Woodruff, South Carolina, USA. In December, the new BMW Group Plant Woodruff will begin series production of high-voltage batteries for the new fully-electric BMW iX5. As part of the vehicle’s world premiere, the company offered a first glimpse of its state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. With AI-supported production processes, digital twins and virtual reality applications, the new plant is setting industry standards for the assembly of high-voltage batteries.

Site strengthens electromobility in the US and footprint in South Carolina

“Plant Woodruff plays a key role in the ramp-up of electromobility in the US,” said Raymond Wittman, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Production. “With our Gen6 high-voltage battery, we’re not only taking a major technological leap – we are also setting new standards in production. In Woodruff, we are combining cutting-edge processes, artificial intelligence and the expertise of our employees to create a production facility designed for the highest quality.”

“With Plant Woodruff, we are further expanding our footprint in South Carolina and strengthening the close integration of battery and vehicle production,” said Robert Engelhorn, President and CEO of BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC. “This creates the ideal foundation for the next generation of fully electric BMW X models assembled at Plant Spartanburg.”

Intelligent production for maximum quality

The BMW Group has established state-of-the-art, intelligent and efficient production processes for its in-house developed sixth-generation (Gen6) high-voltage battery. The new cylindrical round cells are integrated directly into the high-voltage battery, based on the “cell-to-pack” principle. All production steps are continuously monitored inline and comprehensively documented in real time. In-house developed AI assistants and agents analyse this data and, together with more than 300 employees and 250 robots at Plant Woodruff, ensure the zero-defect battery production. At the same time, the extensive use of artificial intelligence enhances Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) in production. Well before commissioning, digital twins of production and virtual reality applications support planning and employee training.

Training in a virtual factory

All production staff at Plant Woodruff complete a VR training program developed on site. Within a virtual factory, they can practice real manufacturing operations under realistic conditions. This virtual environment replicates the plant’s production lines in meticulous detail, requiring only a set of VR goggles and a PC. The training helps employees develop an understanding of relevant processes and builds confidence in operating the equipment before using the actual manufacturing systems for the first time.

Just three years from start of construction to series production

Following the official groundbreaking in June 2023, construction of the new plant began in September 2023. In September 2024, while construction was still under way, installation of the manufacturing equipment commenced. Preparations for production started in summer 2025, and the first test and pre-series batteries have been rolling off the assembly line since then. The series launch is scheduled for December 2026. “Plant Woodruff demonstrates how quickly we can scale a new battery concept to industrial production,” said Rich Everly, Vice President of Production at BMW Group Plant Woodruff. “The key factor is the synergy between a skilled and dedicated team and the continuous exchange of experience within the production network.”

Gen6 battery cells with reduced carbon footprint

The Gen6 battery cells used in the BMW iX5’s high-voltage battery include a high proportion of secondary materials in the cobalt, lithium and nickel content. Renewable energy is also used in the production of anode and cathode materials, as well as in cell manufacturing. Compared with the Gen5 cell used in the BMW iX, CO₂e emissions have been reduced by around 28 percent per watt-hour. Plant Woodruff does not use any fossil fuels during normal operations, while the site’s industrial trucks are powered by hydrogen.

Global production strategy: local for local

Installation of the Gen6 high-voltage batteries takes place at five new production facilities, which the BMW Group is building close to its vehicle plants, in line with its “local for local” principle. In addition to Woodruff, state-of-the-art high-voltage battery assembly plants are also being built in Irlbach-Straßkirchen (Lower Bavaria), Shenyang (China) and San Luis Potosí (Mexico). The latest generation of high-voltage batteries has been in series production in Debrecen, Hungary, since October 2025. This “local for local” approach strengthens regional infrastructure and existing facilities and helps secure jobs. The global production network for high-voltage batteries benefits from close collaboration between the German pilot plants and series production facilities worldwide.

How the BMW Group assembles its Gen6 high-voltage batteries

The BMW Group sources battery cells for its high-voltage batteries from leading cell manufacturers. The highest technical standards apply. Upon receipt of goods, additional measurements – such as voltage checks – are carried out. Next comes so-called cell clustering, where the battery cells are connected to coolers. This step ensures optimal insulation and cooling of the cells. The cell clusters and cell contact system are then laser-cleaned and welded with pinpoint precision. The inline inspection continuously monitors each weld seam in real time. An innovative foaming process follows, ensuring that all elements are protected as a mechanical unit. The hardened foam guarantees the safety, stability and durability of the high-voltage battery. The housing is then closed, sealed and riveted. In the final assembly step, the Energy Master – the central control unit – is installed onto the high-voltage battery. A permanently elastic sealing adhesive is applied to ensure a reliable seal. Finally, each high-voltage battery undergoes a 100% end-of-line inspection. From Woodruff, the high-voltage batteries are transported to Plant Spartanburg, located just 15 miles away.

The BMW iX5's high-voltage battery: 800-volt, with high energy content

The first battery-electric BMW iX5 is based on sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology, featuring round cells and 800-volt technology. With an available energy content of 144 kWh in the US and 141 kWh in the EU (net), the BMW iX5 60 xDrive boasts the largest high-voltage battery of any fully-electric BMW model to date. Propulsion is provided by e-drives on both the front and rear axles, and by the electric BMW xDrive all-wheel drive.

Munich. BMW Group Plant Munich is approaching the biggest milestone in the transformation process: series production of the BMW i3, the second model in the Neue Klasse range, gets underway here in August. This marks the start of the rollout of the Neue Klasse within the BMW Group’s global production network.

“We have been making rigorous preparations. With the BMW iFACTORY we have devised a consistent, strategic framework for our production,” explains Milan Nedeljković, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Production. “We have paved the way for the upcoming start-ups in all our plants and have invested heavily in technologies, digitalisation and AI.”

BMW Group Plant Munich has undergone extensive modernisation in recent years. The result is a plant that now works even more efficiently, flexibly and digitally, and is optimally positioned for the requirements of electric mobility and the Neue Klasse.

But that’s not all: as of 2027, the Munich plant will exclusively produce all‑electric vehicles and thereby achieve a further boost in efficiency. This is assisted by proactive planning, close collaboration with development teams and suppliers, as well as modern production technology in the new structures. “We have considerably reduced production costs over recent years. With the start of production of the BMW i3, we will reduce overall production costs at the Munich plant by a further 10 per cent, bringing them below the level of the current vehicle generation,” says Peter Weber, Head of BMW Group Plant Munich. In addition to optimised production processes and targeted automation and digitalisation, the new vehicle architecture of the Neue Klasse also ensures efficiency.

