BMW iX beats Toyota to 600-mile range punch with dual-chemistry battery from Our Next Energy

While Toyota keeps making seemingly-empty promises about an upcoming solid-state battery technology that will propel its electric cars over 600 miles (966 km) on a single charge by 2026, Our Next Energy (ONE) has managed the feat in 2023 with current technology.

ONE's Gemini dual-chemistry battery pack was installed in a BMW iX SUV, of all things, where it scored an impressive 608.1 miles during the WLTP (Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure). This means it would likely score higher if installed in something like a Hyundai Ioniq 6, which has some of the best aerodynamics on the market.

The battery pack in question doesn't use any sort of solid-state or sodium-ion technology. Instead, ONE splits the pack into two parts. One portion of the battery pack houses traditional lithium-iron phosphate cells that deliver 150 miles (241.4 km) of range for daily driving. The other part is dedicated to ONE's high-density anode-free lithium-ion battery tech, which is good for an additional 450 miles (724 km) or so on top of the LFP range.

ONE's approach gets around the typical limitations of anode-free batteries, one of which is degradation from frequent use, and the consequent loss of range over time. Our Next Energy claims that its Gemini battery delivers energy density of up to 260 Wh/kg, while the battery packs have a total capacity of over 185 kWh. The Gemini pack is also rated to over 250,000 miles (402,336 km).

Notably, other car manufacturers, like Tesla, only warranty their batteries for around 150,000 miles (241,402 km), indicating that the expected cycle life is somewhere in the same neighbourhood as the 250,000 miles (402,336 km) ONE's Gemini offers. 

In addition to making EVs more efficient and giving them longer range, ONE says that the Gemini battery uses 20% less lithium and 60% less graphite than a typical lithium-ion battery.

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