Hyperdrive
BMW Touts ‘Technology Leap’ of Longer-Range, Faster-Charging Batteries
- Carmaker to source produtcs from the likes of CATL, Eve Energy
- New cell generation offers longer ranges, faster charging
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BMW AG plans to buy electric-vehicle batteries from six new factories to be set up and run by companies including Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. and Eve Energy Co. as the world’s biggest luxury-car maker attempts to overhaul its supply chain.
Two plants each in Europe, China and North America will produce round lithium-ion cells that enable longer ranges and faster charging than the prismatic cells BMW currently uses, the company said Friday. At roughly half the cost, the technology is meant to bolster BMW’s planned “Neue Klasse” EV platform and follows Tesla Inc., which has been using a cylindrical shape for some time.