Plant Munich is investing around 650 million euros in its transformation into a fully electric production site.

Highly efficient production at historic site

Plant Munich has been consistently reinventing itself for more than 100 years – from a location outside the city to today’s site surrounded by it. The facility has undergone a fundamental process of redevelopment for the Neue Klasse – with production of up to 1,000 vehicles a day continuing during this period. A new body shop and state-of-the-art vehicle assembly including new logistics areas were set up on an area spanning around a third of the plant’s footprint. Extensive updates have also been made to existing technologies.

Plant manager Peter Weber highlights what the workforce has achieved: “The people at the factory played an essential role in making this transformation a success. With their high level of expertise, enthusiasm and tremendous dedication, our employees have shown that world-class industrial production is possible even under the toughest conditions. The BMW i3 is just the beginning – several Neue Klasse models will be manufactured in Munich in the future, including the BMW i3 Touring.”

A vision for all technologies: the BMW iFACTORY

The BMW iFACTORY focuses on the areas of efficiency, sustainability and digitalisation. Within this framework, the company’s plants around the world are implementing site-specific solutions and, in so doing, strengthening the company’s resilience as well as its ability to deliver reliably at any time and worldwide. This vision has now also been consistently implemented across all technologies at BMW Group Plant Munich.

“We have rethought the entire value stream from supplier to finished customer vehicle. We have looked at every single process in detail and made optimisations. Now our plant is even more efficient, more flexible and even more digitised than ever before. We are thereby safeguarding the future viability of the plant,” adds Peter Weber.

In the press shop, steel and aluminium boards are turned into tens of thousands of components on highly automated press lines daily. Uniform press and tool standards across the global production network result in efficiencies on many levels: installation and integration of the systems are standardised, tools for the presses can be swapped within the network, and employees can work at various locations and help each other. An AI-assisted camera system supports quality control before an underground transport system moves the parts to the body shop. Output has increased significantly compared with previous structures. Cuts of steel and aluminium are collected, sorted and then used to manufacture new steel or aluminium coils.

Plant Munich has set up a new body shop for the Neue Klasse featuring systems planned and realised using a virtual twin. A total of 800 new industrial robots take care of the joining processes here; decreasing the number of joining processes to five reduces process complexity. With an automation rate of around 98 per cent, robots perform the majority of standardised processes. Automated surface inspection (ASI) assists with quality assurance.

In the paint shop at Plant Munich, digital and AI-assisted systems control central quality processes. Automated surface inspection (ASI) uses cameras and artificial intelligence to detect even the most minor deviations on the surface and documents them digitally. Automated surface processing (ASP) works on the variations detected directly during the running process. To purify the exhaust air, the paint shop uses the energy-efficient, electrically powered eRTO process. This is complemented by heat and energy recovery as well as water-saving cycles.

What once was the home of engine manufacturing at BMW Group Plant Munich has become a new assembly area for the Neue Klasse. The assembly area is set up for end-to-end digital processes: vehicles, systems and tools are interconnected and digital live tracking and automated inline quality checks support employees in the assembly line process. During assembly already, the BMW i3 digitally transmits the status of up to 20,000 features to the production system. Ergonomic workstations, height-adjustable systems and simplified processes lighten the load for employees, while targeted training supports new digital fields.

Aspart of the transformation, logistics at BMW Group Plant Munich has focused squarely on efficiency and direct integration of production. The logistics department at the Munich plant moves around 2.5 million parts every day; in future around 70 per cent of these parts will be delivered directly to the assembly workstations. This will reduce internal transport distances, save space and accelerate supply to the production lines. This is made possible by a multi-storey building structure developed specially for the plant’s city location. Delivery is at ground level and then conveyor technology transports the parts to the right levels, where they are distributed directly to the assembly workstations. This enables the principle of direct delivery to be applied systematically even in a multi-storey plant. At the same time, the level of automation in logistics has been significantly increased. Automated supply systems, smart transport robots and driverless transport systems will handle around 60 per cent of supply tasks in the future. A digital logistics control station manages all processes centrally, ensuring transparency and data-driven optimisation.

Unique to Plant Munich is the in-house seat manufacturing facility. It is a “plant inside a plant” and takes on a central role for quality assurance and expert evaluation within the production network. The seats for all versions of the models produced in Munich are manufactured here and delivered to vehicle assembly directly and “just in sequence”. The in‑house seat manufacturing facility is regarded as the benchmark for quality assurance across the BMW Group. Modern, largely automated processes ensure seamless quality control. This is complemented by fully automated end-of-line checks, including for safety-relevant components. The seat manufacturing facility also systematically strengthens the BMW Group’s in-house expertise. It serves as a competence centre and innovation hub, tests new materials, technologies and manufacturing concepts, and supports the evaluation of costs, quality and production processes – making an impact far beyond the Munich location.

Global network, regional value creation: high-voltage batteries and e-drive

With the new assembly plant for high-voltage batteries in Irlbach‑Straßkirchen (Lower Bavaria, Germany) around 90 minutes away, the BMW Group is significantly boosting value creation in the Bavaria region. In keeping with the “local for local” approach, Irlbach-Straßkirchen will deliver high-voltage Gen6 batteries to the Munich plant as well as other German locations. Here, the batteries will be installed in the BMW i3. Manufacture of the high-voltage batteries combines a rigorous zero-defect approach with the latest production technologies, which were developed at Bavarian pilot plants. With seamless inline quality controls, digital twins and the systematic use of artificial intelligence, the BMW Group is setting new standards in battery production.

The Gen6 e-motor for the BMW i3 is produced at BMW Group Plant Steyr in Austria – a location that has been manufacturing drivetrains for over 40 years. With the first e-motor in the portfolio, the plant is developing its role as a prime example of technology openness. All core components of the highly integrated e-drive – from the rotor and stator to the inverter and transmission – are produced on-site. New production lines and state‑of‑the‑art clean room environments have been set up for this. The aluminium foundry at BMW Group Plant Landshut supplies the e-motor housing for Plant Steyr.

Pretoria. BMW Group Plant Rosslyn has reached a significant production milestone with the completion of its 100,000th fourth-generation BMW X3, marking an important moment for the South African manufacturing facility and the people behind its success.

