We first told you about the BMW brand’s new, sixth-generation, CATL-supplied EV batteries last week, when the company announced the new, 46 mm “round” format. At the time, the company said their new cells would offer more range than their current EVs, but we didn’t know how much more. Well, now we do: more tham 1000 km (about 620 miles).
“Gen6 batteries will give us 30% or more range than our current Gen5, but we won’t go over 1000km [620 miles] of range, even though we can,” said Thomas Albrecht, head of Efficient Dynamics for BMW, in an interview with Autocar. “We don’t think that such a long range is necessary.”
In addition to improved, Lucid-challenging range, the new Gen6 EV battery promises significantly faster charging than the already pretty efficient Gen5s. According to the head of the battery cell department at BMW, Marie-Therese von Srbik, DC Fast Charging times stand to improve by as much as 30 percent. In addition, BMW’s future EVs with the new pack will support up to 270 kW fast charging. “With this next generation of battery, we will be much more flexible with how we integrate the cell. The whole vehicle is becoming more adaptive towards that.”
Albrecht also noted that, while the US will likely require an electric car’s battery to maintain as much as 80% performance over 10 years of use, BMW’s CATL-sourced Gen6 battery is already expected to perform better.
Oh! I almost forgot the best part. The new batteries will also be produced using clean, renewable energy ,and ethically sourced minerals. “The agreement builds on the two companies’ shared commitment to building a sustainable and in future circular battery value chain. CATL will primarily utilize renewable energies and secondary materials for the production of the high-performance battery cells. Cobalt and lithium used for the new generation of battery cells will be sourced from certified mines.”
That, plus BMW’s commitment to develop “closed loop” recycling across its product lines should mean nothing but good things as the Bavarian Motor Werke continues to electrify.
Source | Images: BMW, via Autocar.
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