In Paris, Bolloré, the investment firm behind Autolib, a car-sharing company that has battery-powered cars for public use on a subscription basis, along with a network of parking and charging stations, is accusing BMW of using spies for information on its electric cars. The company charges that two employees of a firm employed by BMW were seen multiple times tampering with charging points and the company's vehicles. Bolloré claims that it has advanced battery and geo-location system technology that it has invested heavily in. BMW states that the workers are employed by P3, an engineering firm that is conducting routine tests to check charging point compatibility on European roads. BMW wanted that information before its launch of the i3 electric model.
According to the
news account, the individuals accused of tampering were actually taken in for questioning by the police after being seen three times at the recharging stations, then released. The scheme is catching on, with 1,800 vehicles, 4,000 charging points, and approximately 34,000 subscribers in Paris and suburbs — good reason to unearth competitive information.