BMW confirms LFP batteries for selected Neue Klasse EVs
BMW CEO Milan Nedeljković said on the Q3 2026 earnings call that lithium iron phosphate batteries will be added to some Neue Klasse EVs, chosen by vehicle and purpose rather than across the range.
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BMW will add lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries to some of its Neue Klasse electric vehicles, chief executive Milan Nedeljković said on the company's third-quarter earnings call, according to BMWBLOG. He stressed that the chemistry will be used selectively, not as a wholesale replacement for the nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) cells the Neue Klasse launched with.
NMC first, LFP where it fits
Nedeljković said BMW started the Neue Klasse with NMC chemistry and cylindrical cells because it sees that technology as superior in the market today, pointing to the range of the new iX3 and i3. He acknowledged that LFP offers a different cost structure but also different range, and said BMW will be "very specific in which vehicle and for which purpose."
BMWBLOG notes that LFP cells are generally cheaper to make, last longer and resist thermal runaway better, but have lower energy density, so a pack needs more space and weight to store the same energy. That trade-off is why NMC remains attractive for larger, longer-range models.
China already has an example
The China-only iX3 30L already uses an LFP pack, while the more expensive 40L and 50L versions keep NMC. BMWBLOG lists the 30L with a 77 kWh battery, a claimed 630 km on China's CLTC cycle and a starting price of RMB 269,900.
What is still unknown
Nedeljković did not say which future models will get LFP or when such versions will arrive outside China. Buyers will need model-by-model specifications, including charging behaviour, before comparing battery options.