The milestone reflects the collective effort of associates across the plant and the broader ecosystem of suppliers, logistics partners and dealerships that support vehicle production. Together, these teams contribute to delivering vehicles that meet BMW Group’s global standards for quality and performance.

The 100,000th vehicle produced is a Fire Red BMW X3 plug-in hybrid destined for Australia. BMW Group Plant Rosslyn is the only production facility globally manufacturing the BMW X3 plug-in hybrid for international markets, underscoring the plant’s strategic role within BMW Group’s global production network. Located north of Pretoria, BMW Group Plant Rosslyn continues to play an important role in South Africa’s automotive industry. Since the plant’s inception, more than 1.8 million vehicles have been produced at the facility, including the previous third-generation BMW X3.

Behind every vehicle produced at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn is a team of people. Production associates, technicians, engineers and support teams work together across multiple production stages to ensure each vehicle meets the high standards expected by customers.

“Producing 100,000 fourth-generation BMW X3 vehicles is a significant milestone for BMW Group Plant Rosslyn and a testament to the dedication and professionalism of our associates,” said Danny Bester, Director of BMW Group Plant Rosslyn. “Every vehicle that leaves this plant represents the skill, commitment and pride of the people who build it. It also reflects the trust that customers place in the BMW brand and in the quality delivered here in South Africa.”

The milestone also highlights the plant’s contribution to skills development and talent cultivation. Apprentices, trainees and graduate engineers gain hands-on experience in a real manufacturing environment, helping to develop the next generation of technical and engineering professionals in South Africa.

Each vehicle produced at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn moves through multiple production stations where associates focus on precision, teamwork and continuous improvement. For many employees, the milestone represents years of dedication and a shared commitment on the production floor.

While reaching this 100,000-vehicle milestone marks an important moment, work at the plant continues every day as teams remain focused on building vehicles with the same attention to quality, precision and care that defines the BMW brand.

ENDS

If you have any questions, please contact:

Corporate Communications
Angela Konert
Head of Business Communications

Phone: +27 71 666 2472
Email: Angela.Konert@bmw.co.za
https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en

  The BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2024, the BMW Group sold over 2.45 million passenger vehicles and more than 210,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2024 was € 11.0 billion on revenues amounting to € 142,4 billion. As of 31 December 2024, the BMW Group had a workforce of 159.104  employees.

The economic success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. Sustainability is a key element of the BMW Group’s corporate strategy and covers all products from the supply chain and production to the end of their useful life.

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Munich. The BMW Group is consistently advancing the digitalisation and use of artificial intelligence in production. A key element in this effort is “Physical AI”, which combines digital artificial intelligence (AI) with real machines and robots. This enables intelligent systems such as humanoid robots to be integrated into real-world production processes.

For the first time, the BMW Group is now bringing Physical AI to Europe and launching a pilot project with humanoid robots at the Leipzig plant. The project aims to integrate humanoid robotics into existing series production of cars and to explore further applications in the production of batteries and components.

“Digitalisation improves the competitiveness of our production – here in Europe and worldwide. The symbiosis of engineering expertise and artificial intelligence opens up entirely new possibilities in production,” said Milan Nedeljković, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Production.

Last year, the BMW Group successfully implemented a pilot project with humanoid robots at its Spartanburg plant in the United States. The insights gained from this project are being leveraged to further develop and scale Physical AI applications.

Unified IT and data model in the production system

Artificial intelligence is already an integral part of the BMW Group’s production system. From the virtual factory with digital twins and AI‑enabled quality controls to intralogistics with autonomous transport solutions, intelligent systems are used in almost all production steps.

A prerequisite for the effective use of artificial intelligence in production is a unified IT and data model across the entire production system. The BMW Group has consistently transformed isolated data silos into a unified data platform in its production system meaning that all data is consistent, standardised, and available at all times. This enables digital AI agents to take on increasingly challenging tasks autonomously and in complex environments while continuously learning and becoming available for additional areas of application. The introduction of intelligent and autonomous decision‑making agents marks a paradigm shift in production. In combination with robots, these digital AI agents are what make up Physical AI.

“Our aim is to be a technology leader and to integrate new technologies into production at an early stage. Pilot projects help us to test and further develop the use of Physical AI – that is, AI‑enabled robots capable of learning – under real-world industrial conditions,” said Michael Nikolaides, Senior Vice President Production Network, Supply Chain Management at BMW Group.

Digitalisation and artificial intelligence are core elements of BMW iFACTORY and are the foundation for future‑proof, flexible, and competitive production.

Humanoid robotics complements existing automation

The BMW Group is strategically expanding its automation portfolio to include Physical AI and humanoid robotics. Humanoid robots are viewed as a value‑adding complement to existing automation. Particularly, they demonstrate potential in monotonous, ergonomically demanding, or safety‑critical tasks. The goal is to relieve employees and further improve working conditions.

Center of Competence for Physical AI in Production consolidates expertise

Its consistent data platform in production makes the BMW Group an attractive partner for technology companies seeking to test the possibilities of Physical AI – particularly humanoid robotics – in an industrial environment under real-world conditions. By setting up the new “Center of Competence for Physical AI in Production”, the BMW Group is taking the next step in consolidating its expertise and ensuring that the full range of knowledge can be leveraged across the organisation.

The BMW Group is following a clearly structured approach. Technology partners are evaluated according to defined maturity and industrialisation criteria and tested in pilot projects under real-world production conditions. Following a theoretical assessment, an evaluation is carried out at the manufacturer’s site in the laboratory using real use cases from the BMW production system to test integration capability. If this phase is successful, it is followed by an initial test deployment under real-world production conditions at a BMW Group plant and subsequently the actual pilot phase.

First pilot project with humanoid robots in Europe

In collaboration with Hexagon, a long‑standing, established partner of the BMW Group in the field of sensor technology and software, the first pilot project in Europe is now underway. Hexagon’s organisational unit located in Zürich, Hexagon Robotics, specialises in Physical AI and presented its first humanoid robot, AEON, in June 2025. Following an initial theoretical evaluation phase and successful laboratory tests, there was an initial test deployment at BMW Group Plant Leipzig in December 2025. A further test deployment is planned from April 2026 to ensure full integration for the actual pilot phase starting in summer 2026.

The deployment in Leipzig is focusing on testing a multifunctional application of the robot. It is based on AEON’s design, whose human‑like body allows a wide range of hand and gripper elements or scanning tools to be flexibly attached and enables dynamic use on wheels. During testing and later in the pilot phase, the robot will be used in the assembly of high‑voltage batteries and in component manufacturing.

