BMW has recently hosted an Innovation & Sustainability Day in Germany where several electric topics were discussed. Frank Weber, BMW’s chief technology officer, met with media to discuss the company’s future electric car plans. The first topic on the agenda were the future round cells supplied by EVE, CATL and Nortvolt which will maximize power, increase the range and slower degradation.

According to Weber, the new 800V system with a fast charger will increase the electric range by 30 miles for every minute of charging. Additionally, the new car platform can accommodate single, dual or quad synchronous SSM motors, with the latter being currently tested by the M Division. When it comes to the power output, according to Car Magazine, it will allegedly start at around 270 horsepower and go as high as 1340 hp.

Of course, just cause the opportunity is there, that doesn’t mean BMW will go over 1,000 hp for future cars. In the end, a proper balance between range and power is required. But it is possible that special BMW M models might pierce through the 1 megawatt (1341 hp) ceiling. Battery packs are also rumored to range from 75 kWh up to 150 kWh, and possible more in the distant future.

The first two models to emerge under the Neue Klasse family of cars is the new BMW i3 sedan and the second generation BMW iX3. Both models are expected in 2025-2026.

[Source: BMWBLOG]

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30 Percent More Electric Range

BMW promises a “huge leap in technology” as round cells will increase an EV’s range in the WLTP cycle by as much as 30% and boost charging speed by the same percentage. Neue Klasse models will support 800V tech with fast-charging capabilities allowing owners to juice up their EVs from 10% to 80% about 30 minutes quicker than on the current crop of zero-emissions models.

The automaker says that the battery cells will have a standard diameter of 46 millimeters (1.81 inches). These are being engineered in two different heights and will have less cobalt content while incorporating more nickel on the cathode side. Additional silicon content on the anode side is also planned to enhance energy density.

Furthermore, the new cell production will reduce CO2 emissions generated during cell production by 60%. An equally important target is to slash production costs by 50% compared to the current batteries. Two new battery plants are going to be built in China, with two more in Europe and another two in the USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement).

In the meantime, BMW has already worked out a deal with suppliers to partially use secondary materials for the raw materials lithium, cobalt, and nickel. In addition, green power will be used during the manufacturing process to reduce the levels of CO2 generated. Contracts worth more than €10 billion have been signed for the production of round battery cells.

Source: BMW

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BMW M goes on to mention its electric sports car has been equipped with all-wheel drive. The use of xDrive typically implies there are two electric motors – one at the front and the other at the rear, driving the axles independently. However, the modified M EV has a four-motor setup with each motor driving a wheel.

Although no power figures have been disclosed, adding two extra electric motors has certainly increased output compared to the i4 M50 by a significant amount. Therefore, we’re assuming a healthy bump over the 544 horsepower and 795 Newton-meters (586 pound-feet) of torque available in the i4 M50. Rather than cramming in two more e-motors and calling it a day, BMW M says it has engineered a “completely new drive concept.”

Without going into specifics, the high-performance division vaguely mentions an “integrated driving dynamics control system” and wider front and rear tracks compared to the i4 M50. The prototype’s quad electric motors are linked to a “central, highly integrated control unit” that monitors the driving conditions and driver’s inputs to calculate the optimal power via a multi-plate clutch and differentials delivery within milliseconds.

BMW is testing the i4 Coupe on the road and mentions it has modified the interior to accommodate a wide variety of measuring devices to scan everything that is happening while the car is in motion. This rolling test laboratory will eventually lead to the launch of BMW M’s first full-fat M electric car.

Source: BMW

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BMW and McLaren are apparently partnering on an electric supercar platform that would spawn a model for each brand. However, it wouldn’t be the same vehicle with different badges, but rather cars with distinctive designs inside and out. If true, these will be impressively light (for an EV) as the engineers are allegedly targeting a curb weight of 1,500 kilograms (3,306 pounds). The presumed electric supercar could have all-wheel drive courtesy of quad motors making nearly 1,100 horsepower.

CAR suggests BMW’s version might not even be a supercar, but rather a Porsche Taycan rival to replace the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe.

If you’re wondering why BMW can’t do this on its own, CAR says the brand wants to benefit from McLaren’s greater carbon fiber expertise. The electric supercar project will reportedly come to life in the 2026 to 2028 timeframe and could spawn a crossover as well.

