BMW’s New Batteries Won’t Be Exclusive To Neue Klasse

With all the hype around Neue Klasse, you might wonder whether electric cars outside the NK family will benefit from the new developments. The short answer is yes. BMW has officially confirmed that the sixth-generation battery technology will be applied to other products in the company’s vast lineup. As you can imagine, it’s premature for the luxury automaker to specify which models. Even so, we’re confident we know their identities.

BMW is working on electric versions of the next-generation X5, X6, and X7. The posh SUVs are internally known as the G65, G66, and G67, respectively. Rather than using the existing Gen5 battery tech with prismatic cells, the iX5, iX6, and iX7 will likely employ the all-new round cells. As a refresher, the new batteries will have 30% faster charging and a 20% higher energy density.

The maximum range will jump by 30%, reaching 900 kilometers (560 miles) in some cases. However, given how heavy these large SUVs are and that they are not the most aerodynamic vehicles, it seems unlikely that the iX5/iX6/iX7 trio will get close to that number.

Of the three future SUVs, only the X5 will be offered in a second zero-emission flavor. We’re talking about a hydrogen iX5, made possible with help from Toyota and its fuel cell know-how. BMW’s first commercially available hydrogen production car will be launched in 2028.

The X5 will likely be the first non-Neue Klasse model to use sixth-generation batteries. Production is reportedly starting in August 2026, followed by the X7 in August 2027 and the X6 in April 2028. It’s unclear whether the EVs will be available from day one. It’s a real possibility, given how recent electric cars were launched together with their combustion-engine counterparts.

Another piece of the puzzle we’re currently missing is whether the next X5 with a plug-in hybrid powertrain will utilize the round cells. Much like with the existing models, we’re not expecting PHEV versions of the future X6 and X7.

First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

Source: BMW BLOG