BMW’s Electric Vehicle Revolution: Efficiency and Innovation
BMW is gearing up to launch its Neue Klasse electric vehicles later this year, promising major advancements in efficiency and performance.
Efficiency is a key factor for electric cars. BMW’s new Neue Klasse electric cars will be 20% more efficient than its current EVs. This is crucial because of differences in energy density.
A gallon of gasoline has a lot more energy than a battery with the same weight. However, gasoline cars are only about 20% efficient at using that energy. Electric cars, on the other hand, convert about 90% of their battery energy into motion.
This high efficiency helps even out the playing field between gas-powered and electric cars, even though traditional cars are still cheaper upfront.
Gen6: A Quantum Leap in EV Technology
BMW’s new Gen6 eDrive technology is a major technological leap. It includes:
- 30% faster charging speed
- 30% increased range (with some models potentially exceeding this)
Gen6 uses advanced 800-volt technology. This technology will first appear in this year’s Neue Klasse models and will then be used across the BMW Group’s all-electric lineup.
Battery Design and Features
The Gen6 battery concept is fundamentally new and will be used across all vehicle segments, including high-performance BMW M models.
The battery’s new slim design allows it to fit in different models, no matter their size or height. BMW will use:
- 4695 cells (46 mm diameter, 95 mm height) for sedans and sports cars
- 46120 cells (46 mm diameter, 120 mm height) for SUVs and larger cars
The battery pack will be part of the structure of the Neue Klasse vehicles. New cylindrical cells will be built right into the pack. The new cylindrical cells will have 20% more energy density than the Gen5 prismatic battery cell used previously.
The new battery is designed for bi-directional charging. Vehicle-to-load, vehicle-to-home, and vehicle-to-grid features will be possible with all BMW vehicles using Gen6 technology.
Dr. Joachim Post, a BMW board member said, “For the BMW Group, electric mobility is the future and a key area of growth. We are leading the way with this drivetrain technology. At the same time, we are deliberately taking a technology-open approach, recognizing that mobility needs vary between different regions of the world.”
The Energy Master: Managing the Flow
Electric cars require sophisticated electronics. The Energy Master, a central control unit, manages the flow of electricity.
It controls high- and low-voltage power, handles battery data, and ensures safe operation. BMW has filed numerous patent applications for the vehicle’s electrical system. Both the hardware and software of the Energy Master were created in-house. This allows BMW to update the Gen6 technology using over-the-air software updates.
New Electric Motor Technologies
BMW will use Electrically Excited Synchronous Motors (EESM) and Asynchronous Motors (ASM) in the Gen6 platform.
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Synchronous motors use direct current to generate a magnetic field, which can be adjusted based on the vehicle’s needs. They give excellent efficiency under many driving situations. The electric motor is compact and includes the transmission, power electronics and electric drive unit.
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Asynchronous motors use the stator to generate a magnetic field in the rotor. ASM motors will power the front wheels of the Neue Klasse with xDrive.
BMW says its future electric cars will be able to go at least 373 miles on a single charge, and some models might have a range of 570 miles. The new 800 volt architecture will also charge 30% faster. Some electric cars might even have three or four electric motors.
BMW appears to understand that combining cutting-edge technology with features that people want is a winning business strategy.