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How is BMW responding? By launching a flurry of models in the near future. Later this week, the i7 will receive its world premiere as a response to the Mercedes EQS and Model S. The end of 2022 will bring us the iX1 to serve as the EV equivalent of the next X1 compact crossover. Come 2023, the smaller i5 will follow as an electric variant of the next-generation 5 Series Sedan. The greater BMW Group is going to roll out the MINI Countryman EV and Rolls-Royce Spectre next year.

In the meantime, BMW just introduced an i3 Sedan as a Tesla Model 3 competitor, but only in China. Elsewhere, the i4 fulfills that role and is joined by the Model X-rivaling iX. While new EVs are being added to the lineup, the quirky-but-loveable i3 hatchback is being discontinued. For the time being, the i4 and iX are the commercial hits for the Bavarians. We mustn’t omit the iX3, but the company has decided against bringing it to the United States.

Indeed, Nota mentioned dealers have hundreds of orders for the two and the waiting time has increased to six months. CEO Oliver Zipse estimates demand for EVs will continue to grow. For this reason, preparations are being made to make the most of the available production capacity.

Despite the obvious electric push, BMW isn’t keen on dropping internal combustion engines in the foreseeable future. The luxury brand believes EVs are still not globally feasible, mainly because they’re still more expensive than ICEs and the charging infrastructure isn’t ready yet.

Source: Automotive News (subscription required)

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Tesla registrations went up by a massive 49% compared to the same month of 2021, reaching 37,162 units. In the same interval, demand for BMWs grew by 8.2% to 30,563 units. Lexus took the last spot on the podium with 24,483 registrations or 6% less than in January 2021. Mercedes saw the biggest drop, with registrations declining by 20% to 22,022.

The Tesla and BMW comparison is interesting considering it was an extremely close race last year. The German luxury marque ultimately won by delivering 347,453 cars in the United States. However, Tesla was right behind, with 342,412 units sold. 2022 isn’t looking too good for BMW considering Elon Musk’s company is opening a new plant in Texas and boosting output at its existing Freemont factory.

It’s worth noting the terms “sale” and “registration” are not interchangeable. Why is that the case? Because you can buy a car this month and register it in the next one. Since automakers release sales numbers, data providers such as Experian can only make estimations about registrations. It’s even more difficult to accurately observe Tesla’s performance since it doesn’t publish info on a monthly basis. In addition, the EV manufacturer doesn’t break out US sales numbers.

As you might have heard, Tesla is expanding its European presence by opening a new plant in Germany. A few days ago, the company received the necessary stamp of approval to kick off series production of the Model Y crossover. It goes without saying it will have a positive impact on the company’s sales performance on the Old Continent in 2022.

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Those numbers don’t mean much unless we put them into some kind of context. Case in point, we should compare them to the power consumption of the iX electric SUV. In the xDrive50 variant, the high-riding BMW EV requires 23.0-19.8 kWh for 62 miles (100 km). Based on the WLTP cycle, we know the zero-emission X model can cover up to 380 miles.

Assuming the equivalent BMW i7 will borrow the same large battery pack (105.2 kWh usable capacity), the electric sedan should hit 400 miles of range or close to that figure. It’s a decent number for a fullsize luxury sedan that shares its platform with the 7 Series and its combustion engines. In other words, the i7 is not a dedicated EV, which is the same we can say about the iX.

However, the US-spec BMW i7 is unlikely to hit 400 miles between charges since EPA’s test cycle is in virtually all cases more realistic than WLTP. Nevertheless, well over 300 miles should just about cure range anxiety, especially if the 7er without a combustion engine will support DC fast-charging at 205 kW to match the iX.

We will have to wait until later this year when BMW has promised to take the wraps off the next-generation 7 Series and its i7 sibling to discover all the technical specifications. The flagship sedan will be followed in 2023 by the smaller 5 Series, which will also spawn an EV counterpart as the i5.

The German luxury brand is bolstering its electric portfolio furthermore by preparing to introduce an iX1 crossover. It will be mechanically twinned with a model from BMW Group’s MINI brand, which will sell a Countryman EV from next year. Before that happens, China will get an i3 sedan in 2022.

Source: Auto Express

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Even though Mercedes and Volkswagen have signaled their intentions towards making EV batteries on their own, BMW has decided to wait until the technology will evolve furthermore. Financial boss Nicolas Peter told Reuters it’s too premature to project “what technology will accompany us for the next 10-15 years.” He went on to motivate this decision by saying “it’s important to invest a lot of resources with worldwide partners in battery cell development.”

