CATL will supply cylindrical battery cells to BMW to power many electric vehicles from 2025 onwards.
The Chinese battery maker recently signed an agreement with BMW and while the details of the agreement are limited, it is understood that BMW would like to reduce costs by using these circular cells instead of prismatic ones. Sources said Auto News Europe That change could reduce costs by 30 percent.
Details about CATL’s cylindrical cells are limited because it has traditionally supplied square cells to most of its car manufacturers. It has been reported that the battery supplier may set up a new plant in the United States to supply new cells to various car manufacturers besides BMW. Production on this new site could begin in 2026.
Read more: BMW’s EV-Dedicated New Class platform to focus on medium-sized parts
It is possible that cylindrical cells could use future BMW models using its upcoming Neue Klasse platform that will debut in 2025.
This BEV-only platform is expected to initially launch under the skin of an EV model in the 3-Series segment. Although the architecture is modular, it will focus primarily on medium-sized vehicles, although carmakers have previously suggested that the Neue Klasse platform could underpin vehicles from the 2-Series to the X7.
BMW expects to sell 2 million electric cars by 2025 and expects 50 percent of its sales to be for EVs by 2030 or earlier. Production of the first model using this new architecture will begin in 2025 at the Hungarian automaker’s plant.
