Nordhausen / supraregional – EAS Batteries has supported the BMW Group’s “Battery Cell Competence Centre” in the development of its first cylindrical battery cells. The round cells have a diameter of 46 millimeters and will be used for the purely electric drive of future BMW models. The BMW Group officially presented the cylindrical cell format in September 2022.
The aim of the partnership between the BMW Group and EAS Batteries was to accelerate the development of the battery cells and thus give BMW a time advantage. And they succeeded. “EAS Batteries provided us with excellent support in the early phase of round cell development, for example by supplying prototype cells, and significantly shortened the development time for the BMW cell,” says Peter Lamp, Head of Battery Cell Technology at the BMW Group.
Design, chemistry, and processes: constructive cooperation
EAS Batteries provided BMW with both mechanical and electrochemical support, enabling BMW to pull forward decisions on design and cell chemistry of the new cell to an earlier stage and to define the corresponding processes in a timely manner. BMW will continue to rely on its technology partnership with EAS in the future. Michael Deutmeyer, Managing Director of EAS Batteries GmbH, emphasizes the contacting: “By licensing our patented contacting technology, the ‘tab-less contacting’, we are making a decisive contribution to securing the high-current capability of the new BMW cell design”.
Established development partner for the automotive market
EAS Batteries has positioned itself in the automotive market within a very short time. The automotive industry first turned to the highly specialized niche supplier for large format round cells in September 2020, at which time interest in co-developments with the EAS Innovation Factory skyrocketed. The Nordhausen-based producer of innovative cell and battery solutions now supports a wide range of cell development projects for prestigious automotive companies worldwide. “EAS know-how is of great importance to the automotive industry,” says Michael Deutmeyer. “The targeted charging currents require cells with high current capability. EAS has already perfected these.”