A member of the board of management of BMW, Peter says the German luxury brand has ongoing contracts with suppliers such as Samsung, CATL, and Northvolt for enough battery cells to build EVs until around 2037. Battery assembly facilities are on the agenda, but the cells will be acquired from third parties in the foreseeable future.

BMW’s uncertainty regarding the type of tech electric vehicles will use in the 2030s is likely related to some extent to solid-state batteries. Expected to bring massive improvements in terms of range while shortening charging times, these will be tested by engineers later this year courtesy of a tie-up with Solid Power – a company specialized in solid-state batteries.

An investment of $130 million is being made by BMW, Ford, and Volta Energy Technologies in the company that uses sulfide-based solid-state battery cells. These do without the liquid electrolytes found in conventional lithium-ion batteries. BMW will operate a prototype before 2025 and estimates it will launch a vehicle with solid-state batteries towards the end of the decade.

As it stands, it would appear Toyota will be the first automaker to install a solid-state battery into a series production car. However, it won’t be a purely electric car as the tech will debut on a hybrid model by 2025 at the latest.

Source: Reuters

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Based on the long-wheelbase 3er built and sold in the People’s Republic by the BMW Brilliance Automotive joint venture, the i3 Sedan will be available with a 70.27-kWh battery pack. It will store enough juice for 526 kilometers (327 miles) of range, which represents a decent figure at a first glance. However, the rating is based on the overly optimistic New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), so an equivalent WLTP figure would be much smaller, and a hypothetical EPA rating would decrease the number furthermore.

Officially labeled as the BMW i3 eDrive 35L, the China-spec electric sedan will be 4872 millimeters (192 inches) long, 1846 mm (72.7 in) wide, and 1481 mm (58.3 in) tall, with a wheelbase of 2966 mm (117 in). By having to carry around a large battery pack, it goes without saying the zero-emissions 3 Series is a lot heavier than its combustion-engined counterpart. Case in point, it tips the scales at 2,029 kilograms (4,473 pounds), which is more than the BMW M5.

Equipped with a single electric motor, the purely electric sedan will offer 335 horsepower (250 kilowatts) and an instant torque of 410 Newton meters (302 pound-feet). An acceleration figure has not been disclosed, but we do know the EV tops out at 112 mph (180 km/h), which is likely electronically governed.

In terms of efficiency, it will consume 14.3 kWh for every 62 miles (100 kilometers) covered, but we’d wager that’s going to be possible only with the standard 18-inch alloy wheels since the optional 19-inch set will likely negatively impact the range.

BMW has yet to formally unveil the i3 Sedan in China, although an official premiere should be right around the corner.

Source: d1ev.com

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To be sold as the iX1, the completely silent crossover had the production-ready body as well as the final headlights and taillights. Despite the full camouflage, you can see the charging port is on the rear-right fender where you’ll find the fuel cap on the X1 powered by combustion engines. The disguise can’t hide the vehicle’s more grown-up appearance making it look like a proper SUV rather than a raised hatchback.

Going up against the Mercedes EQA, the BMW iX1 will be mechanically twinned with the next generation of the Mini Countryman, which is also going to spawn a zero-emissions flavor. Expect a bump in size over the outgoing model, along with a more upright roofline to create a stronger visual distinction from the swoopy X2 crossover-coupe. Inside, logic tells us Bavaria’s entry-level X offering will boast the iDrive 8 infotainment system recently seen on the iX and i4 electric models.

The iX1 should go on sale either by the end of 2022 or early 2023 and will be offered alongside gasoline and diesel models. Much like it’s the case with the current model, its replacement will also offer a plug-in hybrid powertrain, which will likely have a lot in common with the all-wheel-drive PHEV variant of the new 2 Series Active Tourer minivan.

Riding on an evolution of the BMW Group’s UKL platform dubbed FAAR, the 2023 X1 should benefit from the company’s fifth-generation eDrive setup. However, it’s unclear whether it will come only in a two-wheel-drive configuration as it’s the case with the bigger iX3 or there are plans to also give it electric motors at both axles to enable an xDrive setup.

The iX1 is a vital model in terms of volume for BMW’s greater EV plan, which also includes electric versions of the next 5 Series and 7 Series sedans. In addition, China is getting a new i3 next year that will take the shape of a long-wheelbase 3 Series Sedan without an ICE.

Source: CarSpyMedia / YouTube

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