BMW'S NEUE KLASSE BATTERY DETAILS REVEALED

Batteries make the electric vehicle (EV) world go round, and that's no exception with BMW, who's been busy developing its upcoming lineup of Neue Klasse EVs. Already previewed by two Vision Neue Klasse concepts, the sedan and the "X" aka the crossover SUV, these two vehicles serve as design concepts for what we can expect from BMW's upcoming range of EVs that are built on a dedicated EV platform.

The Vision Neue Klasse concepts have mostly been a showcase of what the new BMW EVs will look like--until now. That's because BMW has recently revealed some of the battery and electric drivetrain innovations we can expect from these Neue Klasse EVs, which will set the tone for every new electric BMW to be released beginning in 2025.

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New And Improved Batteries

Unsurprisingly, the first major improvement we can expect out of these Neue Klasse EVs comes from its batteries. Batteries, after all, are single-handedly the most important component of an EV and form a backbone of how good or bad an EV is. Also, unsurprisingly, the improvements in battery technology are all in the pursuit of two things: improved range and faster charging speeds.

Improved Range

Let's first talk about range, because the quest for EVs with longer ranges continues. BMW has now confirmed that there will be three capacities for the Neue Klasse EVs: 75 kWh, 90 kWh, and 105 kWh. These batteries will utilize cylindrical lithium-ion cells developed together with Chinese battery firm EVE Energy, which have a volumetric energy density more than 20 percent higher than that of the prismatic cells previously used, as well as offering 30 percent more range. That's going to be a huge leap forward for BMW if they are able to meet their targets, with many of its EVs like the iX xDrive50 and most variants of the i7 already well past the 300-mile EPA-estimate range mark.

Not all three battery sizes will be offered across all models, of course. What this three battery sizes allow BMW is high flexibility when it comes to its Neue Klasse EVs. The modularity of the dedicated EV platform will allow the brand to develop vehicles with different characteristics that align with current trends. Whether it's an EV with a large battery and plenty of performance or range, or an EV with a right-sized battery and is focused on optimal interior space utilization.

Faster Charging Speeds

Another relentless pursuit that all automakers are aiming for with its EVs is faster charging speeds. While EV charging speeds have gotten faster over the past few years, it still takes more time to fill up with gas as opposed to using a DC fast charging station. With the Neue Klasse EVs, an 800-volt architecture will be fitted as standard for the first time--which, if we're being honest, is something that a lot of more affordable EV brands like Hyundai and Kia have already been doing for a while now.

Everything Else That We Can Expect

Apart from the usual improved range and faster charging speeds allowed by the new batteries and 800-volt architecture, BMW is also aiming to bring a few new things to the table to enhance the EV ownership experience. Admittedly, however, none of these are new for EVs in general, but these are mostly just new to a BMW EV.

Bidirectional Charging Is Finally Coming

A feature that a number of EVs already have these days, bidirectional charging will finally be coming to the BMW Neue Klasse EVs. Bidirectional charging has reinvented the EV ownership experience due to numerous advantages. One of the most commonly-used features of bidirectional charging is vehicle-to-load (V2L), wherein you can power appliances or electrical equipment at a camp site or a construction site. V2L also allows an EV to act as a power source for a house when there's a power outage--provided that you opted for the BMW DC Wallbox Professional that allows this feature.

Finally, another benefit of bidirectional charging is that this allows owners to open up their EV's battery capacity to other homes that are also connected to the electricity grid. This allows the BMW Neue Klasse EV to also provide energy to the electricity grid when needed, thus reducing home electricity costs or even earning revenue from it, since your EV is contributing to the overall supply to the grid.

Efficiency Also Plays A Major Role

For the past few years, a lot of EV manufacturers have focused on fitting ever-larger batteries as a way to increase range. Ultimately, however, there needs to be a balance between having a larger battery along with having a vehicle that's been designed with efficient energy consumption in mind. Batteries aren't light, and increasing their size will only make it less efficient and thus eventually reach a point of diminishing returns.

Thankfully, BMW's Neue Klasse EVs will also have a strong focus on efficiency. The Neue Klasse vehicle will come with the sixth generation BMW eDrive powertrains, which in itself and the battery already promise a 30-percent improvement in range. Combined with a body that's 20 percent more aerodynamic than the current lineup, along with new tires and a special braking system specific to the Neue Klasse EVs, BMW promises a 25 percent improvement in overall efficiency compared to its current EVs.

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Let's Talk About The Vehicles Themselves

BMW has plenty of promises for its Neue Klasse EVs, especially when it comes to packaging, efficiency, and faster charging speeds. But what about the EVs themselves? What can we expect from a design and usability perspective when it comes to the Neue Klasse EVs?

Retro-Futurism

To understand the direction of BMW's EV design, we have to look at its past to understand the brand's current inspiration. The first Vision Neue Klasse concept, which came in the form of a good-looking sedan, draws inspiration from the original BMW Neue Klasse line of sedans in the 1960s. At the time, it was a hard reset for the brand as it wanted to reinvent its vehicles. Now, in 2024, they are repeating that same feat. Only this time, it's at a point where we're at a crossroads between internal combustion engine (ICE) cars and EVs.

The first Vision Neue Klasse sedan draws plenty of design inspiration from the BMW 1500--the first of the Neue Klasse range in the 1960s. The result is a concept car that ditches the large kidney grille, in favor of slimmer but wider kidney grilles that reach all the way to the vertical LED daytime running lights.

In the Vision Neue Klasse X, the SUV goes to its vintage roots even further by also adopting the vertical grille of the older BMWs. While we've come to already appreciate the large kidney grilles of newer BMWs, the Neue Klasse concepts somehow serve as a sign that we're about to reach the end of BMW's large kidney grille era in favor of something more traditional.

Technologically Sustainable

Like the exterior of the Neue Klasse EVs, the interior focuses on a stronger focus on minimalism when compared to the current aesthetic of BMW interiors. Gone are the majority of the physical controls, the famous iDrive controller, and even the driver's digital gauges, as vehicle functions will be controlled through a new steering wheel layout called the HYPERSONX WHEEL.

There's also the new BMW Panoramic Vision full-width head-up display, which projects information on the black section of the windshield as this will now serve as the driver's digital gauges. Also, part of the customizability are the theme of the infotainment, the ambient interior LED lighting, and also the new Personal Sound Experience synthetic EV noises.

Finally, sustainability plays a huge role in the interior of the upcoming Neue Klasse EVs. BMW is introducing a new, plant-based, mineral-based, and petroleum-free surface material called Verdana. This will be used in the lower portions of the door panels and the center console.

Maritime plastics, which is basically discarded fishing nets and other plastics from the ocean, will be used in injection-molded parts.The side skirts and rear apron attachments of the Vision Neue Klasse X are even made out of "recycle mono-materials", and all of these sustainable materials enable for easier disassembly and improved recyclability at the vehicle's end of life.