A tiny piece of the long run started rolling off the manufacturing line in Parsdorf earlier this week: 95 millimetres tall, cylinder-shaped, with a diameter of 46 millimetres. These are the brand new battery cell samples – like those who will probably be used within the fashions of the Neue Klasse from 2025 onwards – being produced on the new Cell Manufacturing Competence Centre (CMCC) in Parsdorf. The BMW Group is thus positioning itself to ramp up electromobility effectively and showcasing its main position in battery cell know-how.
“With the Cell Manufacturing Competence Centre, we’re strengthening Germany’s capability for innovation,” defined Milan Nedeljković, member of the Board of Administration of BMW AG, liable for Manufacturing. “On this approach, we’re making an necessary contribution to the quantum leap in know-how within the Neue Klasse.”
“Manufacturing of battery cell samples in Parsdorf marks the following logical step in our battery cell technique,” mentioned Frank Weber, member of the Board of Administration of BMW AG, liable for Growth. “The Cell Manufacturing Competence Centre is the right complement to our present Battery Cell Competence Centre within the north of Munich. Growth takes place there, then we scale the most effective product in direction of a sequence course of in Parsdorf. Due to cross-divisional collaboration, we’re capable of hyperlink product and course of in a novel approach.”
The CMCC in Parsdorf will allow the BMW Group to span the entire cell worth creation course of. With this know-how, the corporate is setting benchmarks for manufacturing, high quality, efficiency, prices and environmental requirements, which it’s implementing in shut cooperation with its companions for traditional manufacturing of battery cells. At its battery cell competence centres in Munich and Parsdorf, the BMW Group is systematically pursuing future milestones, such because the ramp-up of the sixth technology of BMW electrical drive trains and improvement of all-solid-state batteries (ASSB). About 80 staff work on the 15,000-square-metre Cell Manufacturing Competence Centre, which has benefited from a complete funding of round 170 million euros. The German Federal Ministry of Financial Affairs and the Bavarian Ministry of Financial Affairs, Regional Growth and Power are supporting the mission throughout the framework of the European funding course of IPCEI (Essential Tasks of Frequent European Curiosity).
Recycling on the CMCC: Maintaining supplies within the loop
Uncooked supplies are among the many vital value components for cell manufacturing. Environment friendly and accountable use of uncooked and provider materials is due to this fact needed and is smart from each an environmental and financial perspective. On the new CMCC, expertise will probably be gained from all processes and the teachings discovered analysed to additional optimise the usage of assets. Residual supplies from the manufacturing course of will probably be collected on the CMCC, sorted and fed again into the cell manufacturing cycle. Along with engaged on the cell manufacturing course of, BMW Group specialists are additionally specializing in reusing supplies and parts from the entire battery after its preliminary use within the car.
On the Battery Cell Competence Centre (BCCC) in Munich, the primary battery cells constructed from 100% recycled and/or secondary (battery-grade) cathode materials have been manufactured and examined utilizing state-of-the-art characterisation strategies. Our cell suppliers are already delivering battery cells containing secondary uncooked supplies (e.g. nickel) from varied used-battery sources (incl. manufacturing waste). The long-term purpose of the BMW Group is to reuse all uncooked supplies in recyclable high-voltage batteries.
How the cell is created: Manufacturing steps for pattern manufacturing on the CMCC
Cell manufacturing begins with electrode manufacturing. Right here the bottom materials, comprising, for instance, graphite for the anode and nickel oxides for the cathode, with binders and solvents, is metered and combined in a exactly measured ratio. This creates the so-called “slurry” – which suggests wafer-thin steel foils are coated after which compressed after drying. In technical jargon, that is known as “calendering”. The best stage of precision is required: The foil is just some micrometres thick – in different phrases, thinner than the threads of a spider net, whereas the coating is within the micrometre vary. Throughout cell meeting, the coated foils, known as calendered electrodes, are wound into so-called “jelly rolls” utilizing the separator and inserted into the cell housing. The cells are crammed with electrolyte, then charged for the primary time and at last checked for performance and high quality.
CMCC Parsdorf: Buildings with a give attention to the setting
The CMCC in Parsdorf is constructed to excessive environmental requirements. An immission management approval process has been carried out for the technical installations utilized in battery cell manufacturing – guaranteeing that the corporate complies with all necessities and tips. The CMCC may even function fossil-free, counting on electrical energy produced utilizing renewable vitality, together with from photovoltaic methods on the roof of the constructing. The constructing may even be equipped with regenerative warmth produced utilizing state-of-the-art groundwater and air warmth pumps.
Sixth-generation BMW battery know-how: New cell format and enhanced cell chemistry
The battery cell is liable for electrical automobiles’ core properties: vary, driving efficiency and charging time. With the brand new BMW spherical cell specifically designed for the electrical structure of the Neue Klasse fashions, it will likely be potential to considerably enhance the vary of the highest mannequin by as much as 30 % (in line with WLTP).
The brand new BMW spherical cells include an ordinary diameter of 46 millimetres and two totally different heights of 95 millimetres and 120 millimetres. In comparison with the prismatic cells of the fifth BMW battery cell technology, the nickel content material of the sixth-generation BMW spherical cells will probably be increased on the cathode facet, whereas the cobalt content material will probably be decreased. On the anode facet, the silicon content material will probably be elevated. Because of this, the cell’s volumetric vitality density will enhance by greater than 20 %.
Battery, drive prepare and charging know-how within the Neue Klasse may have a better voltage of 800 volts. Amongst different issues, this may optimise how vitality is equipped to direct present high-power charging stations, which might obtain a a lot increased charging capability with a present of as much as 500 amperes – thus decreasing the time it takes to cost from ten to 80 % by as much as 30 %.
Lowering the carbon footprint of battery cell manufacturing by as much as 60 %
The BMW Group is especially centered on protecting the carbon footprint and useful resource consumption of manufacturing as little as potential, beginning within the provide chain. For traditional manufacturing of battery cells, the cell producers commissioned will use cobalt, lithium and nickel containing secondary materials. Along with the dedication by its cell suppliers to make use of solely inexperienced energy from renewable energies in manufacturing, the BMW Group will cut back the carbon footprint from battery cell manufacturing by as much as 60 %, in comparison with the present technology of battery cells.
Oct 28, 2023