BMW 225xe Active Tourer EV Charging Cable

A small battery and a modest charger

The 2016 to 2019 car holds 5.8 kWh usable and the 2019 to 2021 update 8.8 kWh. Both accept 3.7 kW on AC, unchanged by the facelift, so a 16A cable covers the whole production run.

BMW quoted a full charge in a little over two hours from a wall box on the early car and around three and a quarter on the later one. A 32A cable makes no difference to either figure.

There is no DC rapid capability on this car, so the Type 2 lead is not an occasional accessory: it is the only way the battery ever refills. That is worth remembering if you are buying a used one and the previous owner never handed a cable over.

How long a full charge takes

Those times come from dividing the pack by the delivered power and adding 13 per cent for losses, then rounding to the quarter hour. Electric range went from 25 miles on the old NEDC test to 34 miles WLTP on the later car, so the newer one is the meaningfully better commuter.

Which length to buy

The socket has its own flap on the front nearside wing, which on a UK right hand drive car means ahead of the front passenger door rather than the driver's. It is a low, easy position to reach.

Nose in towards the charge point and 5 metres is plenty on a car this size. Reverse in and 10 metres is the buy. Work it out from where the car genuinely sits, not where it could sit, and leave slack.

The charging flap is a separate panel from the fuel filler at the rear, so the two never compete for the same parking position. Approach the bay whichever way suits the pump and the wall box independently.

How these cables are built

IEC 62196-2 construction, CE marked, IP55 sealed and tested from -30C through to +50C.

The three pin cable is built to IEC 62752, CE marked, sealed to IP67 and rated from -30C to +60C. Two year manufacturer's warranty, free next working day UK delivery and 30 days to send it back.

Also from BMW: BMW 330e EV Charging Cable. The full range of BMW charging cables is on one page.

BMW 225xe charging cable questions

What cable does a BMW 225xe need?

A Type 2 to Type 2 cable at 16A. The car accepts 3.7 kW on AC, unchanged across both generations, so nothing faster is of any use to it.

How long does a 225xe take to charge?

A little over two hours for the early 5.8 kWh car and around three and a quarter for the 8.8 kWh update, on a home charge point. From a three pin socket, add an hour or so.

Which side is the charging flap on?

The front nearside wing, the kerb side, under its own separate flap. On a UK car that puts it ahead of the passenger door, not the driver's door.

Is it worth upgrading to a 32A cable?

No. The 225xe cannot draw more than 3.7 kW, so a bigger cable finishes at exactly the same time. Put the money into length if your drive needs it.