Following on from the awesome BMW i3 Frunk Seal by Wokeby, their next endeavour was to get rid of those horrible rubbery charging bungs. You know, those cheap-looking dangly things that are just plain ugly?
Now you can make your charge port almost as sleek as a Tesla, thanks to the Wokeby BMW i3 Charge Port Flap.
What is it?
It’s a three-piece of moulded plastic that goes over the ‘naked’ charge port, replacing the current facia with a clean two-door flap design instead of the bungs.
How?
Moulded from three separate pieces, the main back panel is the exact dimensions of the original part, but now there are two doors attached. The upper for standard Type2 charging, while the lower one opens so, you can use high-speed CCS charging while out and about.
The upper door has two clips on the leading edge, which secure it in place when pushed in. This also pushes in the lower door, so it can’t be opened without the upper.
It takes around 15/20 minutes to fit, but removing the original facia is a bit of a faff. So let’s show you how to fit it first.
Wokeby Charge Port Flap Fitting Instructions
Give the charge port area a quick wipe with a damp cloth if it’s grubby in there; it will stop you from getting too messy or slipping with the screwdriver.
Step 1: Remove the existing facia
This is the trickiest bit; you need to remove the existing facia, which is clipped in from behind. But you can’t see the clips and have to do it largely by feel.
I started with the far side (right) but soon gave up and instead tackled the left-hand side as you can sort of bend/push the facia back more so you can see what you’re trying to achieve.
Use a bright torch to help you if you can, and don’t worry about bending the facia, it won’t snap.
You need to slide the screwdriver (100mm long with a head more than or equal to 3mm wide) between the rubber seal and the plastic body of the car. Wiggle and bend it slightly so you can see in.
This will give you a nice view of the clip. It has some small lugs that are big enough to get the screwdriver into. Next, push the screwdriver toward the front of the car to pry the clip out. Once released, one whole side should be free.
Do the same on the other side; this side is largely blind, but having seen what you need to do, it’s a little easier. It took me numerous attempts and a lot of moving around, I ended up pretty badly damaging the rubber seal in the process.
You may want to consider buying a spare facia in case you ever want to revert to the original (maybe some warranty work etc., at BMW). The part number is: 51177335773
Step 2: Unscrew the charge port
Next, you need to unscrew four of the original screws that hold the charge port into the side of the car.
DO NOT UNSCREW ALL THE SCREWS
You’ll need a T25 screwdriver or bit to remove the screws.
Take out both upper screws, the middle right and the lower left (as pictured).
Place the Wokeby charge port flap over the charging port and reinstall the four screws.
I tightened these until I started feeling resistance, then did a further half turn – just in case I damaged the facia.
Step 3: Remove the ugly bungs
You could have done this first, but if you haven’t, slide the bungs out of the main flap.
Here’s the full installation video, which might make things easier.
What’s it like?
As with the frunk seal, having the horrible charging bungs was something that really nagged at me, especially as the rest of the car is so modern; the bungs seem such a basic, old fashioned thing to have.
No doubt they protect incredibly thoroughly from water ingress as they’re so deep, but they just aren’t aesthetically pleasing.
The Wokeby charge port flap is incredibly high quality, the plastic is nice and thick, and there’s foam on the reverse of each door to add to the waterproof protection. It’s 100% made in Germany too.
That upper Type2 door clips in firmly, and it requires a decent amount of force to open, so it won’t just blow open in the wind etc.
The lower door doesn’t have any clips, which was a slight concern for me, but as soon as you plug in a Type2 cable, the door is wedged shut by the connector, so there’s no need to worry there.
It’s rained once since having the charge port flap installed, and the foam inside the flap did get wet and stayed that way for most of the day. I’m sure it’s not an issue, but just something to be aware of.
I also installed some vinyl screw covers in black over the screws that were on show, just to make it a little more aesthetically pleasing and to give the screws a bit of protection from the rain etc.
Wokeby BMW i3 Charge Port Flap, Where can I get one?
Along with the superb Frunk Seal and Trunk Extension, the BMW i3 Charge Port Flap can be purchased directly from Wokeby; the retail price is €44.99 plus any VAT and shipping.
You can follow Wokeby on Instagram here.
