BMW Group, IONNA, and Alpitronic have demonstrated high-power electric vehicle (EV) charging at up to 460 kilowatts (kW) using the new BMW iX5 60 xDrive. The demonstration, held in Southern California, focused on the interaction between the vehicle’s high-voltage battery architecture and charging infrastructure.
The battery-electric iX5 incorporates BMW’s sixth-generation eDrive technology, known as Gen6, which uses an 800-volt electrical architecture designed for higher charging power, improved efficiency, and bidirectional charging.
The system also introduces cylindrical lithium-ion battery cells that provide approximately 20% higher volumetric energy density than the prismatic cells used in BMW’s previous Gen5 battery technology.
During the demonstration, the iX5 reached up to 460 kW of peak direct current (dc) charging power. Based on BMW testing using US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) procedures, it added up to 182 miles (293 km) of estimated driving range in ten minutes. It also charged from 10% to 80% in approximately 22 minutes.
Alpitronic provided the high-power charging technology for the demonstration, while IONNA contributed its charging network expertise. The collaboration focused on interoperability between the vehicle’s charging system and external charging equipment.
The demonstration also highlighted the importance of coordinating advances in battery technology with charging infrastructure capable of delivering higher power levels.
Alpitronic notes that the 460-kW setup is a technology demonstration and doesn’t represent charging hardware currently available commercially in the United States.
Filed Under: Charging, Technology News