In a 15-minute online conference, the Bavarians brought us a stunning four-seater electric car - the BMW i4 concept car. At this time, more than half a month has passed since the release of the concept car. The "old car" is mentioned again because no one expected that it would be more eye-catching than BMW's first pure electric car, the BMW iX3.
■What is the strength of the BMW i4 concept car?
The press conference was short but full of useful information. Regarding the characteristics of the new car, the summary is as follows:
1. Adopting a new family-style design language, new energy vehicles and fuel vehicles have the same style, such as the increasingly huge double-kidney grille;
2. The brand-new interior design uses a conjoined screen for the first time, which has the charm of an old rival;
3. It adopts the fifth-generation eDrive electric drive technology, the BMW iX3 before it and the BMW iX3 after it. BMW iNext will use the same technology;
4. Dual motors at the front and rear, with a maximum power of 390kW, an acceleration time of 0-100km/h in 4 seconds, and a top speed of 200km/h. It is not ruled out that there will be a high-performance version with three motors. ;
5. The battery capacity is 80kWh and the WLTP range is 600km. It is not ruled out that there will be longer range models in the future;
6. The battery pack weighs 550kg, so the energy density of the whole package is calculated. About 145.5Wh/kg;
7. The charging power can reach 150kW, which can charge to 80% of the battery in 35 minutes, and can increase the battery life by 100 kilometers every 6 minutes.
BMW has high hopes for the BMW i4 concept car. The new car will join forces with BMW iNEXT to compete with Tesla Model 3 and Model X. At the same time, BMW has not given up on fuel vehicles. There is also a 4 Series fuel vehicle on the same platform as the BMW i4. Even the upcoming BMW iX3, BMW generously admits that it is a pure electric version of the X3. At the just-concluded BMW 2020 financial report conference, BMW Group Chairman Zipse said that the next-generation BMW 7 Series will also launch diesel, gasoline, plug-in hybrid and pure electric versions.
Engine and motor, BMW needs to be grasped with both hands. Can both hands be strong?
The BMW i4 concept car tells us that it is very hard.
In order to achieve "both hands are strong", BMW spent a lot of real money. Taking the BMW i4 as an example, the new car will be produced at the Munich factory, which will also produce the BMW 4 Series on the first line. For this reason, BMW spent 2 billion euros on factory upgrades. At the same time, due to its numerous models and technical routes, BMW has invested more than 5 billion euros in R&D for five consecutive years. In order to continue to remain competitive in the future, BMW will continue to invest more than 30 billion euros in research and development by 2025.
In fact, through the experience of Volkswagen and General Motors in developing pure electric platforms, we can see to some extent that it is not easy for traditional car companies to All?in pure electric vehicles. But money is important, but who doesn’t have some money? So, how can a stubborn company like BMW take care of the internal combustion engine without dragging down new energy sources?
The secret lies in the fifth-generation eDrive electric drive technology.
■What is the fifth-generation eDrive electric drive technology?
In March 2008, BMW adopted a plan called "Project?i". Three years later, BMW officially released the BMW i3 concept car and BMW i8 concept car. The electric drive technology equipped on these two cars is called eDrive electric drive technology.
As the year comes to 2021, the i series has ushered in its first decade, and eDrive electric drive technology has evolved into its fifth generation. Although this decade is similar to a "lost decade" for the i series, it is a decade of continuous evolution for eDrive technology. From plug-in hybrid to pure electric, from extended range to 48V, eDrive electric drive technology is constantly given new content. The fifth-generation eDrive electric drive technology has become BMW’s masterpiece and the cornerstone of the BMW brand’s “next hundred years”.
There are two key things here-battery and electric drive.
1. A battery that can be both tall and short?
The first is the battery. Since cars are more sensitive to height, the battery cell height on the BMW i4 concept car must be shorter. .
For reference, the battery cell size of BMW i3 is 173mm/45mm/125mm (cell height). This height obviously cannot meet the needs of BMW i4. Therefore, based on the BMW i3, the BMW i4 is further elongated and the battery cell height is reduced, similar to the BMW iX3.
Currently, BMW has not announced the specific size and specifications of the new battery cells.
