BMW and Rimac, a Croatian electric vehicle manufacturer known for its hypercars and battery systems, have announced a partnership to collaborate on high-voltage electric vehicle battery technology. The partnership aims to challenge the dominance of Asian manufacturers in this field and reduce capital spending on electric vehicles for automakers.
Rimac is expanding its operations to become a supplier of battery systems and powertrain components to other automakers, with a goal of producing 100,000 batteries per year between 2024 and 2026. BMW did not disclose specific details about the batteries or models that will be developed through the partnership, but it excludes the cylindrical batteries powering the upcoming ‘Neue Klasse’ EV line, set to go into production in 2025.
Other premium EV startups like Lucid are also exploring opportunities to sell their electric drive technology to other automakers like Aston Martin. Rimac’s CEO, Mate Rimac, previously announced that an undisclosed German carmaker would utilize a Rimac battery system in a high-performance model expected to have an annual production volume of around 40,000 units starting this year.
BMW has its own battery cell research center but has relied on partners like CATL and EVE Energy to produce battery cells on a large scale in China and Europe. The collaboration between BMW and Rimac is just one example of how automakers are looking for ways to reduce costs while still meeting increasing demand for electric vehicles.
