Why would we, is the answer from BMW's development manager Frank Weber, if you ask him about cars with a range of 1,000 kilometers.
Many diesel cars can easily drive 1,000 kilometers on a full tank. But that's not something electric cars should be able to do.
At least not according to BMW's head of development Frank Weber. He makes that very clear in an interview with Automotive News .
"Why would we? You can't just build batteries with larger and larger capacities. Because then electric cars will no longer make sense," Weber states.
The development manager also believes that BMW customers are satisfied that they cannot go further than 400 to 500 kilometers on a single charge.
Frank Weber defends the decision with BMW's next range of electric cars, which will be based on the so-called Neue Klasse platform. The Germans claim that they have found a way to package the batteries so that there is 30 percent more energy density in them.
In plain English, this means shorter charging times. At least in theory. BMW says it should be possible to charge for 300 kilometers of driving 'within 10 minutes'. However, the brand still has to prove whether it can actually be done.
– Based on the data we have, people rarely drive further than a few hundred kilometers (at a time, ed.) in an electric car, says Weber.
The development manager also says that it would be 'an unnecessary burden on the environment' to make electric cars that are capable of driving, for example, 1,000 kilometers on a single charge.
The so-called solid-state batteries, which have been heralded by many for at least as many years as the real revolution in electric cars, are also a long way off. At least two to three generations of development, Weber believes.
This is partly due to the fact that, according to the development manager, car manufacturers have made large investments in current battery technology, and that these must first be brought back home. And drivers have to pay for this, even though better technologies exist.
