BMW eDrive Zones now available in 138 European cities

MUNICH: The BMW Group is introducing its eDrive Zones in another 20 European cities, including Copenhagen, Verona and Toulouse.

This means that a total of 138 cities in Europe are now benefiting from this trailblazing technology. The service is expected to be rolled out in at least another 30 cities worldwide in the coming year.

In an eDrive Zone, BMW plug-in hybrid vehicles automatically switch to all-electric driving mode upon entering inner city areas.

Then, the plug-in hybrid models drive locally emission-free – just like purely electric vehicles – and with low fuel costs, as electric motors are much more efficient than combustion engines for driving in city traffic.


The vehicle recognises the designated areas using geofencing technology and GPS.

The automated eDrive feature is available as standard in many existing and all future BMW plug-in hybrids. Drivers are rewarded with bonus points for each all-electric kilometre driven – and with double points in an eDrive Zone – which they can redeem for charging credit. In turn, drivers also collect bonus points while charging their vehicle.

The 20 latest cities to be added are: Aberdeen, Bregenz, Brescia, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Copenhagen, Cork, Coventry, Florence, Klagenfurt, Lille, Matosinhos, Naples, Oeiras, Oxford, Sheffield, St. Pölten, Toulouse and Verona.