At the Gyeongju BMW Charging Station, You’ll Find a Unique Korean-Style Design

A Charging Station with a Tiled Roof Opens in Gyeongju
BMW to Expand Charging Infrastructure to Over 1,100 Units Nationwide by Year-End

BMW Korea recently opened a new electric vehicle charging station, the 'BMW Charging Station,' in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province.

Although the government began this year to provide differentiated subsidies based on how well electric vehicle infrastructure, such as charging facilities, is established, the company has been investing in building domestic charging infrastructure even before that. Around a decade ago, before electric vehicles became widespread, BMW launched its dedicated electric vehicle, the i3, and proactively identified key needs for EV customers, such as charging facilities and a separate maintenance network.

BMW Electric Vehicle Charging Station in Gyeongju

The new BMW charging station in Gyeongju stands out for fully reflecting the unique characteristics of the region. Located inside the Hilton Hotel Gyeongju, the BMW Charging Station features a localized design, unlike conventional, plain charging stations. The architecture of the charging station, including the roof, incorporates Korean traditional elements inspired by hanok eaves and lattice patterns.

Instead of the usual English signage, the station uses the Korean term for 'electric vehicle charging station.' The company explained, "We aimed to properly reflect the regional characteristics of Gyeongju, where traditional cultural heritage is well preserved."

This location is equipped with one fast charger and three slow chargers, allowing up to eight vehicles to charge simultaneously. Another notable feature is that it is open to the public, making it accessible to all electric vehicle drivers in Korea. Previously, in December last year, the company introduced BMW Charging Stations at the BMW Driving Center in Yeongjongdo, Incheon, and nearby Paradise City. The BMW Driving Center charging station can accommodate up to 80 vehicles at once, making it the largest single charging space in the country.

BMW Electric Vehicle Charging Station in Gyeongju

As of the end of last year, BMW Korea owned a total of 877 chargers. The company plans to expand charging infrastructure nationwide by installing charging stations at regional hotels and resorts in areas such as the Seoul metropolitan area, Gangwon, Gyeongnam, and Jeju, as well as in large shopping malls, office-dense areas, and parks-focusing on the daily activity zones of electric vehicle drivers. By the end of this year, BMW aims to add more than 20 new BMW Charging Stations nationwide, bringing the total charging infrastructure to over 1,100 chargers.

Including the newly opened charging stations in Yeongjongdo and Gyeongju, all future BMW electric vehicle charging stations will be open to the public, allowing all electric vehicle drivers in Korea-not just those with BMW or MINI vehicles-to use them. The company plans to increase the number of these public chargers to up to 500, helping to ease the burden of expanding infrastructure as electric vehicle adoption grows.

BMW Charging Station inside the BMW Driving Center in Yeongjongdo, Incheon. It is the largest single charging space in the country.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.