BMW Gives 2027 i5, i7 and iX3 Buyers $500 in Public Charging Credits
BMW buyers and lessees of 2027 i5, i7 and iX3 EVs get $500 in charging credits plus a free Ionna membership. How the credits split and how to claim them.
BMW will give people who buy or lease a 2027 model year i5, i7 or iX3 electric vehicle $500 in public charging credits, the automaker said Thursday. The credits expire one year after the purchase date, and they come with a free year of membership in the Ionna charging network, InsideEVs reported.
For a new owner, the offer covers part of the first year of public charging. It does not apply to older model years.
How the $500 is split
The credit comes in two pieces. Owners can spend $300 at more than 15 charging networks, including Ionna, Shell Recharge, ChargePoint and EVgo. The remaining $200 works only at Ionna stations. BMW is one of the automakers that back Ionna.
The free Ionna membership, which also lasts a year, cuts 25% off charging sessions on that network. That discount is separate from the $500 credit. An owner who charges mostly at Ionna sites gets the most out of the package; an owner who uses other networks can draw only on the $300 portion there.
- $500 in total public charging credits
- $300 usable at 15-plus networks, Ionna included
- $200 usable only at Ionna
- 25% off Ionna sessions with the free membership
- One year from the purchase date to use it all
How owners claim the credits
Drivers have to create an account in the BMW app and pay for charging through BMW ChargingNetwork. Once that is set up, the credits are applied automatically to charging sessions that qualify, according to BMW.
What this means for shoppers
The offer is open to buyers and to people who lease, so lessees get the same $500 as buyers. It applies only to these three models in the 2027 model year.
The models differ. The i7 and iX3 use BMW’s Neue Klasse platform, which brings a redesigned digital interface with a “Panoramic Vision” display set beneath the windshield, InsideEVs wrote. The publication said the iX3 can go more than 400 miles on a charge and accept charging at up to 400 kilowatts. The i5 runs on the older design and offers over 300 miles of range in some trims, according to InsideEVs, which expects the newer features to reach the next i5.
For a driver who charges mostly at home, the credits mainly help on road trips. A driver without home charging will use them up faster, because every public session draws on the balance.
What to watch
BMW has not said whether the program will extend to other electric models or later model years. The credits and the Ionna membership both run for one year from the purchase date.
