BMW officials said on Tuesday it will install and test a long-range battery developed by Michigan-based startup Our Next Energy (ONE) on its iX electric SUV, Reuters reported.
BMW says the ONE’s Gemini battery will include two types of battery cells, including one with an advanced chemistry that can store more energy, giving the vehicle a range of 600 miles (965 kilometers) or more on a single charge. The prototype is expected to be completed by the end of the year, ONE said.
According to Mujeeb Ijaz, founder and CEO of ONE, the Gemini battery is designed to reduce the use of traditional EV battery materials such as cobalt, nickel, graphite and lithium. ONE is testing different electrode chemistries for Gemini while evaluating potential trade-offs in cost, energy and sustainability.
Ijaz said ONE could offer three battery versions of different sizes and prices, including a low-end version that would cost the same as today’s traditional nickel- and cobalt-based batteries.
In March, BMW’s corporate venture arm led a $65 million funding round in ONE. Other investors in the round include Coatue Management, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Assembly Ventures, Flex and Volta Energy Technologies.
IT House learned that in December last year, ONE installed an early prototype Gemini battery in a Tesla Model S sedan, providing the vehicle with a range of more than 750 miles (1,200 kilometers), far exceeding the current range on the market. The best production electric car.
Since its founding in 2020, ONE has focused on developing long-lasting batteries that use safer, more sustainable materials while packing more power into smaller, less expensive battery packs.
In a statement, BMW executive Juergen Hildinger said the automaker was exploring opportunities “to integrate ONE’s battery technology into our future BEV (battery electric vehicle) lineup”.