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.
The 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.”
“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.”
BMW i Ventures, the Silicon Valley-based venture capital arm of the automaker, is an investor in ONE and has recently led a $65M funding round. “Our Next Energy is working to fundamentally reinvent the battery while focusing on sustainability, safety, and cost; three key factors which will help speed the development and adoption of battery electric vehicles,” said Baris Guzel, partner at BMW i Ventures.
ONE’s mission to reimagine the battery aligns with the sustainability and cost objectives of automotive companies like BMW Group, helping solve the challenge of increasing the range of electric vehicles responsibly.
Earlier this year, ONE has demonstrated a proof-of-concept battery that powered an electric vehicle 752 miles without recharging.
The vehicle completed a road test across Michigan in late December with an average speed of 55 mph. The results were validated by a third party using a vehicle dynamometer where the test vehicle, a Tesla Model S retrofitted with an experimental battery, achieved 882 miles at 55 mph.
