The BMW iX will feature new batteries with over 965 kilometres of range

The battery technology is advancing at a very high level. There are increasingly efficient energy storage cells that offer greater capacity and better management. The start-up Our Next Energy has presented a new battery model that will be used in the BMW iX 2023, the prototype the Bavarian brand will unveil.

The battery offered by the American company uses dual-chemistry technology and is called Gemini. These use two types of cell. The first of them improves energy retention, while the other is responsible for improving energy delivery during use.

With this technology, fewer rare materials are used and battery efficiency is improved. The result is a battery pack that can allow the BMW prototype to reach a total range of 965 kilometres. This is achieved with 20% less lithium than a more conventional battery, plus 60% less graphite. Furthermore, the use of nickel and cobalt is considerably reduced, making it easier to produce.

The BMW iX will not be the only one to use this battery. In fact, the company has already carried out tests some time ago. For this, it used a Tesla Model S and equipped it with these Gemini batteries. As a result, the electric model managed to travel about 1,210 kilometres on a single charge of this battery, and this was under normal driving conditions, not on a track.

The company is now looking for a location in the United States to manufacture on a large scale the Gemini battery and the other type of battery it produces, a basic-range battery named Aries. The agreement between BMW and ONE came about through a 65 million dollar investment round. This investment was made by the brand’s venture capital arm, BMW i Ventures, so the collaboration crystallised into the use of the battery in the future BMW iX 2023.