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BMW Is Embracing Cheaper LFP Batteries For Its Newest EVs

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BMW Is Embracing Cheaper LFP Batteries For Its Newest EVs

Between the 435-mile iX3 and 468-mile i3, BMW’s newest EVs make a strong case for spending a bit more to get incredible range. Now the company is looking at accommodating buyers who don’t need that much range and would rather keep some extra money in their pockets.

Speaking during BMW’s third-quarter earnings call, CEO Milan Nedeljkovic confirmed that the company will expand its use of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for Neue Klasse EVs, potentially opening the door to more affordable electric BMWs. BMW considers the cylindrical nickel-manganese-cobalt cells that are in most Neue Klasse cars as superior for the range they deliver, he said, but he acknowledged that LFP offers a different balance of cost and range.

“We will add the LFP technology in our vehicles, but we will be very specific in which vehicle and for which purpose,” Nedeljkovic said without naming the next models getting it or specifying a launch date outside China. Nor did he promise that lower battery costs would translate directly into lower sticker prices.

China already offers a preview of the strategy. The entry-level, long-wheelbase iX3 30L uses a 77-kilowatt-hour LFP battery, while the more expensive 40L and 50L have NMC packs. The 30L has a claimed CLTC range of 630 kilometers (391 miles), although the Chinese test cycle is more optimistic than WLTP and EPA.

LFP's cost advantage starts with what goes into it. The cathode it uses is relatively inexpensive iron and phosphate instead of the nickel and cobalt found in NMC cells.


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