The Gemini: Testing Of An Advanced Long-Range Battery In BMW’s iX Electric SUV

Possible upgrade for BMW’s iX electric SUV, as it will be installed and tested with a long-range battery developed by Michigan-based startup company, Our Next Energy (ONE).

Called the Gemini battery, it will infuse two forms of battery cells, including one with advanced chemistry that can reserve more energy and provide 965 km of range on a single charge.

Primarily, the Gemini focuses on reducing usage of traditional EV battery materials such as lithium by 20 percent, graphite by 60 percent, as well as nickel and cobalt.

According to the founder and chief executive officer, Mujeeb Ijaz, ONE is testing different electrode chemistries in Gemini, while assessing the potential tradeoffs in cost, energy and sustainability.

He also said that a prototype vehicle is likely to be completed by the end of the year, and a production version Gemini might be offered in three different sizes and prices.

Notably, the production version will include a low-end type that would cost the same as today's conventional nickel- and cobalt-based batteries.

BMW Group’s new technologies head of high voltage storage, Jürgen Hildinger, remarked, “We are well-positioned to incorporate ONE’s IP into BMW’s SAV line. We are confident that given economic viability, this can lead to commercial opportunities and strategies to integrate ONE’s battery technologies into models of our future BEV product line-up.”

Elsewhere, back in December, ONE installed the Gemini in a Tesla Model S sedan. It delivered more than 1,200 km of range, well in excess of the best production EVs on the market.

In short, since ONE’S inception in 2020, it has focused growth on a long-range battery that uses safer and more sustainable materials, while packing more energy into a smaller, less expensive package. 

ONE’s founder and chief executive officer, Mujeeb Ijaz, concluded, “We are thrilled to be working with BMW to demonstrate our Gemini long-range battery technology to consumers. As EV adoption grows, drivers are learning that real-world conditions can significantly reduce the performance of their batteries. Common situations like maintaining highway speeds, winter temperatures, climbing mountains, towing, or a combination of all four things present challenges to electric vehicles. We plan to pack twice as much energy into batteries, so EVs can easily handle long-distance driving in real-world conditions.”