Begone, range anxiety, for the future looks bright for EV batteries! Your electric BMW may be able to clock nearly 1,000 kilometres in the future, thanks to a Michigan-based battery startup.
Our Next Energy (ONE), has recently announced that it has signed an agreement with BMW Group to install their Gemini battery technology into BMW's iX flagship electric SUV for testing purposes.
The battery features a dual-chemistry setup, with one for power delivery and the other for energy storage. With this in place, the battery is theoretically able to hold 600 miles (or about 965 kilometres) on a single charge, dramatically raising the benchmark of EV ranges.
To put this into perspective, this effectively means that a trip to KL and back on a single charge is possible, with even enough juice for a detour to Melaka on the return leg.
Not only does the Gemini battery boast long-range capabilities, but it also has an overall lowered environmental impact. The company claims that lithium and graphite use is cut by 20 per cent and 60 per cent respectively. The use of metals such as nickel and cobalt is also minimised.
BMW i Ventures, the Silicon Valley-based venture capital arm of the automaker, is an investor in ONE and has recently led a $65 million (S$90 million) funding round. "Our Next Energy is working to fundamentally reinvent the battery while focusing on sustainability, safety, and cost; three key factors which will help speed the development and adoption of battery electric vehicles," said Baris Guzel, partner at BMW i Ventures.
The Gemini battery-equipped BMW prototype is slated to be completed by the end of this year.
This is not the first time that ONE has made headlines. The startup retrofitted their experimental battery into a Tesla Model S in 2021 and drove it around Michigan in December, in the middle of winter. The modified saloon was able to clock 752 miles, or about 1,210 kilometres, without having to recharge.
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