Our Next Energy (ONE), an energy storage company based in Michigan, has signed an agreement with BMW Group to incorporate its Gemini Dual-Chemistry battery technology into the BMW iX SUV. ONE states that its technology reduces lithium use by 20% while reducing graphite use by 60% and minimizing the use of nickel and cobalt. A prototype vehicle is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
“We are thrilled to be working with BMW to demonstrate our Gemini long-range battery technology to consumers,” said Mujeeb Ijaz, founder and CEO of ONE. “As EV adoption grows, drivers are learning that real-world conditions can significantly reduce the performance of their batteries. Common situations like maintaining highway speeds, winter temperatures, climbing mountains, towing, or a combination of all four things present challenges to electric vehicles. We plan to pack twice as much energy into batteries, so EVs can easily handle long-distance driving in real-world conditions.”
BMW i Ventures, the Silicon Valley-based venture capital arm of the auto maker, is an investor in ONE and recently led a US$65m funding round. “We are well-positioned to incorporate ONE’s IP into BMW’s SAV line,” said Jürgen Hildinger, BMW Group New Technologies head of high voltage storage. “We are confident that given economic viability, this can lead to commercial opportunities and strategies to integrate ONE’s battery technologies into models of our future BEV product line-up.”