BMW's next-gen EV batteries are a massive leap forward

EV buyers want two things from their cars: great range and quick charging. In the quest to bring EVs up to par with hybrids and internal combustion engine cars on these two fronts, automakers have been working hard to develop better battery technology. It seems like BMW may have taken the next step in ensuring that this will actually happen.

The German automaker has announced that its next-generation batteries, set to debut on the company’s Neue Klasse vehicles, will not only charge 30 percent faster but also have 30 percent more range.

Related: Incoming Volvo ES90 uses onboard AI to learn and improve over time

About BMW’s sixth generation (Gen6) batteries

Like many EVs, BMW’s current crop of electrified vehicles uses dated prismatic battery technology, which is inefficient and cumbersome to build. With its sixth-generation batteries, BMW is set to take a leap forward. 

The high-voltage batteries will achieve 30 percent more range, in part thanks to added density. BMW says its next-generation batteries are 20 percent denser than the fifth-generation batteries and will now be comprised of cylindrical cells integrated directly into the battery pack.

This “cell-to-pack” design can be customized to each vehicle, and is added as a structural component on the manufacturing line, a process known as pack-to-open-body. As BMW improves its vehicle design in future models, the battery pack—again, comprised of cylinders—can also be redesigned, which may help future iterations have additional range.

Related: The best-value full-size trucks in 2025

Sixth-gen batteries, next-level intelligence

The control unit, known as the BMW Energy Master, controls the battery pack and is being developed in-house at Plant Landshut for the first time. Roughly 200 staff will work in the Energy Master production area, and BMW says it envisions a future where up to 700 staffers are focused on Energy Master production.

To us, this sounds like the automaker is ready for a 4x uptick in EV manufacturing and sales.

In addition to the 200 humans mentioned above, BMW will have 400 robots handling automated tasks and a slew of cameras using artificial intelligence to monitor quality control.

“As the company’s largest in-house component manufacturer, Landshut plays an important role for the Neue Klasse,” said Dr Joachim Post, member of the board of management for purchasing and supplier networks at BMW. “The plant is an innovation hub and a driver of transformation.”

Related: These are the last new vehicles sold with CD players in 2025

Final thoughts

BMW quietly added that “certain models” would be able to charge faster than the promised 30 percent increase we will see with sixth-generation batteries. We expect to see this on the 7 Series, a top-end vehicle BMW likes to use as its sandbox for cool, future-facing tech and features.

Gen6 batteries will also offer bi-directional charging as a standard feature, a great option if you want to plug an electric device into the car or when you need to power your home during an outage. 

Neue Klasse vehicles will debut later this year. As BMW is wont to do, vehicles roll out through Europe before hitting the United States, so expect a Gen6 battery debut in late 2025 or early to mid-2026. We can’t wait.

Love reading Autoblog? Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get exclusive articles, insider insights, and the latest updates delivered right to your inbox. Click here to sign up now!

Related: BMW’s odd views on EVs are driving massive success