A chip off the ol’ block
As it presses forward on its own electrification journey, MINI is following in the footsteps of its parent brand, BMW, by introducing a “ChargeForward” program for MINI vehicles. The program is available on the 2025 and newer MINI Countryman SE ALL4, 2020-2024 MINI Cooper Hardtop 2 Door, and 2017-2024 MINI Countryman PHEV. MINI drivers can use ChargeForward via XCEL Energy, PSEG Long Island, Eversource, PSE, DTE, and SMUD charging stations after enrollment, available through the MINI app.
MINI
What is ChargeForward?
In the automaker’s own words, ChargeForward is “a smart charging initiative designed to help customers earn financial incentives and reduce carbon emission with the optimizing of charging times.”
Drivers can earn incentives when they enroll in these carbon dividend programs offered by their energy provider, which the BMW Group or MINI does not manage. ChargeForward carefully monitors energy grid performance to identify the optimal hours to charge your EV at home, avoiding peak charging times that often result in premium pricing.
In practice, this means that you might plug your EV in at 6 pm when you get home from work, but it might not start charging until 1:30 am that night. If the electrical grid is strained in the evening, a BMW or MINI enrolled in ChargeForward will opt to wait until everyone is asleep before charging the vehicle. Drivers can manage charging passively by setting departure times, which informs your vehicle when it needs to be charged, so you don’t get range anxiety.
Gabriel Ionica
No additional hardware is required, either. You use the same charging cable and equipment you already have in your home, and plug in your vehicle as you normally would. The app, your vehicle, and your energy provider collaborate behind the scenes to ensure your MINI is charged and ready to go when you are.
“At MINI, we believe driving electric should be as fun as it is sustainable,” says Vikash Joshi, a Product Manager at MINI USA. “With MINI ChargeForward, our customers not only enjoy the convenience of smart charging but also play an active role in contributing to a cleaner and more efficient grid. This initiative is another example of how MINI is blending innovation, responsibility, and a sense of joy in every drive.”
BMW is fully committed to electrification and reducing its carbon footprint. With the hockey-stick growth of MINI sales lately, it’s sensible that the BMW Group would involve MINI in its ChargeForward platform. After all, it’s essentially the same underpinnings as a BMW, so why not?
Mini USA
Final thoughts
BMW has over 10,000 drivers enrolled in ChargeForward, and while the automaker hasn’t noted how much it has “flattened the curve” on grid demand in peak hours, it’s a popular program we’d like to see utilized with more energy partners. We’d also like to see this type of in-app charging management from more automakers, particularly as electrification gets more popular and at-home charging becomes our go-to method for powering up our vehicles.