However, we can get the answer we want from videos widely circulated on the Internet. For example, the overall module arrangement has changed from the previous vertical double row to the current horizontal double row; 20 cells form a small module, and 2 small modules form a large module, so that they can *Use an end plate; depending on the model, a battery pack can be composed of 6 or 8 large modules.
As mentioned above, the battery capacity of the BMW i4 concept car is 80kWh, but the reduced cell height will obviously lose part of the capacity. What should I do? BMW's approach is to also insert a set of batteries into the central tunnel to make up for the lost battery capacity. This is why we still see a big bulge in the back row of the BMW i4 concept car.
BMW equips BMW i4, BMW iX3, BMW iNEXT and other models with NCM811 square case batteries. The battery suppliers are CATL and Samsung SDI. It stands to reason that the total energy density of these two companies should not be as low as the currently estimated 145.5Wh/kg. It is still unknown what special design BMW has in it. However, we can also roughly guess that for traditional car companies such as BMW, battery safety and power consumption are their biggest concerns, and the demand for energy density is not as urgent as that of domestic manufacturers.
In BMW’s official press release, “its?extremely?slim?construction?and?optimised?energy?density” was used to describe the battery pack under the fifth-generation eDrive electric drive technology. Judging from the technical means, CTP technology may be used. Otherwise, how can the volumetric energy density be improved? Judging from the results, it is indeed difficult to solve the limitations of the hybrid hybrid platform.
Although officials have refuted rumors about BMW building its own battery factory, it does not mean that BMW has given up control of batteries. In 2019 alone, BMW invested more than 10.74 billion euros in the procurement of batteries and related raw materials. Among them, not only has the cooperation time with CATL been extended (to 2031), but the total order volume has also increased from 4 billion euros in 2018 to 7.3 billion euros. At the same time, BMW also reached a long-term cooperation with Samsung SDI and signed a large order totaling 2.9 billion euros.
Beginning in 2020, BMW will go deep into lithium and cobalt mines in Australia, Morocco and other places to purchase raw materials and supply battery materials to CATL and Samsung SDI. To this end, BMW also announced a cooperation with Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium Industry in November 2019, signing an order totaling 540 million euros.
It can be seen that although BMW does not produce batteries, because it directly connects with the upstream mines for battery production, it can control the consistency of the battery cells as much as it does its own production.
2. Highly integrated electric drive
The second is the electric drive. BMW is taking a highly integrated three-in-one route of "motor, reducer, and electronic control system". By integrating the electric drive system, power consumption is reduced and battery life is increased, which is not much different from other car companies. Compared with the previous generation product, the highly integrated electric drive system is smaller in size and weight, and has better adaptability to different models, with a power-to-weight ratio increase of about 20%.
We can also see from some online videos that due to its smaller size and excellent space adaptability, the motor can be placed at the rear axle of the P4, or it can also be placed at the front axle, forming a Four-wheel drive form. In addition, the advantages brought by modularization are also reflected in the fact that the size and power of the motor can change with the changes in power requirements of different models.
BMW mentioned in the press release of the BMW i4 concept car that the new car will use a rare earth-free motor. It should be noted here that rare earth-free motors are not asynchronous AC motors. They are still classified as synchronous motors in general. However, there is not much public information on this motor at present, so it is impossible to determine what method BMW has adopted to avoid its reliance on rare earths. .
However, from a 2012 motor patent application, we can see that BMW uses a hybrid synchronous motor on the BMW i3 and BMW i8. This kind of motor combines the advantages of permanent magnet synchronous motors and reluctance motors, reduces the use of rare earths, and allows the permanent magnet synchronous motor to also produce a self-magnetization effect. The additional excitation effect brought by the self-magnetization effect is superimposed with the current excitation, which can make the motor work more reliably when it rotates at high speed.
But it needs to be emphasized that this eight-year-old patent clearly states that the motor "reduces" the use of rare earths, rather than "does not use" rare earths. Obviously, this is not the same thing as the motor on the BMW i4 concept car. We also look forward to BMW revealing more technical information on rare earth-free motors in the future.
■Where will BMW go in the future?
