BMW and Croatian technology company Rimac are working on two additional vehicles, extending their collaboration beyond the recently updated all-electric BMW i7.
Rimac founder Mate Rimac confirmed the projects in an interview with Automotive News Europe, but did not identify the models involved.
The expansion follows the companies’ work on the i7’s high-voltage battery, which combines BMW’s sixth-generation (Gen6) cylindrical cells with its established fifth-generation (Gen5) module design.
The arrangement gives the updated electric luxury saloon higher energy density, increased driving range and faster charging.
BMW said the new cylindrical cells offer 20% higher volumetric energy density than the previous prismatic cells.
The i7 60 xDrive has a usable battery capacity of 112.5kWh, with a claimed driving range exceeding 727km. Maximum DC charging power has increased to 250kW.
Rimac said securing BMW’s production contract took over three years of development and competition against other suppliers.
The Croatian company committed resources to building production facilities even before the contract was finalised, demonstrating its ability to meet BMW’s manufacturing requirements.
Rimac Technology now manufactures the jointly developed battery systems at its site near Zagreb, Croatia, before shipping them to BMW’s Dingolfing assembly plant in Germany.
The companies originally announced their long-term battery partnership in April 2024, with the updated i7 becoming the first production application.
The two additional projects indicate a broader role for Rimac in BMW’s future vehicle development, although their identities and powertrains have not been confirmed.
