BMW follows Tesla with Round Batteries for Neue Klass EVs giving extra 30% range

BMW will use cylindrical batteries for its Neue Klasse EVs from 2025, promising a 30 per cent greater range and 50 per cent lower costs.

We may all be waiting for Solid State batteries to arrive and transform the EV market, with the promise of lower costs, increased range and higher energy density.

But as we wait for the arrival of Solid State batteries, technology is improving the lithium-ion batteries already powering EVs, with Tesla, for example, already adopting a new generation of cylindrical batteries which improve performance by a significant amount.

Now it’s BMW’s turn to head down the cylindrical battery route, rather than the current prismatic battery tech, with the arrival of their Neue Klasse EVs in 2025.

BMW says the new batteries, to be built in six factors – two each in Europe, China and North America – each with an annual production capacity of 20GWh, will improve energy density, charging times, range and cost. BMW’s Frank Weber said:

The newly-developed sixth generation of our lithium-ion cells will bring a huge leap in technology that will increase energy density by more than 20 per cent, improve charging speed by up to 30 per cent and enhance range by up to 30 per cent. We are also reducing CO₂ emissions from cell production by up to 60 per cent. These are big steps for sustainability and customer benefits.

Not only will the new batteries bring big improvements in range, charging speed and energy density, but they will also help reduce battery costs by up to 50 per cent compared with current batteries and reduce the carbon footprint in manufacture by up to 60 per cent.