BMW I3 22 kWh charging cable

The BMW i3 arrived in 2013 as something genuinely strange and genuinely bold: a carbon-fibre city car built from scratch as an electric vehicle, before most manufacturers had accepted that EVs were even worth the effort. The 60 Ah / 22 kWh version covers the earliest production years, 2013 to around 2016, and by today's range standards it is modest. What it is not modest about is character. The onboard AC charger on the 22 kWh i3 tops out at 7.4 kW single-phase. At that rate, a full charge from near-empty takes three to four hours, which suits a car that most owners use for short daily runs and top up overnight. The CCS charging port sits on the right rear quarter panel, roughly where you would expect a fuel filler.

Charging cable for the BMW i3 22 kWh

The 22 kWh i3 is a single-phase vehicle with a 7.4 kW onboard charger, which requires a 32A single-phase draw to run at full speed. A Voldt® 7.4 kW or 22 kW Type 2 charging cable is the right choice: both are rated for 32A and deliver the full 7.4 kW rate. A standard 11 kW cable is a three-phase 16A cable and will restrict charging to 3.7 kW on this car, halving the speed and doubling the charge time.

The right-rear port position means reversing into a bay puts the connector closest to the charge point. Because the i3's battery is small enough to charge fully in a few hours, cable length matters less here than on longer-range cars: even a shorter cable rarely becomes an inconvenience. That said, a 6-metre cable covers any home installation with comfort. An 8-metre cable removes any doubt at public posts where the pillar is not quite where you would have placed it. A 10-metre or 15-metre cable is unlikely to be necessary for a car of this size, but neither does it hurt.

Portable charging for the BMW i3 22 kWh

The Voldt® portable CEE charging cable is available in models up to 22 kW via three-phase CEE. For the 22 kWh i3, a 32A single-phase blue CEE socket delivers the full 7.4 kW, charging the battery in around three to four hours. Campsites and marinas typically offer blue single-phase 16A CEE sockets, which cap out at 3.7 kW: at that rate the small battery still fills fully in around six hours, making it a workable overnight solution at most sites. Where only a standard household socket is available, the Schuko portable charger delivers a safe 2.3 kW. For a car this size, overnight on a Schuko adds well over a full charge's worth of range.

Built for long-term reliability

Voldt® charging cables are CE, UKCA and TÜV certified and manufactured according to IATF 16949 automotive quality standards. Single-piece moulded connectors, no glue or screws. IP67-rated for operation between −30°C and +50°C. 100% copper conductors with silver-plated contacts. Tested beyond 10,000 connection cycles. Three-year warranty, 100-day returns, free shipping across Europe.