{
  "id": 19258869,
  "title": "BMW Taps Samsung SDI, LG Energy Solution for Neue Klasse EV Batteries",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/10/bmw-taps-samsung-sdi-lg-energy-solution-for-neue-klasse-ev-batteries",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-10T01:24:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BusinessKorea",
    "slug": "businesskorea",
    "url": "https://www.businesskorea.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=280871"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "BMW, the German automaker, is altering its battery sourcing strategy by partnering with Samsung SDI and LG Energy Solution for its upcoming Neue Klasse electric vehicles. This decision comes after BMW announced the selection of these South Korean suppliers on November 9th. The new contracts cover cells produced at both Samsung SDI’s European facilities and LG Energy Solution’s American plants, with deliveries set to commence between 2028 and 2029. The agreements align with BMW’s \"local for local\" strategy, prioritizing battery sourcing near its vehicle production facilities.\n\nSamsung SDI will utilize its existing production base in Europe, including a plant in Hungary where it is constructing a 46-millimeter cylindrical battery production line for mass production in 2028. LG Energy Solution, on the other hand, will rely on its North American facilities in Michigan and Arizona to supply BMW’s U.S. manufacturing operations. This is the first time LG Energy Solution will supply batteries for BMW’s fully electric vehicles, broadening the automaker’s relationship with the company.\n\nThis move reflects BMW’s intention to diversify its battery sourcing and production in the United States. The automaker previously relied on CATL and EVE Energy for European operations, but now adds Samsung SDI and LG Energy Solution to its supplier base. Nicolai Martin, BMW’s board member for purchasing and supplier network, emphasized that procurement diversification is a crucial aspect of BMW’s strategy, aiming to strengthen value creation in Europe and the United States.\n\nThe sixth-generation battery cells, featuring cylindrical design and a 46-millimeter diameter, offer a 20% increase in energy density compared to fifth-generation cells, promising improved driving range and charging speed. BMW will also implement Cell-to-Pack technology, integrating cells directly into battery packs to further enhance efficiency. BMW and Samsung SDI have a long-standing relationship, dating back to a 2019 battery cell supply agreement worth 2.9 billion euros, which covered deliveries from 2021 to 2031. In October 2025, BMW signed a three-party agreement with LG Energy Solution and Solid Power, a solid-state battery developer, to test solid-state technology. While the specific chemistry of the cells covered by the new agreements remains undisclosed, BMW plans to phase out some existing models with fifth-generation batteries as it expands Neue Klasse production.",
  "summary": "Germany’s BMW Group is reshaping its battery supply chain by selecting South Korean suppliers for its next-generation Neue Klasse electric vehicle platform.BMW announced on Nov. 9 (local time) that it had selected Samsung SDI and LG Energy Solution as new suppliers of sixth-generation (Gen6) battery",
  "key_points": [
    "BMW partners with Samsung SDI and LG Energy Solution for Neue Klasse EV batteries.",
    "Contracts cover cells produced in Europe and America, deliveries from 2028-2029.",
    "Aligns with BMW's 'local for local' strategy, prioritizing regional battery sourcing."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Expanding its supplier base with South Korean partners allows BMW to localize production near its assembly plants while diversifying its battery sourcing to strengthen regional value creation.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}