If you thought that the electric revolution is decades away, you would be wrong. BMW is out to contradict general opinion with its recent investment of $240 million in a new battery technology center.
BMW showed its commitment toward future mobility, a large part of which is currently focused on electric propulsion, by investing $240 million in a brand new battery technology research center based around Munich. The facility will allow the group to explore, research and develop battery chemistries, cell designs, and technology.
Additionally, the facility will also help BMW to develop futuristic vehicles that have their transmissions, propulsion motors, battery and controller in a single unit instead of the current setup of various discrete but connected systems.
BMW is calling the new tech in development as a fifth generation electric drivetrain, and is aiming to power a new model based on it by the year 2021. The Bavarians also confirmed that they will start implementing solid-state batteries by the year 2026.
This new technology being developed near Munich can also be applied to all vehicles under the BMW Group umbrella, which will allow them to electrify their entire vehicle lineup. Naturally, BMW Motorrad will also benefit hugely from the new tech, which will allow it to produce bigger, varied electric powered motorcycles in addition to its current lineup of e-scooters.
One more feature of note is that this fifth-generation electric drivetrain does not employ rare-earth metals for its batteries. This means that the Group’s supply chain won’t be at mercy of limited stocks when it comes to these rare elements. We can also surmise from this fact that a long term, clever plan is unfolding at Munich, and BMW is indeed serious about the future. The electric mobility waters of today are murky, but if a firm like BMW has committed itself to devise a solution, the future of electric mobility is does not look so bleak after all.
