This license will allow BMW to establish an all-solid-state battery (ASSB) prototype line in its Cell Manufacturing Competence Center (CMCC) in Parsdorf near Munich, Germany. The expanded partnership aims to further advance all-solid-state cell design and manufacturing know-how through complementary cell development and manufacturing activities at both Solid Power and the BMW Group.
“BMW remains committed to the pursuit of all-solid-state batteries, a technology which we believe has significant potential for the future,” said Frank Weber, Member of the Board of Management BMW AG, Development. “We look forward to working even more closely with Solid Power and adding the capability to produce solid-state cells based on Solid Power’s designs at our own pilot facility. We expect this agreement to accelerate the installation of our solid-state prototype line and our companies’ mutual goal of commercializing this promising cell technology.”
David Jansen, Interim CEO, President and Chair of Solid Power, added, “Expanding our relationship with BMW is further evidence that both companies believe in Solid Power’s technology development and the value of solid-state batteries. We look forward to working side-by-side with BMW’s world-class battery team.”
As part of the agreement, Solid Power plans to deliver full scale automotive cells to BMW Group for testing in 2023. A first BMW demonstrator vehicle featuring ASSB technology is planned before 2025. Additionally, BMW Group has announced plans for its Gen6 Li-Ion cell, set to be released in September 2022. This new technology will be used in the NEUE KLASSE and aims to increase the range of the highest-range model by up to 30 percent.
BMW Group has ambitious plans for the future of electric vehicles, with a goal of having more than two million fully-electric vehicles on the roads by the end of 2025. The NEUE KLASSE is expected to make a significant contribution to BMW Group sales volumes from mid-decade, with the potential to accelerate the market penetration of e-mobility. In fact, the company predicts that 50 percent of their global sales could come from fully-electric vehicles before 2030.
The MINI brand will have an exclusively all-electric product range by the early 2030s, and Rolls-Royce will also be an all-electric brand from 2030. All future new models from BMW Motorrad in the field of urban mobility will likewise be fully electric.
Source: BMW