The old adage, “a dollar saved is a dollar earned” speaks to the intrinsic necessity of streamlining transactions in a commercial operation. And while efficiency is important in business, it’s a pretty big deal in the automotive world as well. To help offer its customers a bit more efficiency, Poland’s Idea Bank is combining the two by outfitting a fleet of BMW i3 electric vehicles as mobile ATMs, allowing small businesses to call upon the cars for either deposits or withdrawals anytime, anywhere.

So far, the bank has four i3s prepped for service, one of which is already in use. According to BMW Blog, 80 percent of respondents in an unspecified survey deliver money to their respective banks in person, with cash transactions still being quite common throughout Europe.

“Entrepreneurs who personally deliver their income to the bank or a stationary CDM waste both their time and money. Our service aims at lifting that weight off their shoulders,” said Dominik Fajbusiewicz, Idea Bank board member.

Customers can use the Idea Bank Money Collection app to call up the i3 ATM with their desired time and location of service, then use its GPS systems to observe the car’s position on a map.

If the service is a success, Idea Bank will expand the program to include multiple cities.

Continue reading to learn more about the BMW i3 mobile ATM.

Why it matters

As someone who lived in Los Angeles for nearly 10 years, I can’t help but think how vulnerable something like this is to a carjacking. Stationary ATMs are heavy, cumbersome things, usually anchored in a well-lit and heavily recorded area, and to me, this looks like a cash score complete with getaway car.

Of course, maybe I’ve just been playing a bit too much GTA. Gun laws in Poland are some of the strictest in the EU, with firearm ownership being the lowest, at 1 gun for every 100 citizens.

Still, there’s a reason most banks use armored truck to transport valuables…

BMW i3

As the little commuter sibling to the performance-oriented i8, the i3 is BMWs take on efficient city transport. Curb weight is kept low at 2,434 pounds, thanks to materials like carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics for the passenger cell and forged aluminum for the wheels. The interior is outfitted with “sustainable luxury” in the form of recycled materials throughout. Powering the i3 is an electric motor putting down 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, which allows a range up to 123 miles in Eco Pro+ mode. A full battery charge takes 30 minutes on a fast-charge station, or roughly eight hours from a conventional outlet. There’s also a range-extending ICE to eke out another 57 miles if needed.

Read our full review here.