Looking forward, BMW will begin to roll out its all-solid-state battery in 2030. The company says this move will increase the energy density by another 20 per cent. The plan is to have a demonstration vehicle using the all-solid-state technology out before 2025.BMW recently announced many innovations surrounding its sixth-generation battery technology. Gen6 offers a lot more range and power than the current, Gen5 batteries, the result of many different advancements. From adopting a new cell structure to changing how the chassis integrates with the battery, BMW continues to rush headlong into the next generation of electrification.
In short, yes. The fifth-generation battery pack was a massive step forward over previous iterations, offering a 20% increase in density. Incredibly, the battery was also smaller and lighter and offered significantly more range than the outgoing battery. The newest Gen6 battery promises similarly impressive movement. It, too, is smaller and lighter, and BMW claims a 20% increase in density and a 30% increase in range.
Maybe even more fascinating is that BMW claims their batteries aren’t even trying that hard. They could push the density higher or increase (or decrease) the power. But there are other considerations at hand, such as cooling and heat generation. Hypothetically, BMW places the range ceiling at around 1,000 kilometers – roughly 621 miles.
But we might not see that kind of range from the Neue Klasse. During a presentation in Munich, Dr. Simon Erhard, one of the lead engineers behind Gen 6 battery tech development, says that there is no ceiling per se, but “if you want to have it very reliable, high quality, safe and so on…I think that range is going down to 800 to 900 kilometers [WLTP].”
These figures are much more in line with a 30% increase in range from current Gen5 batteries. Still, around 500 miles of electric range sounds very enticing. Moreover, it should place the Neue Klasse, the first model to receive Gen6 batteries, in direct competition with the current industry high-flyer, the Lucid Air.
Is this range reasonable and enough even for customers demanding top ranges? “Whether it’s reasonable or not, it’s a different discussion, but those customers are there,” Erhard told us. “You will have to have this big electric volume push to deliver on all…
