles. The Fix: BMW will replace the driver airbag on these vehicles. If You Own One: BMW will send owners a letter advising them about the recall, and people will receive a second letter when the parts are available for the repairs More Information: This recall stems from Takata and NHTSA's announcement in late January that automakers need to repair about five million vehicles. Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Audi, Ford, Mazda, and Honda have already announced recalls due to this expansion. Related Video: BMW statement BMW has notified NHTSA of its intention to recall approximately 840,000 cars and Sports Activity Vehicles equipped with Takata PSDI-5 driver-side front air bags to have the driver-side front airbag replaced. These vehicles, covering model years 2006-2015 have not been part of earlier Takata-related air bag recalls. Owners of potentially affected BMW vehicles will be contacted by first-class mail advising them of the recall. When replacement parts are available, owners will receive another letter with instructions for having the recall completed. Owners with questions can contact BMW Customer Relations at 1-800-525-7417 or e-mail CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com. Model Model Years Approx. Vol. Production Dates 1 Series Coupe (incl. 1M) 2008 – 2013 32,620 Nov 2007 – Oct 2013 1 Series Convertible 2008 – 2013 28,160 Nov 2007 – Oct 2013 3 Series Sedan (incl. M3) 2006 – 2011 132,845 Feb 2005 – Dec 2011 335d Sedan 2009 – 2011 4,160 Mar 2008 – Aug 2011 3 Series Sports Wagon 2006 – 2012 3,270 Jun 2005 – May 2012 3 Series Coupe (incl. M3) 2007 – 2013 129,515 Apr 2006 – Jun 2013 3 Series Convertible (incl.