BMW is testing iX electric SUV with 600 miles of range thanks to new battery chemistry

BMW is going to be testing an iX electric SUV with 600 miles (965 km) of range enabled by a new battery chemistry from Our Next Energy (ONE).

We previously reported on ONE when it did something similar with a Tesla Model S – replacing its battery pack and claiming to achieve 752 miles of range with it.

At the time, we were cautiously skeptical since ONE didn’t release any detail about the chemistry of its Gemini battery claiming to have a much higher energy density.

The project was not in partnership with Tesla and clearly meant to create hype.

Now ONE is back integrating its Gemini battery in an existing electric vehicle, and there are still not many details about the chemistry, but at least it’s in direct partnership with the automaker in question.

The company announced a test program with BMW, an investor in ONE, that will see its battery being installed in a BMW iX electric SUV:

Our Next Energy (ONE), the Michigan-based energy storage company, has signed an agreement with BMW Group to incorporate ONE’s Gemini™ Dual-Chemistry battery technology into the BMW iX all-electric Sports Activity Vehicle. ONE’s unique long-range Gemini technology reduces lithium use by 20% while reducing graphite use by 60% and minimizing the use of nickel and cobalt. In doing so, ONE is creating more sustainable energy storage technology that can significantly reduce environmental impact.

For the occasion, ONE released this teaser video that does reveal that its battery pack uses a “dual battery chemistry” with one part of the pack for power delivery (LiFePoc) and the other one for energy storage (LiMnO):

Mujeeb Ijaz, founder and CEO of ONE, commented on the project:

We are thrilled to be working with BMW to demonstrate our Gemini long-range battery technology to consumers. 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. 

Jürgen Hildinger, BMW Group New Technologies head of High Voltage Storage, added:

We are well-positioned to incorporate ONE’s IP into BMW’s SAV line. 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.  

BMW and ONE plan to complete the iX test vehicle by the end of the year, and it believes it should have about 600 miles (965 km) of range on a single charge.