Successful pilot at BMW Group Plant Spartanburg provides key insights for use of humanoid robots in production

The world’s first deployment of humanoid robots at a BMW Group plant took place at the Spartanburg plant in the United States in 2025, in collaboration with the technology company Figure AI. The results demonstrated that Physical AI can deliver measurable added value under real-world conditions. Within ten months, the robot Figure 02 supported the production of more than 30,000 BMW X3, working ten-hour shifts daily from Monday to Friday. Figure 02 handled the precise removal and positioning of sheet metal parts for the welding process – a task that is particularly demanding in terms of speed and accuracy while also being physically exhausting. In total, it moved more than 90,000 components and covered approximately 1.2 million steps in around 1,250 operating hours.

The pilot confirmed that humanoid robots can safely perform precise, repetitive work steps – such as positioning components with millimetre precision – and provided important insights for the further deployment of Physical AI in production.

During the initial test phases with Figure 02, it was essential to involve all areas of the production IT infrastructure, occupational safety, production process management, and shop floor logistics at an early stage.

One key finding was that the transition from the laboratory to the actual production environment was faster than expected. Motion sequences trained in the laboratory could be quickly transferred into stable shift operation. To ensure smooth coexistence with existing systems, integration into the BMW Smart Robotics ecosystem was implemented via standardised interfaces.

The body shop was deliberately selected for the test phase in Spartanburg, as it already has a high degree of automation. BMW Group employees in this area have extensive experience in integrating new technologies and processes. For example, material supply on the line is already carried out almost exclusively via automated smart transport robots (STR). The project team’s early communication ensured transparency from the outset and promoted acceptance. The deployment of humanoid robots was met with great interest among employees and quickly became a natural part of everyday work during the course of the project.

The BMW Group and Figure are currently evaluating additional use cases for deploying the Figure 03 robot.

Additional quotes for use:

Michael Nikolaides, Senior Vice President Production Network, Supply Chain Management at BMW Group:

“Our aim is to be a technology leader and to integrate new technologies into production at an early stage. Pilot projects help us to test and further develop the use of Physical AI – that is, AI‑enabled robots capable of learning – under real-world industrial conditions. The successful first deployment of humanoid robots at our BMW Group plant in Spartanburg in the USA proves that a humanoid robot can function not only under controlled laboratory conditions but also in an existing automotive manufacturing environment.”

Michael Ströbel, Head of Process Management and Digitalisation, Order to Delivery at BMW Group:

“We are delighted to deploy a humanoid robot for the first time in a pilot project at a plant in Germany. Following evaluation by our Center of Competence for Physical AI in Production, tests were carried out in the laboratory and at Plant Leipzig at the end of last year. This year, our focus is on step‑by‑step integration into our production system to explore a wide range of applications. The emphasis is on researching multifunctional use of the robot in various production areas such as battery manufacturing for energy modules and component production for exterior parts. With Hexagon, we have found a proven long‑standing partner with a highly innovative approach to humanoid robotics for this project.”

Felix Haeckel, Team Lead CoC Physical AI for Production:

“At our new Center of Competence for Physical AI in Production, we are pooling our expertise to make knowledge on AI and robotics widely usable within the company. In recent years, we have built up an international team of experts that, in addition to in‑house research and programming, is dedicated to the gradual integration of AI into the existing production system. At the same time, our team in Munich is driving its own robotics research to set up, support, and further develop pilot projects in the field of Physical AI at our plants.”

Arnaud Robert, President of Hexagon Robotics:

“We are very pleased to be working with the BMW Group to advance the use of humanoid robots in real‑world environments.”

Munich. BMW Welt has firmly established itself as an integral part of Munich’s cityscape, as well as the cultural and events scene in the Bavarian capital and beyond. 25 years ago, planning began for what would become one of Bavaria’s most-visited attractions. BMW Welt is not only known for its award-winning, futuristic architecture, but above all, for the opportunity to experience the BMW Group brands up close.

Planning got underway in 2001, expecting 850,000 visitors per year. Today, BMW Welt welcomes more than 2.2 visitors annually. This number includes customers from all over Germany who come to collect their vehicles – more than 280,000 to date.

BMW Welt offers a one-of-a-kind experience worldwide: In addition to vehicle collection, visitors can explore the latest models from BMW, BMW M, MINI, BMW Motorrad and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars through a range of displays, with the option of individual product consultations, as well as guided tours for car and architecture enthusiasts – complemented by the culinary diversity of its four restaurants and bistros, including the new fine-dining restaurant THE CLOUD by Käfer.

The architect behind BMW Welt, Prof Wolf D. Prix, was a student of Karl Schwanzer, the man who designed the BMW Four-Cylinder building. Prix and his team from Coop Himmelb(l)au, comprising a total of 120 architects, concealed 1,200 rooms within BMW Welt. BMW Welt’s spectacular event spaces are also available for reservation. The BMW Welt Auditorium is home to Munich's second-largest stage after the opera house. Each year, BMW Welt hosts 400 events, including the Bavarian Sports Award and the Blauer Panther TV & Streaming Award. More interesting facts and figures can be found in the press information sheet available for download.

If you have any questions, please contact:

BMW Group Corporate Communications

Lisa Meindl, Spokesperson BMW Museum and BMW Welt
Telephone: +49-89-382-31668
Email: lisa.meindl@bmw.de

Simone Bauer-Linster, Communications BMW Welt

Telephone: +49 151 601 414 52

Email: Simone.Bauer-Linster@bmw.de

Internet: https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en

E-Mail: presse@bmwgroup.com

The BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2024, the BMW Group sold over 2.45 million passenger vehicles and more than 210,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2023 was € 17.1 billion on revenues amounting to € 155.5 billion. As of 31 December 2023, the BMW Group had a workforce of 154,950 employees.

The economic success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. Sustainability is a key element of the BMW Group’s corporate strategy and covers all products from the supply chain and production to the end of their useful life.

www.bmwgroup.com

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Richmond Hill, ON.  BMW Motorrad Canada is pleased to announce the addition of Apex Cycle Sports as an authorized retailer serving the Kitchener‑Waterloo‑Cambridge region. This development represents a significant enhancement of BMW Motorrad Canada’s presence in Southwestern Ontario and underscores the company’s commitment to expanding accessibility for customers in one of the province’s most dynamic markets.

