BMW has won a highly rated award for its Gen6 electric vehicle technology at the World New Energy Vehicle Congress in China – making this the fifth straight year the German powerhouse has been honoured at the event.

The high-voltage battery is based on the new BMW round cells, which have a higher energy density than the prismatic cells found in other EVs. The Gen6 technology (pictured below) also supports bi-directional charging, which allows the vehicles to act as mobile power stations that can send electricity back to households or use it to power tools and other equipment.

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Right now Gen6 cells are featured on the marque’s Neue Klasse vehicles, but it will be gradually introduced across the entire BMW portfolio. The carmaker filed patent applications for more than 500 innovations during its development.

“We are very proud to receive this international award. It confirms our long-term approach of combining technological innovation with the highest standards of quality and safety and genuine customer relevance,” BMW board member Jochen Goller said in a statement.   

Designed for an 800-volt architecture, the cells in the Gen6 tech not only provide increased energy density compared to their rivals, they also feature safety measures like a steel housing, multi-stage insulation concept, and thermal and energy management through BMW’s Energy Master hardware and software.

“The Gen6 high-voltage battery represents a technological leap across all customer-relevant features,” said BMW’s senior vice president of development for high-voltage batteries and charging, Thomas Engelhardt.

“Its innovative, flat design with cylindrical cells paves the way for greater range and faster charging, while maintaining the highest level of safety.”