BMW Group said it has expanded charging access for electric vehicle customers in Canada by integrating the Shell Recharge and Tesla Supercharger networks into its My BMW and MINI mobile apps.
The move will allow BMW and MINI battery-electric vehicle drivers to access participating charging stations through a single account and include those chargers in route planning across Canada and the United States, the company said.
Shell Recharge’s network includes charging stations operated by Shell as well as access to third-party providers including FLO, ChargePoint, Circuit électrique, BC Hydro and EV Connect Canada.
BMW said compatible Tesla Supercharger locations are also being added to the Shell Recharge network, broadening access to North American Charging Standard (NACS) infrastructure.
The automaker said NACS-compatible Tesla Superchargers will now appear in vehicle navigation systems and in the My BMW and MINI apps for routing and charger search.
Existing BMW and MINI electric vehicle models can already access Tesla charging stations using NACS-to-CCS adapters, BMW said.
The company added that upcoming new BMW models in Canada, including the iX3 and i3, will be equipped with factory-installed NACS charging ports, allowing direct access to compatible Tesla Superchargers without adapters.
“BMW Remote Software Upgrades will enable NACS compatibility features across most current BMW and MINI BEVs,” the company said in a statement.
BMW said the software rollout will apply to most current battery-electric BMW and MINI vehicles, excluding the original BMW i3 and MINI Cooper SE, with updates to be released on a model-by-model basis.
The company said the changes are expected to make public charging access broader and more convenient for its EV customers in North America.