BMW Group is working with Rimac Technology, a Croatian engineering firm and part of Rimac Group, on a high-voltage battery system for the all-electric BMW i7.
The collaboration centres on integrating BMW’s sixth-generation eDrive (Gen6) technology into the BMW 7 Series Sedan.
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The new system uses 4695 lithium-ion cylindrical cells, delivering around 20% higher volumetric energy density compared with the prismatic cells used in the earlier Gen5 setup.
BMW said the battery combines Gen6 cell technology with the existing Gen5 module architecture to extend driving range.
Production of the high-voltage battery is taking place at Rimac Technology’s facilities in Croatia.
The units are then supplied to BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, Germany, which serves as the company’s sole production site for the BMW 7 Series.
BMW Group high-voltage storage and charging development senior vice president Thomas Engelhardt said: “We are quickly rolling out the technologies of the Neue Klasse across our entire model portfolio – including, of course, in our all-electric luxury sedan. The teams of both companies have developed a tailor-made solution for the new BMW i7.”
According to the press statement, the updated system also enhances charging capability, enabling faster charging and shorter charging times.
Rimac Technology focuses on electrification technologies such as high-voltage battery systems, e-axles, and in-house electronics and software.
The all-electric BMW i7 is scheduled to debut on 22 April at Auto China 2026 in Beijing, China.
Rimac Group founder and president Mate Rimac and CEO & CTO Bugatti Rimac added: “BMW has always been known for pushing engineering to the highest level, which made this collaboration especially exciting for us.
“Together, we developed a high-voltage battery system that unlocks the full potential of the new cylindrical cells in record time, delivering significant improvements in energy, range, and charging performance.”
In a separate update, BMW recently introduced the fully electric BMW i3 as the second model in its Neue Klasse range.
The BMW i3 50 xDrive features electric motors on both front and rear axles, producing a combined output of 345 kW/469 hp and maximum torque of 645 Nm.
