BMW believes its new battery design is the key to the next generation of all-electric vehicles. The German automaker noted that with the new battery pictured here, companies like Tesla, not BMW, will have to play catch-up.
BMW’s first cylindrical battery prototype will power its next generation of electric cars starting in 2025, and is expected to provide 20% more energy and up to 30% more range. These cells are expected to have 50% lower battery costs and 60% lower production-related carbon emissions compared to current generation prismatic cells.
When asked by Automotive News Europe about its strategy to close the gap with rivals like Tesla, BMW Group production chief Milan Nedelkovic noted that the German automaker doesn’t need to chase anyone. “Tesla has to close the gap with us. In fact, we don’t think there is a gap with Tesla,” he said.
At a media event last week, the BMW executive shared some optimistic insights about the automaker’s battery technology. He also expressed some excitement about BMW’s new line of electric motors, which Nedelkovic believes are different from others on the market.
“The battery designs we have fit our product and our philosophy on how to achieve the drivability of the car. That’s why we also have our own electric motor designs. They are completely different from other products on the market,” he said.
While BMW’s enthusiasm for its new generation of batteries is admirable, the German automaker may ultimately face challenges in ramping up production of its new electric vehicle batteries. After all, even industry leader Tesla is struggling to produce the 4680 cells it announced during Battery Day 2020. Elon Musk has also noted in the past that mass production of new technologies is an extremely difficult task.
However, BMW seems to be on the right track with its next-generation battery. In addition to being a cylindrical cell similar to Tesla’s 4680 battery, BMW’s new battery has a higher nickel content and less cobalt, making it more environmentally friendly. The German automaker also noted that it aims to reuse 95% of the materials used in high-voltage electric vehicle batteries.
