- Will quench their battery requirements from the year 2020 to 2031
- BMW extends business relationship with battery cell manufacturers CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited) and Samsung SDI.
- BMW will directly source the cobalt and lithium for their partners from mines in Australia and Morocco (to comply with environmental standards, and respect for human rights)
Frankly, this says a lot in terms of volume and prepping-up for the electrified times to come. For now, the batteries are expected to reach the BMW Group and BMW’s Chinese factory in Shenyang depending on the EV production capacities at these locations.
The BMW Group has also signed a long-term supply contract for its fifth-generation electric drivetrains with its second battery cell supplier, Samsung SDI. This way, BMW essentially has supply to its long-term battery cell requirements sorted.
Just so that BMW is not entirely reliant on the supply chain in the future, the company recently opened doors to its ‘Battery Cell Competence Centre’ in Munich. This will help them understand advanced battery cell technology so that it may be introduced into the production process, if the need arises.
In addition to this, BMW has also collaborated with Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt, and Umicore (Belgian developer of battery materials). The focus will be on creating a complete, sustainable value chain for battery cells; extending from development and production, all the way to recycling.