1. Save money and survive
Although BMW’s financial performance in 2019 was very good, the total annual revenue exceeded 100 billion euros for the first time; the annual sales also exceeded 2.53 million vehicles for the first time. , the rise is gratifying. But we all know that the general environment in 2020 will only get worse and the challenges will be more severe. Nicolas Peter, director of finance at BMW Group, lowered BMW's profit forecast for 2020 to between 2% and 4%. From his report, we clearly heard the cry of “save money and survive”.
To this end, starting from 2021, BMW will no longer develop subsequent replacement products for 50% of its conventionally powered models, and the money saved will be focused on the launch of more electric models. In addition, BMW will regularly evaluate and simplify the model range. In terms of indirect procurement and material and production costs, the BMW Group will strengthen internal synergies and continuously improve efficiency.
2. Retain fuel vehicles and increase the proportion of new energy vehicles
Unlike Volkswagen and GM All?in electric vehicles, BMW will continue to retain traditional fuel vehicles. BMW Group Chairman Zipse said that sustainable mobility solutions must win people over, rather than telling them what to do. As a result, BMW offers at least one electrified product in almost every product range. They believe consumers should have a choice and be able to choose electric mobility without any other compromises. This concept is called "the power of choice" by BMW.
By 2023, BMW will launch at least 25 new energy vehicles, more than half of which will be pure electric models. According to Zipze, the next-generation BMW 7 Series will launch four different power modes: diesel, gasoline, plug-in hybrid, and pure electric. The new car is expected to be officially launched in 2022.
No matter how much BMW respects consumers’ “right to choose,” new energy must be BMW’s main reliance for “the next 100 years.” According to BMW's forecast, by 2021, the demand for electric vehicles will double that of 2019; the global new energy sales curve will show a clear upward trend before 2025, with an average annual growth rate of more than 30%. In order to remain competitive, BMW will continue to invest more than 30 billion euros in research and development by 2025.
3. PHEV is still the focus this year
BMWiX3, BMW?i4, and BMW?iNEXT are undoubtedly the models that BMW will promote in the next few years, but at least not this year. According to LMC Automotive's forecast, the sales of PHEV models in Europe will exceed that of pure electric vehicles in 2020. It is expected that the sales of PHEV models will reach 717,000 units this year, or account for 4% of the entire market; while pure electric vehicles, in 2020 Sales volume is expected to reach 652,000 units, accounting for approximately 3.6% of the market.
Such a prediction is basically consistent with BMW’s current situation. According to statistics, in 2019 alone, the domestic sales of BMW 530Le reached 26,000 units, and the combined sales of various global markets reached 45,000 units. In addition, the sales volume of BMW X1 PHEV in China last year was 4,585 units, while MINI’s PHEV model achieved good results of 12,000 units in the global market.
According to BMW's previous model planning, in addition to the existing X1 PHEV and 530Le, plug-in hybrid models such as 330e, X2 PHEV, and X3 PHEV will be added this year.
And in order to encourage consumers to use more electricity, use less oil, and better utilize the advantages of PHEV models, BMW has made three preparations. First, it is to increase the battery capacity of PHEV models and increase the pure electric cruising range, such as the domestic X1 PHEV. The battery capacity was increased to 24kWh, and the pure electric cruising range reached 110km, making it the plug-in hybrid model with the highest pure electric cruising range in China.
Second-hand preparation is Drive?Zones digital service. Users can automatically switch the vehicle to pure electric mode when driving into a certain set area. Currently, 58 cities in Germany and some areas in Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, France and other countries have been set as areas where DriveZones can be automatically activated.
The third-hand preparation is "BMW Points". This plan is designed to encourage users to charge PHEV models and then record the owner's pure electric mileage. These points can be converted into free charging.
BMW hopes to use the above measures to encourage consumers to use more pure electric driving and reduce carbon emissions. At the same time, these measures can also promote the growth of new energy vehicle sales and help BMW comply with the EU's increasingly stringent carbon emission regulations.
■Bang Dianping
With the popularity of the BMW i4 concept car, we can help you briefly sort out BMW’s work focus this year, its existing technical reserves and future expectations. We feel deeply for Volkswagen’s heroic determination, and at the same time we respect BMW’s persistence in caring for its old customers. So here’s the question, assuming that BMW’s soul model, the BMW 3 Series, also launches a pure electric version in the future, will you use real money to support it?
This article comes from the author of Autohome Chejiahao and does not represent the views and positions of Autohome.