diff --git a/templates/definition/vehicle/cardata.yaml b/templates/definition/vehicle/cardata.yaml
index ed3fbccf8..5edfdc6c4 100644
--- a/templates/definition/vehicle/cardata.yaml
+++ b/templates/definition/vehicle/cardata.yaml
@@ -52,7 +52,9 @@ params:
     required: true
   - preset: vehicle-features
   - name: streaming
-    default: true
+    help:
+      en: Enable if vehicle sends streaming updates during charging.
+      de: Aktivieren falls das Fahrzeug Streaming Updates während des Ladevorgangs schickt.
 render: |
   type: cardata
   vin: {{ .vin }}
diff --git a/vehicle/bmw/cardata/api.go b/vehicle/bmw/cardata/api.go
index 2162c7400..a54026e80 100644
--- a/vehicle/bmw/cardata/api.go
+++ b/vehicle/bmw/cardata/api.go
@@ -97,8 +97,8 @@ func (v *API) DeleteContainer(id string) error {
 	return v.DoJSON(req, &res)
 }
 
-func (v *API) GetTelematics(vin, container string) (TelematicData, error) {
-	var res TelematicData
+func (v *API) GetTelematics(vin, container string) (ContainerContents, error) {
+	var res ContainerContents
 	uri := fmt.Sprintf(ApiURL+"/customers/vehicles/%s/telematicData?containerId=%s", vin, container)
 	err := v.GetJSON(uri, &res)
 	return res, err
diff --git a/vehicle/bmw/cardata/provider.go b/vehicle/bmw/cardata/provider.go
index c3723ff1c..0881738c5 100644
--- a/vehicle/bmw/cardata/provider.go
+++ b/vehicle/bmw/cardata/provider.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package cardata
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
 	"maps"
 	"slices"
 	"sync"
@@ -23,19 +24,24 @@ type Provider struct {
 	api *API
 	ts  oauth2.TokenSource
 
-	vin string
+	vin       string
+	container string
 
-	initial   map[string]TelematicDataPoint
+	rest      map[string]TelematicData
 	streaming map[string]StreamingData
+	updated   time.Time
+	cache     time.Duration
 }
 
 // NewProvider creates a vehicle api provider
-func NewProvider(ctx context.Context, log *util.Logger, api *API, ts oauth2.TokenSource, clientID, vin string) *Provider {
+func NewProvider(ctx context.Context, log *util.Logger, api *API, ts oauth2.TokenSource, clientID, vin string, cache time.Duration) *Provider {
 	v := &Provider{
 		log:       log,
 		api:       api,
 		ts:        ts,
 		vin:       vin,
+		cache:     cache,
+		rest:      make(map[string]TelematicData),
 		streaming: make(map[string]StreamingData),
 	}
 
@@ -51,6 +57,7 @@ func NewProvider(ctx context.Context, log *util.Logger, api *API, ts oauth2.Toke
 		for msg := range recvC {
 			v.mu.Lock()
 			maps.Copy(v.streaming, msg.Data)
+			v.updated = time.Now()
 			v.mu.Unlock()
 		}
 	}()
@@ -58,48 +65,7 @@ func NewProvider(ctx context.Context, log *util.Logger, api *API, ts oauth2.Toke
 	return v
 }
 
-func (v *Provider) any(key string) (any, error) {
-	v.mu.Lock()
-	defer v.mu.Unlock()
-
-	if a, ok := v.streaming[key]; ok {
-		return a.Value, nil
-	}
-
-	if v.initial == nil {
-		// don't try as long as there's no token
-		if _, err := v.ts.Token(); err != nil {
-			return nil, api.ErrNotAvailable
-		}
-
-		defer func() {
-			if v.initial == nil {
-				v.initial = make(map[string]TelematicDataPoint)
-			}
-		}()
-
-		container, err := v.ensureContainer()
-		if err != nil {
-			v.log.ERROR.Printf("get container: %v", err)
-			return nil, api.ErrNotAvailable
-		}
-
-		if res, err := v.api.GetTelematics(v.vin, container); err == nil {
-			v.initial = res.TelematicData
-		} else {
-			v.log.ERROR.Printf("get telematics: %v", err)
-			return nil, api.ErrNotAvailable
-		}
-	}
-
-	if el, ok := v.initial[key]; ok {
-		return el.Value, nil
-	}
-
-	return nil, api.ErrNotAvailable
-}
-
-func (v *Provider) ensureContainer() (string, error) {
+func (v *Provider) findOrCreateContainer() (string, error) {
 	containers, err := v.api.GetContainers()
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
@@ -119,6 +85,62 @@ func (v *Provider) ensureContainer() (string, error) {
 
