[Video] Activating “eDrive Zone” in BMW

With a brand new technology, BMW presented the ‘eDrive Zone’ earlier this year. Deployed with geo-mapped areas of big cities, this feature allows BMW plug-in hybrid models shift automatically to EV once they’re driving inside the charted out areas. This technology aims to reduce CO2 emissions and pollution around busy city centers. This feature is already activated on the latest models of the BMW. While for some models, it has to be activated manually.

Activating this feature requires an upgrade with your iDrive system through a convenient over-the-air updates tool provided by BMW. From the iDrive main menu, just enter the Apps sub-menu then press the Option button positioned next to the iDrive controller on the centre console and then press on “Update apps and services”.

This automatically updates your iDrive system. Then, enter the “Installed apps” sub-menu to find the eDrive Zone sub-menu. Once you click it, tick the eDrive Zone box. A “Show on map” option will also be offered to see the actual area where the eDrive zone is mapped out. Entering these eDrive Zones, lets your car automatically shift to Electric mode.

You’ll be notified by a banner in the iDrive system once you’re driving with the electricity alone. However, the switch will not be triggered automatically when in Manual or Sport mode. Furthermore, if you’re already using the Electric mode, the system will just notify that you have entered an eDrive zone. Upon exit, the system automatically shifts back to the Standard driving mode.