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Key Takeaways

  • The new sixth-generation BMW Drive technology will offer battery capacities of 75-, 90-, and 105 kWh for Neue Klasse (NK) vehicles.
  • The NK platform will boast 30% faster charging times, 30% more range, and bidirectional charging capabilities, setting the bar high for BMW EVs.
  • Vision Neue Klasse X will inspire the first production NK vehicle, the new iX3 SUV.

BMW is preparing for its biggest brand overhaul since 1961 when it launched the original BMW New Class line of sedans. Next year, we’ll meet the first production variant on the contemporary Neue Klasse platform, a BEV-first architecture that will take BMW into the future. Previewed by the Vision Neue Klasse and Vision Neue Klasse X concepts, the first NK vehicles will be a sedan and a crossover that we know will replace the BMW 3 Series Sedan and X3, or at least be produced alongside the ICE variants of those vehicles. BMW has talked a big game about the NK architecture, but despite all its claims of energy efficiency, it’s never given us the specifics of the new battery technology at the heart of the NK platform.

But Wired managed to dig up some details on the sixth-generation BMW Drive technology, revealing NK vehicles will be available with three different battery capacities.

visio neue klasse x lead

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Three Sizes To Choose From

These will be available in 75-, 90-, and 105 kWh capacities, closely mirroring the sizes currently in vogue with other EV manufacturers, but smaller than BMW’s current battery packs. The BMW iX, for example, has a gross capacity of 111.5 kWh, while models like the i4 and i5 have a net capacity of 81 kWh.

These battery packs comprise cylindrical lithium-ion cells in a 46xx format, with a 46 mm diameter and varying heights based on the application. These cells are developed by Chinese tech firm EVE Energy, which last year struck a deal to work with Rimac Technology on next-gen battery developments, and are 20% more energy-dense than BMW’s current prismatic battery cells, allowing more juice to be stored in a more compact package.

Faster To Charge, Greater Range Than Ever Before

These new batteries, combined with an 800-volt electrical architecture, will yield charging speed improvements of 30% versus current BMW EV technology in the i4, i5, and iX, which BMW touts as enough to replenish 186 miles of range in 10 minutes, nearly double the current rate. There will also be a 30% increase in range compared to the current standard, aided by 20% reductions in aerodynamic drag and a 35% increase in overall vehicle efficiency through tire and brake technology developed specifically for BMW EVs.

Additionally, Neue Klasse vehicles will debut something new for BMW EVs: bidirectional charging. This will enable the NK 3 Series and X3 to return power to the grid and even support our home during power outages.

Neue Klasse production begins in 2025, with the SUV arriving first ahead of the sedan early in 2026.

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