 	return res.ContainerId, err
 }
+
+func (v *Provider) setupContainer() error {
+	container, err := v.findOrCreateContainer()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("get container: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	v.container = container
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (v *Provider) updateContainerData() error {
+	res, err := v.api.GetTelematics(v.vin, v.container)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("get telematics: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	v.rest = res.TelematicData
+	v.streaming = make(map[string]StreamingData) // reset streaming
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (v *Provider) any(key string) (any, error) {
+	v.mu.Lock()
+	defer v.mu.Unlock()
+
+	_, tokenErr := v.ts.Token()
+
+	switch {
+	case tokenErr == nil && v.updated.IsZero():
+		// this will only happen once
+		if err := v.setupContainer(); err != nil {
+			v.log.WARN.Println(err)
+		}
+		fallthrough
+
+	case tokenErr == nil && time.Since(v.updated) > v.cache && v.container != "":
+		if err := v.updateContainerData(); err != nil {
+			v.log.WARN.Println(err)
+		}
+		v.updated = time.Now()
+	}
+
+	if a, ok := v.streaming[key]; ok {
+		return a.Value, nil
+	}
+
+	if el, ok := v.rest[key]; ok {
+		return el.Value, nil
+	}
+
+	return nil, api.ErrNotAvailable
+}
+
 func (v *Provider) String(key string) (string, error) {
 	res, err := v.any(key)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/vehicle/bmw/cardata/provider_test.go b/vehicle/bmw/cardata/provider_test.go
index ff1580fd9..0eef5ff31 100644
--- a/vehicle/bmw/cardata/provider_test.go
+++ b/vehicle/bmw/cardata/provider_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package cardata
 import (
 	"context"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
@@ -15,10 +16,13 @@ func TestCardataStreaming(t *testing.T) {
 
 	p := NewProvider(ctx, util.NewLogger("foo"), nil, oauth2.StaticTokenSource(&oauth2.Token{
 		AccessToken: "at",
-	}), "client", "vin")
+	}), "client", "vin", 0)
+
+	// prevent container panic
+	p.updated = time.Now()
 
 	keySoc := "vehicle.drivetrain.batteryManagement.header"
-	p.initial = map[string]TelematicDataPoint{
+	p.rest = map[string]TelematicData{
 		keySoc: {Value: "42"},
 	}
 
diff --git a/vehicle/bmw/cardata/types.go b/vehicle/bmw/cardata/types.go
index 949153f67..01ea96776 100644
--- a/vehicle/bmw/cardata/types.go
+++ b/vehicle/bmw/cardata/types.go
@@ -21,14 +21,14 @@ type CreateContainer struct {
 	TechnicalDescriptors []string `json:"technicalDescriptors"`
 }
 
-type TelematicDataPoint struct {
-	Timestamp time.Time
-	Unit      string
-	Value     string
+type ContainerContents struct {
+	TelematicData map[string]TelematicData
 }
 
 type TelematicData struct {
-	TelematicData map[string]TelematicDataPoint
+	Timestamp time.Time
+	Unit      string
+	Value     string
 }
 
 type StreamingMessage struct {
diff --git a/vehicle/cardata.go b/vehicle/cardata.go
index 766f7ec5d..dfe281ef1 100644
--- a/vehicle/cardata.go
+++ b/vehicle/cardata.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
+	"slices"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/api"
@@ -25,12 +26,10 @@ func init() {
 
 // NewCardataFromConfig creates a new BMW/Mini CarData vehicle
 func NewCardataFromConfig(ctx context.Context, other map[string]interface{}) (api.Vehicle, error) {
-	cc := struct {
+	var cc struct {
 		embed         `mapstructure:",squash"`
 		ClientID, VIN string
-		Cache         time.Duration
-	}{
-		Cache: 30 * time.Minute, // 50 requests per day
+		Cache         time.Duration // 50 requests per day
 	}
 
 	if err := util.DecodeOther(other, &cc); err != nil {
@@ -45,6 +44,12 @@ func NewCardataFromConfig(ctx context.Context, other map[string]interface{}) (ap
 		return nil, api.ErrMissingCredentials
 	}
 
+	if cc.Cache == 0 {
+		// for non-streaming use 15m, access controlled by loadpoint
+		isStreaming := slices.Contains(cc.embed.Features(), api.Streaming)
+		cc.Cache = map[bool]time.Duration{false: 15 * time.Minute, true: 30 * time.Minute}[isStreaming]
+	}
+
 	v := &Cardata{
 		embed: &cc.embed,
 	}
@@ -77,7 +82,7 @@ func NewCardataFromConfig(ctx context.Context, other map[string]interface{}) (ap
 
 	api := cardata.NewAPI(log, ts)
 
-	v.Provider = cardata.NewProvider(ctx, log, api, ts, cc.ClientID, cc.VIN)
+	v.Provider = cardata.NewProvider(ctx, log, api, ts, cc.ClientID, cc.VIN, cc.Cache)
 
 	return v, nil
 }