Based on the optimistic European WLTP test cycle, a BMW iX with a trial dual-chemistry battery could go 608 kilometers on a full charge. That range is about 516 miles, which is a lot more than the BMW iX xDrive50’s standard EPA rating of 324 miles. Their new proof-of-concept “Gemini” battery was made by the battery company Our Next Energy (ONE) in Michigan. One had already fixed up a Tesla Model S so that it could go 752 miles. ONE, our company, has been working on making an electric vehicle battery that will fit in the same space as current EV battery packs but will be better for the environment and have a longer range. The battery company from Michigan wants to use “Gemini,” which is a dual-chemistry battery, to do this. Another is with a much longer range The proof-of-concept battery from ONE was put in a modified BMW iX xDrive50, and the car could go 608 kilometers on a single charge. Still, that decision came about because of the positive (WLTP) cycle that was used in Europe. Based on how the EPA tests things, that number is about 516 miles when changed to US dollars. Still, that’s about 200 miles more than a regular iX xDrive50. The EPA says that in the 2022-2023 model year, it could go up to 324 miles. ONE’s proof of idea: The company that makes Gemini batteries says that it has two different types of cells that use different technologies. Electric motors get their power from the lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) cathode, which is not popular in North America right now and has a low energy density. The iX can do 99 percent of daily tasks, and according to ONE, its range is about 127 miles when converted to EPA guidelines. ONE says that when the first cell runs out of power, it is charged by the second anode-free cell, which has a high energy density and is made from a secret manganese-rich material that uses less cobalt and nickel. The company says that the Gemini battery could cut the use of graphite by 60% and lithium by up to 20%. This could save money and help the earth. Sources say that the power from the anode-free cell is sent through a special DC-to-DC converter. This lets the dual-chemistry battery give the iX an estimated range of over 510 miles (again, based on EPA guidelines). Not just “one and done” Note that the BMW iX with the dual-chemistry battery is not set to go into production at this time. This is just a proof of concept, just like the Gemini pack that ONE put on a Tesla Model S at the beginning of last year. The prototype was the first step toward the current version of the Gemini battery, which let the electric car go 752 miles on a single charge across Michigan in December when it was very cold. A representative from ONE told Invoice Pricing that work on Gemini is still going on. After that, there will be another prototype with an unknown automaker. They said, “The timing of production will depend on what a potential customer needs for a specific Gemini application.” We learned that the dual-chemistry battery pack, which could be put in EVs owned by private individuals, will not be sold individually. When asked about ONE’s 25% layoffs earlier this week, a company spokesman said the company was responding to changes in the market and focused on its most important goals. They did not say, though, if this will change when the Gemini battery will be available for sale. The company said, “Gemini remains a core priority for our company.”
