THE electric cars flooded the market for several years. Despite falling prices and slow increases in autonomy, batteries remain a major concern. Indeed, compared to a thermal car, the offered services are still not at the proper level. While the best diesels can easily exceed 1,000km per fill-up, electric models struggle to reach 400km in real-world conditions.

Until 2025, BMW will use Chinese batteries for its “Neue Klasse”.

However, the development of batteries continues at a constant pace, and several directions are emerging. Along with sodium-ion batteries, traditional lithium-ion batteries continue to improve. Its autonomy, charging capacity and durability are far from fully optimized. More precisely, a Chinese battery manufacturer Eva has just unveiled a new generation of elements that may well be used in vehicles, resulting from BMW’s “Neue Klasse” — a new generation of electric vehicles — by 2025. These new batteries can have nearly 50% more capacity than Tesla’s best cells!

EXCLUSIVE China’s EVE to Supply BMW Large Tesla-Like Cylindrical Batteries to Europe – Sources https://t.co/8AlnFBXOY9 pic.twitter.com/7pSofOUXjg

— Reuters (@Reuters) August 17, 2022

Much greater autonomy, but increased weight

According to preliminary forecasts, the electric BMW of the next generation may have autonomy about 40% larger than the current Tesla. It is important to note that this is not a miracle battery made of new materials, but only a variation of the current principle. However, the new EVE cells are bulky and require a new layout to integrate them into current vehicles.

Due to the increase in length, their weight logically increases. We move the weight on average by 21%.. But according to forecasts, the increased weight is largely compensated by a larger memory capacity and increased autonomy. Cylindrical cells could be stored up to 46% more energy!

Two types of cells with different properties

Currently, EVE will offer two different power levels. The first type of cells must have energy density 260 Wh/kg and is characterized by high charging capacity. It can be charged from 10% to 80% in just 12 minutes. On the other hand, the second category of cells with a larger storage capacity (280 Wh/kg) needs 20 minutes to “fill” to 80%.

The “Neue Klasse” is due to arrive by 2025 for BMW and will be a completely new generation of 100% electric vehicles. Across the group, from Mini to Rolls-Royce, virtually all models in the group will be able to use the same modular platform that unites these new cylinder cells.