If there is one impediment in the fast adoption of electric vehicles is the battery technology which still delivers a fairly limited driving range in electric vehicles. BMW has recently updated its battery pack in the i3 to deliver 50 percent more range, for a total of 120 miles of pure electric drive. And while that’s enough for most daily commuters, the mainstream customer is craving for longer EV ranges.
According to Autocar, BMW is aiming to fix this issue with a breakthrough in battery technology in 2026, by which time it plans to have solid-state batteries ready for production in its models.
The batteries will use lithium ion technology but swap liquid electrolytes for solid ones, with initial targets being for a 15-20 percent increase in capacity.
A second, but equally important benefit of the new battery technology is a reduction in weight and in the amount of safety protection needed due to the reduced fire risk.
The report also says that the the batteries are currently in development but 10 years away from production, with long-term durability testing cited as a key reason for the delay.
BMW is currently building their battery packs in house, with cells being provided by various companies.