Apex Cycle Sports, located in Cambridge, Ontario, has more than fifteen years of established experience in the powersports industry and has cultivated a strong reputation across the region. A 30,000‑square‑foot showroom and service facility provide a premium environment and an extensive product portfolio.

“The integration of Apex Cycle Sports into the BMW Motorrad Canada network reflects a shared dedication to our fantastic portfolio of motorcycles,” said Greg Edwards, director of BMW Motorrad Canada. “Apex’s proven expertise in representing premium brands, combined with BMW’s high standards of quality, will ensure that customers in the region benefit from an elevated experience.”

Colin Lobsinger, General Manager of Apex Cycle Sports, added, “We are thrilled to become an authorized retailer for BMW Motorrad and to offer these exceptional motorcycles and products to our growing customer base in the region. We look forward to providing our local riders with unparalleled motorcycles and service.”

This partnership supports BMW Motorrad Canada’s objective of expanding regional representation through collaboration with local partners. The Kitchener‑Waterloo‑Cambridge area has experienced steady economic and demographic growth, and the establishment of an authorized retailer in Cambridge will provide riders across Southwestern Ontario with improved access to BMW Motorrad products.

BMW Motorrad Canada and Apex Cycle Sports share a commitment to excellence, engineering precision, and an unwavering focus on customer satisfaction. BMW Motorrad Canada is pleased to welcome Apex Cycle Sports into the BMW family and looks forward to the success this partnership will bring for both riders and the BMW community.

-30-

BMW Group in Canada

BMW Group Canada, based in Richmond Hill, Ontario, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BMW AG and is responsible for the distribution of BMW luxury performance automobiles, Sports Activity Vehicles, Motorcycles, and MINI.  BMW Group Financial Services Canada is a division of BMW Group Canada and offers retail financing and leasing programs and protection products on new and pre-owned BMW and MINI automobiles, as well as retail financing for new and pre-owned BMW Motorcycles. A total network of 51 BMW automobile retail centres, 26 BMW motorcycle retailers, and 31 MINI retailers represents the BMW Group across the country.

For more information, please contact:

Marc Belcourt

Director, Corporate Communications

BMW Group Canada

marc.belcourt@bmwgroup.ca                                     

Jean-Francois Taylor

Product and Technology Manager, Corporate Communications

BMW Group Canada

jean-francois.taylor@bmwgroup.ca

Hams Hall, UK. BMW Group’s Hams Hall plant, located in the UK, has reached a major milestone: For exactly 25 years, the plant near Birmingham has produced highly efficient internal combustion engines for a variety of BMW Group vehicle models. More than 7.6 million engines have shipped from Hams Hall since 2001. The facility supplies numerous production sites worldwide with highly efficient petrol engines for the BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands, including drive trains for plug-in hybrid models – making the plant an integral part of the BMW Group’s technology-open approach. Today, Plant Hams Hall produces three and four-cylinder petrol engines to high performance V8 engines, powering vehicles across both BMW and MINI. Separately, the V12 engine is produced at Plant Hams Hall exclusively for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Its assembly follows a distinct, bespoke production process, carried out by specially trained engineers and technicians, before final delivery to the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood.

Plant Hams Hall – an integral part of the global production network

"This anniversary is a special milestone for our site," says Dirk Dreher, Head of the BMW Group's Hams Hall plant. "We are a competitive plant and there’s always been a real passion among our workforce to continually improve our manufacturing processes and site. Building on our strong foundation, we are looking forward to remaining a successful plant in the future."

“The Hams Hall plant is an integral part of our global production network,” explains Harald Gottsche, Head of Engine Production at BMW AG. “The site combines technological expertise with high flexibility. It reliably supplies our vehicle plants with efficient, powerful engines of premium quality. This includes the V12 engine – a masterpiece from Hams Hall!”

61% reduction in energy use per engine built since the start of full production

The British engine plant is systematically implementing the principles of the BMW iFACTORY. The strategic vision of the BMW iFACTORY focusses on sustainability, electrification, digitalisation and profitability. From the first concept of the plant to the present day, the Hams Hall team has made sustainability a key consideration. Since the first full year of production, the plant has made a 61% reduction in energy required per engine built, meaning the overall energy to operate the site has remained level even though there has been a considerable increase in production. The plant purchases 100% of its external electricity from renewable energy sources today. It has also worked to reduce its consumption of natural gas.

SpOTTO robotic dog scans and monitors manufacturing equipment

A four-legged autonomous robot named “SpOTTO” joined the Hams Hall team in 2024. The autonomous robotic dog scans the plant, supports maintenance and ensures production processes run smoothly. Equipped with visual, thermal and acoustic sensors, SpOTTO collects valuable data for the plant’s digital twin. It also serves as a watchdog, monitoring the maintenance of production facilities. SpOTTO was developed by Boston Dynamics under the product name “Spot”, an agile robot capable of climbing stairs and traversing rough terrain with ease. At Hams Hall, “Spot” was fondly renamed SpOTTO, paying tribute to the engine plant’s proud heritage: Gustav Otto, one of the founders of BMW, was the son of Nicolaus Otto, inventor of the four-stroke engine.

Fully connected digital twin: Big data on three levels

At the core of the Hams Hall plant’s digital transformation is the fully connected digital twin, which consists of three levels: On the first level, 3D representations of the entire plant are generated. The second level comprises a large data layer, continuously updated with all relevant information from the SpOTTO robotic dog, the plant’s manufacturing equipment and its IT systems. On the third level – the application level – dedicated programmes organise the collected data into comprehensible units. Using special apps, experts at Plant Hams Hall can leverage this information for tasks such as production planning and quality assurance.

A history of continuous growth

Over the past 25 years, BMW Group Plant Hams Hall has continuously evolved, establishing itself as a key pillar of the company’s production network. Relying on state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies, it provides drive trains for numerous BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce models.

Selected historic milestones:

• 2001: Plant Hams Hall launches series production with new four-cylinder engines, using innovative Valvetronic technology in large-scale manufacturing for the first time.
• 2006: An additional engine family is introduced; Plant Hams Hall produces engines for the MINI brand for the first time.
• 2013: Plant Hams Hall becomes the exclusive manufacturer of the award-winning three-cylinder engine for the iconic BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports car. The plant also integrates additional production lines for three- and four-cylinder petrol engines. At the same time, the processing hall for crankshafts, crankcases and cylinder heads is expanded.
• 2022: The plant takes over production of V8 and V12 engines. With this step the plant generates even greater business value for the company.
• 2026: Plant Hams Hall celebrates 25 years of production.

