Startup Our Next Energy is behind the energy storage tech
Tim De Chant
8 hours
Battery startup Our Next Energy (ONE) and BMW today said the carmaker’s prototype of its flagship EV, iX, will run on ONE’s unique Gemini dual-chemistry battery pack by the end of the year.
BMW’s iX was introduced late last year with a maximum range of 324 miles, based on estimates from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. With the prototype, ONE is hoping to nearly double that to 600 miles.
That’s an enormous leap above the iX’s range today, which sits just above what many automakers say is the 300-mile sweet spot for EV adoption. Such an increase may seem unnecessarily decadent — after all, how many road-trippers travel 600 miles, or eight hours at highway speeds, without taking a break? But for ONE founder and CEO Mujeeb Ijaz, it’s all about meeting drivers’ range expectations even in the most extreme conditions.
While EVs have made great strides in the last decade in meeting customer expectations, Ijaz feels they’re not nearly where they need to be once you factor in things like cold weather, trailer towing, or driving at highway speeds. Towing with Ford’s new F-150 Lightning …
