Over the next few years, nearly every automaker will add electric vehicles to the mix. BMW is invested in building six new EVs in the United States.
The Inflation Reduction Act covers the new terms for the Federal EV Tax Credit, and automakers are responding in kind. In order to meet some of the minimum requirements of this new program, many foreign brands are moving production and assembly of their electric vehicles to the United States. For the most part, this was likely to take place regardless of this new bill, but the added benefits offered to consumers are a nice cherry on top of this sundae.
A Large Investment to Bring More EVs to the US
The new $1.7 billion investment in operations in the United States supports two new battery production facilities and offers the next wave of the BMW plan to build an electric lineup. BMW is one of the early adopters of electrified vehicles, with the i3 and i8 hybrid models offered previously and the new iX and i4 models that showed up early this year. This company is committed to creating a strong foothold in the US with its new EV lineup.
The Batteries Will be Built Near the Vehicles
The battery platform BMW offers is called “Neue Klasse,” and this platform uses high-voltage EV battery packs that will be made at a new $700 million plant near Woodruff, South Carolina. This means at least 300 new jobs for the local area, offering an economic boom in the region. This is a big part of BMW’s investment in the six new EVs that are being made to expand the electric lineup of this luxury brand. The new plant will use the BMW sixth-generation round battery cells from the battery partner, Envision AESC, which has a plant located in another area of South Carolina.
A New Battery Chemistry Could be Much Better
BMW has been building and studying EV batteries for several years already. To this end, they are already on the sixth generation of batteries that offer not only a round shape but a new chemistry to the cells. These new batteries should use more nickel and silicon and less cobalt in the build. This means the batteries use more of the most common elements and offer an increased energy density, more driving range, and quicker charging times. The new BMW batteries could change the game for the EV world.
Not only will the new chemistry result in higher outputs, but the costs associated with packing these batteries could be cut by as much as half. This would be a huge step forward in the overall cost of building new EVs. Another benefit of these new cells is they will be made using some recycled materials, which can cut down the assembly carbon emissions by nearly 60 percent. It seems the new BMW EVs will answer a lot of questions and dispel some of the environmental issues associated with mining materials for the batteries.
Where Will The Rest of the Investment Go?
The total investment by BMW is $1.7 billion. So far, we’ve covered where $700 million is going, but where will the rest be spent? The rest of the money is being spent to produce the six new EVs coming to the market. These new models will be built at the BMW facility in South Carolina, which should expand this facility and offer more production lines. Tooling will need to be upgraded to create the Neue Klasse EV platform at this facility to bring new models of the 3 Series sedan ad X3 SUV. These two vehicles should be offered around 2025 and bring the names i3 and iX3.
Additional New Models to Follow
The 3 Series models will be the first two offered on this new EV platform, but four more BMW EVs will arrive before the end of the decade. The next new model should be the iX5 which will be a midsize SUV that might enter production as soon as 2026. After this, we should see the iX7 SUV in 2027 and, finally, the iX6 and iXM by 2030. These names and dates could change once the new electric vehicle platform is installed.
What Does the Current BMW iX Offer?
Before we see these six new BMW EVs arrive in the market, we currently have the benefits of three electric models that provide impressive driving experiences. These three are the i4 and i7 sedans and the iX SUV. The BMW iX enjoys quite a buzz around the internet, with its promotional advertising that began with the 2022 Super Bowl. This electric SUV brings many of the features we desire when looking for a reliable and versatile drive that can make it easy to have everything desired in one great package.
Two Great Options for this BMW Electric SUV
There are two power levels for the 2023 BMW iX, which are the xDrive50 and M60. Both of these models use two current-excited synchronous motors and bring an impressive level of driving. The xDrive50 delivers 516 horsepower, 564 lb-ft of torque, and a driving range of up to 324 miles on a single full charge. The M60 tunes up the power to 618 horsepower and 811 lb-ft of torque. This model also delivers a driving range o 280 miles. Charging times vary from 10.25 hours on an at-home Level 2 home charging setup, or you can add up to 80 percent capacity in 35 minutes using a DC fast charger.
More Excitement Coming from BMW
The new platform for these BMW EVs promises greater returns for owners with better driving ranges and faster charging times. This could mean we see some BMW models that can drive for up to 400 miles on a single charge and can charge in only seven hours when plugged in at home. The future of the BMW electric vehicle lineup is centered in South Carolina, bringing battery and vehicle production to the United States to ensure BMW shoppers will enjoy the Federal EV Tax Credit and these BMW vehicles are made close to where they are sold.
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