While other automakers rethink their plans as the global appetite for EVs slows down, BMW is vowing to stay the course. The German automaker says it still plans to offer an EV in every vehicle segment across all of its brands, including Mini and Rolls-Royce. And most importantly, BMW is investing billions of dollars in new battery technology, including a new controller it calls the âEnergy Master.â
As the political winds shift, BMW hopes doubling down on EV technology can allow it to take the lead from Tesla, fend off the coming tidal wave of Chinese EVs, and grow its market share.
Last March, BMW announced its Neue Klasse, the new all-electric architecture that will underpin its future EVs. As the company continues to trickle out details of the new technology, it invited a group of journalists to Munich last month to show off its newly developed battery cells, the Energy Master control module, and the Neue Klasse motors â all developed in-house.
The new powertrain promises better efficiency, more range, and more energy density. The cylindrical batteries alone offer 30 percent more range, 30 percent faster charging, and 20 percent more energy density, BMW claims.