The BMW Group’s drive train production network

The BMW Group’s engine production network comprises several plants alongside Hams Hall: Its largest engine facility is in Steyr, Austria, where diesel and petrol engines, as well as sixth-generation electric motors, are developed and produced. The fifth generation of electric motors is produced in Dingolfing. Plant Munich handles mechanical production of V8 and V12 engine components, while Plant Landshut manufactures special engines. The Chinese joint venture BMW Brilliance builds engines for the local market in Shenyang. Collectively, these locations support the BMW Group's technology-open powertrain strategy.

Munich. Last year, the BMW Group once again produced more than one million vehicles at its German plants. This means that one in four vehicles built in Germany comes from a BMW Group plant. According to the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), a total of 4.15 million vehicles were manufactured in Germany during the same period.

“Our plants provide impressive proof of how competitive German industry is. Producing more than one million vehicles in 2025 is a strong testament to Germany’s innovative strength. To achieve this, we are systematically leveraging innovation and digitalisation. Going forward, policymakers must ensure competitive framework conditions for Germany as an industrial location,” explains Milan Nedeljković, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Production.

The German automotive industry possesses unique expertise, extensive knowledge and a passionate car culture that few locations worldwide can match. The BMW Group vehicle plants in Dingolfing, Leipzig, Munich and Regensburg represent strong pillars of the company’s international production network. The foundation for this is a clear strategic direction aligned with the BMW iFACTORY, with streamlined structures, efficient processes and maximum flexibility at all plants. The BMW iFACTORY offers a vision for manufacturing across all locations in the global production network.

At all German plants, vehicles with internal combustion engines, plug-in hybrids and fully-electric drive trains are produced on a single line. With this flexible structure, BMW Group production can respond in an agile manner to fluctuations in demand and changing market conditions. It is therefore an important pillar supporting the company’s cross-functional resilience and a key competitive advantage in a dynamically evolving industry.

Vehicles from the German plants are primarily destined for the European market, in line with the principle of globally distributed value added. In the Americas and China, production volumes also roughly correspond to the number of vehicles sold in those regions.

Overview of BMW Group production in Germany

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Detailed BMW Group production figures for 2025 will be released with the Integrated BMW Group Report in March 2026.

Munich. BMW Group Plant Munich is ready for the production of the next vehicle generation. The manufacturing equipment has been installed in the new body shop and assembly line, and functional checks have been successfully completed. During this so-called "Common Function Test," every system undergoes dry runs, in which production planners and plant technicians put the machinery through its paces. All production steps are executed without any parts in the system. Cycle by cycle, an invisible vehicle takes shape. Although no actual car is produced, this process provides the certainty that everything operates seamlessly and as planned.

Peter Weber, head of BMW Group Plant Munich, is delighted: “Just in time for the holidays, we have reached an important milestone: All manufacturing technologies and equipment are ready to go, and we are already training our associates for production of the BMW i3. We are taking major strides towards production of first pre-series vehicles, which will then come completely from our plant.”

However, plant employees will have to remain patient a little longer until then. BMW i3 assembly, which has so far been carried out at the nearby Research and Innovation Centre, will be relocating to Plant Munich in January. With this move, all technologies at Plant Munich are then in place to continue rigorous testing of the complete production system. Series production of the new BMW i3 will then ramp up in summer 2026.

Typical iFACTORY: digitally planned and tested

Plant Munich is consistently aligned with the guiding principles of the BMW iFACTORY. Both the new body shop and new assembly line were digitally planned and built from the outset. Existing installations in the press shop and paint shop are also integrated into the BMW Group’s Virtual Factory. This made it possible to conduct functional testing of all technologies for the new vehicle generation virtually and well in advance.

Extensive remodelling completed in just 18 months

In just 18 months, about a third of the plant grounds has undergone extensive remodelling. Old halls were dismantled, and a new assembly, logistics centre and body shop were built – all while still manufacturing up to 1,000 BMW 3 Series and 4 Series vehicles per day. Series production of the new BMW i3 is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026.

Dingolfing. A new Centre for Special and Individual Paintwork is about to be built at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing. Over the next two years, an investment of more than 30 million euros will enable a new, southern extension to the existing paintshop. Construction will commence in September 2025, with the new facility scheduled to go on stream in the spring of 2027.

The forthcoming extension will offer over 2,000 square metres of space across two levels for adding customers’ desired finishes and special paintwork options to even more cars in ever more efficient processes. “It will enable us to meet the growing wishes of customers for something special, and help us develop a lucrative area of business for the BMW Group,” says Plant Director Christoph Schröder.

The paintshop at Dingolfing already offers a particularly wide array of colours, paint types and customisation options, with up to 300 different shades for customers to choose from – plus the two-tone and complex special finishes available for exclusive small series such as the BMW 3.0 CSL or BMW M4 CS Edition VR46.

A defining feature of this area of manufacturing is always the combination of automated processes in series production with individual elements of manual painting. According to Sven Selaskowki, responsible for Painted Bodies at Plant Dingolfing, the new paintline in the forthcoming extension will be equipped to enable exactly that: the first coat of coloured paint will be applied automatically in series production, with special touches – such as stripes or contrast colours on the doors and body for two-tone or custom finishes – added by hand afterwards in the forthcoming extension. Bodies will then return to the series production line for a final coat of clear varnish.

Depending on demand and the number of units needed, the team in the new centre for special paint finishes will comprise upwards of ten people.

Throughput times will fall by about a quarter compared to the current process, and costs per body made will fall noticeably. The drying furnaces in the new extension will run on electricity rather than gas – via power-to-heat.

Munich/Steyr (Austria). The BMW Group Plant Steyr today began series production of the e-engine for the Neue Klasse. “Today, we are laying the foundations for the future of the BMW Group,” explained Milan Nedeljković, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Production. “As the first production site for the Gen6 electric engine, Plant Steyr is central to the Neue Klasse and the continued development of our global production network.” The electric engine for the sixth generation of BMW eDrive (Gen6) is the first fully-electric drive train to be produced at the Steyr location in Austria. From there, it will be shipped throughout the production network, providing the drive train for the Neue Klasse. “Three years ago, we announced that we would build this electric engine in Steyr. Today, we are proud to deliver it,” said Klaus von Moltke, SVP of Engine Production for BMW AG and plant director of the Steyr facility. “What we are launching here today is more than just a production ramp-up. It is a firm commitment to Europe, to technology and to the future.”

Technology openness: Plant Steyr as centre of drive train expertise

Between the project launch in 2022 and 2030, the BMW Group is investing over one billion euros in expanding development and production expertise for e-drives at the Steyr location. This capacity expansion will ensure the plant remains the BMW Group's leading location for drive trains. For over 40 years, the plant has developed and manufactured internal combustion engines for the BMW and MINI brands. This extensive experience and wealth of expertise in drive trains make the engine plant the ideal facility to produce the Gen6 electric engines. The site will continue to manufacture diesel and petrol engines in parallel. “Technology openness is our strength – it gives us the necessary flexibility to secure long-term jobs,” said von Moltke. Around 1,000 employees will work in the new electric engine assembly. Depending on global demand, half of the Steyr location’s total workforce could be employed in e-mobility by 2030. von Moltke: “Steyr will remain the heart of our drive train expertise – both for combustion engines and electromobility.”

Powertrain components produced in Steyr, aluminium housings from Landshut

Rotor, stator, transmission and inverter – all core components of the innovative, highly integrated e-drive – will be manufactured at Plant Steyr. The housing for the electric engine will be cast at Plant Landshut's aluminium foundry and further processed in Steyr. The inverter will be produced in a new in-house clean-room environment, marking the Austrian engine manufacturer’s entry into the field of electrical engineering. E-drive components from Steyr will be assembled on two new lines. The overall production concept for the Gen6 e-drive follows the principle of a modular system, making it possible to produce different highly flexible electric drive train derivatives for the entire range of Neue Klasse models. The modular concept generates positive economies of scale and cost savings in both development and production. It also improves the scalability of production volumes and keeps production, supply networks and procurement highly flexible.

Comprehensive improvements to electric engine

The electric engine has undergone significant further development for Gen6: The rotor, stator and inverter have all been holistically designed for the Gen6 technology’s new 800-volt architecture, maximising performance capabilities and the efficiency of the drive system. In the inverter, 800-volt technology and silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor technology are now being used to boost efficiency. Fully integrated into the electric engine housing, the inverter converts direct current from the high-voltage battery into alternating current for the electric engine.

Lower weight, costs and energy loss lead to greater vehicle efficiency

Overall, the intelligent use of new technologies in the e-drive and systematic further development of existing systems produce remarkable results. Comparing the future BMW iX3 50 xDrive with a Gen5 xDrive model shows the following improvements in the electric engine: “Energy loss is reduced by 40 percent, costs by 20 percent and weight by 10 percent. All this makes a significant contribution to the approximately 20-percent increase in overall vehicle efficiency”, explains Martin Kaufmann, SVP of global Powertrain Development at BMW AG. The efficient design of the powertrain together with the high energy content of the high-voltage battery, enable a range of up to 800 km (WLTP) in the BMW iX3 50 xDrive, the first model of the Neue Klasse.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Corporate Communications

Christian Marxt
Spokesperson Production Network Powertrain and High-Voltage Batteries
Cell phone: +49-151-601-79158
Email: Christian.Marxt@bmwgroup.com

Sandra Schillmöller
Head of Communications Production Network BMW Group
Cell phone: +49-151-601-12225
Email: Sandra.Schillmoeller@bmwgroup.com

Media website: https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en
Email: presse@bmwgroup.com

Rosslyn, Tshwane. BMW Group South Africa marked a notable milestone, hosting key national leadership, including the President of the Republic of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, accompanied by the Premier of Gauteng Province, Panyaza Lesufi, at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn on Thursday, 24 July.

The landmark visit, which saw the participation of Milan Nedeljković, Chairman of BMW South Africa and Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Production, and Ilka Horstmeier, Labour Relations Director and Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for People and Real Estate, as part of their broader engagements in South Africa, highlighted the strong and active partnership between the BMW Group and the South African government in advancing industrial growth and economic empowerment.

“The achievements at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn, especially its path towards record production volumes and its crucial role in our global BMW X3 production, are a source of great pride”, comments Milan Nedeljković. “Our significant investment in electrification here demonstrates our long-term belief in South Africa as a key manufacturing hub within our global network, driving innovation, skills and sustainable growth for the region.”

Showcasing local excellence and commitment. 

The visit provided a valuable opportunity to spotlight BMW Group South Africa’s recent successes and plans. BMW Group Plant Rosslyn is set to achieve its highest annual production volume in 52 years, reflecting strong global demand and the BMW Group’s confidence in local manufacturing capabilities. This performance is underpinned by continuous investment, notably the R4.2 billion allocated for the electrification of BMW Group Plant Rosslyn. The locally produced BMW X3 recently earned critical acclaim, winning the Old Mutual Insure 2025 South African Car of the Year and the Premium category awards, highlighting its strength and market appeal. BMW Group South Africa’s strong Q2 performance indicates its leadership in the premium segment, with customer demand and its electrification strategy continuing to drive production of the new BMW X3 at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn. To date, Plant Rosslyn is the only plant that produces the BMW X3 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) for the entire world; a fact that the team of BMW Group Plant Rosslyn takes pride in.

Advancing South Africa’s automotive sector, together.

The engagement at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn served as a pivotal platform to reinforce the company’s position as a trusted corporate citizen and contributor to national progress. During the visit, President Ramaphosa interacted with the plant assembly staff on the production line, gaining firsthand insight into daily operations, and later addressed several hundred production staff, acknowledging their dedication. Discussions during the visit highlighted BMW Group South Africa’s industry leadership, showcasing its role as a premium automotive manufacturer through innovative and sustainable practices, and emphasising its substantial investment in South Africa’s economic development.

The dialogue focused on the tangible benefits of BMW Group Plant Rosslyn, specifically its role in advancing job creation, driving essential skills development, and facilitating technology transfer within the local market. A reflection of its ongoing dedication to national transformation, BMW Group South Africa  and BMW Group Financial Services South Africa both achieved Level 1 B-BBEE status in the 2024 audit, highlighting the companies’ drive towards an inclusive and equitable workplace, and reflecting continuous, focused efforts and collaboration. Crucially, the visit has strengthened public and private sector relations, deepening BMW Group South Africa’s partnership with the local government and aligning its strategic goals with the President’s vision for industrial growth, economic empowerment and sustainable mobility.

“This engagement at Plant Rosslyn reaffirms the great partnership between the BMW Group and South Africa”, states Daniel Bester, Director of BMW Group Plant Rosslyn. “Our plant continues to be a beacon of manufacturing excellence, setting new production records and driving innovation. We remain committed to contributing to South Africa’s economic growth, actively working towards a shared, prosperous future.”

Beyond manufacturing, BMW Group South Africa’s partnership with the Youth Employment Services (YES) programme continues to create meaningful work opportunities for young South Africans, equipping them with practical experience. The company has generated over 3,500 youth work experiences since 2022. The 2025 cohort at BMW South Africa includes 86 talented individuals gaining invaluable experience across the four business entities.

Creating confidence for a shared future.

The successful gathering at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn solidifies BMW Group South Africa’s industrial leadership and its function as an integral collaborator in South Africa’s economic growth and enduring prosperity. A key pillar supporting this confidence is the company’s highly adaptive and capable manufacturing workforce. The advanced requirements for producing the new BMW X3 at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn have driven significant advancements in employee technical skills and expertise. This continuous development of local capabilities not only upholds manufacturing excellence but also reinforces South Africa’s strategic importance within the global automotive industry.

Irlbach-Strasskirchen. The production facilities are moving into the largely completed new BMW Group assembly plant for high-voltage batteries. A major milestone just over a year after construction began in April 2024. The BMW Group is relying on expertise from Germany: All construction companies and more than three quarters of plant manufacturers come from Germany and in particular from Bavaria. During a visit, Bavarian Prime Minister Dr. Markus Söder, together with the board members of BMW AG Ilka Horstmeier and Milan Nedeljković, saw for himself the progress of the innovation project in the Straubing-Bogen district. Markus Söder: "Bavaria is a car country! BMW is building a giga-factory for high-tech batteries in Irlbach and Straßkirchen in Lower Bavaria. This is where the electromobility of the future is being created. The entire rural region will benefit from this. High technology and the future fit perfectly with Bavaria: the automobile is our most important industry, and BMW is a global brand ambassador for the Free State. When BMW thrives, Bavaria thrives. We believe in the automobile and our companies." 

In future, high-voltage batteries for the Neue Klasse will be manufactured at the BMW Group Plant Irlbach-Strasskirchen. Dr. Milan Nedeljković, Member of the Board Management of BMW AG, Production, explained: “The Neue Klasse is full of innovations, and this is also reflected in manufacturing technologies. In future, German vehicle plants will be supplied with sixth-generation high-voltage batteries from this location.” The BMW Group has made a conscious decision to invest in Bavaria. Nedeljković continues: “This work proves that high-tech has a future in Germany.” A prerequisite for technological progress is close cooperation between research, industry and politics.

Ilka Horstmeier, member of the Board Management of BMW AG responsible for People and Real Estate, Labour Relations Director: “Our new Plant Irlbach-Strasskirchen is an example of how successful industrial settlements are possible in Germany. A prove-point is our successful collaboration with our partners. This was possible in close cooperation with the Bavarian state government, committed local politicians, local authorities and local people. And this in “Bavarian Speed” — faster than any other construction project in Germany in recent years. With this new plant, we are securing thousands of jobs in Bavaria in times of rapidly growing electric mobility and are shaping the future of individual mobility.”

State-of-the-art technology from Germany

In the coming months, BMW Group employees will assemble and set up the production facilities together with partner companies. More than three quarters of production system installers come from Germany, and every third company out of over 30 partners comes from Bavaria. The BMW Group is thus relying on German state-of-the-art technology when selecting its installers and is also following the local for local approach in the area of production technology.

The first high-voltage batteries are to be produced for testing purposes by the end of this year. Series production at the new location is planned to start at the end of 2026.

Local expertise in construction and commissioning

Construction of the high-voltage battery assembly plant is going according to plan. The BMW Group relies on local expertise: All directly contracted construction companies come from Germany, two thirds from Bavaria and every third contracted company comes from within 100 kilometers of the new plant. At the same time, the BMW Group is thus providing an important impetus to the domestic economy.

At the end of June 2024, the first of 1,066 pillars was installed in the central production building. Twelve months later, technical building equipment has progressed so far that the installation of production systems is now being started.

Qualification campaign secures jobs in transformation

1,600 jobs will be created at the new plant. Through internal selection and application processes, the BMW Group is currently recruiting interested parties to operate the Plant Irlbach-Straßkirchen. Many future employees have experience in battery manufacturing. At the competence center for e-mobility in Dingolfing, just 40 kilometers away, they now produce the fifth generation of high-voltage batteries. But employees from other production areas are also applying internally for the new location.

Numerous programs have been launched to retrain and further qualify employees. The teams are characterized by a willingness to learn and change. In addition, in September 2025, for the second year in a row, 50 young people will start their apprenticeship in Dingolfing and Regensburg, who will work at the Irlbach-Strasskirchen location in the future.

The demanding, promising jobs at the new — for many nearby — location add value to the rural region and provide a powerful economic impetus.

Further information about the new location in Irlbach and Strasskirchen can be found on the project website — at www.bmwgroup-werke.com/irlbach-strasskirchen. The next opening date for the information container on the construction site is on June 28 from 3 pm to 5 pm.

Munich. Tomorrow, the new fine-dining restaurant at BMW Welt will welcome its first customers. Since the start of the year, head chef Jens Madsen – who follows in the footsteps of Bobby Bräuer in the exclusive surroundings of BMW Welt – has been working together with BMW Group Designworks, the BMW Group's innovation studio, on a unique new concept: THE CLOUD by Käfer. Here, Madsen, restaurant manager Mona Röthig, sommelier Luigi Pecchia and their team will introduce guests to the “CULINARY NOMADISM” vision successfully trialled at a pop-up event in April.

The restaurant’s opening season will explore the theme “NOMADIC EARTH”, as Madsen escorts his guests on a culinary voyage.

“With Nomadic Earth, we are writing the first chapter in our new travelogue. We want to offer our guests a special experience of elite-level cuisine that expands their horizons and blends aromas and textures from around the world with the finest produce from our local region – with surprising yet cohesive results. In Jens Madsen, Mona Röthig and Luigi Pecchia, we have assembled a team who are turning this ambitious vision into masterful reality with exceptional skill and passion,” explains Michael Käfer.

“To bring Käfer’s vision to life, Designworks developed the spatial concept and storytelling for THE CLOUD. Materials, forms, and details come together to create an atmosphere that is sensual, full of contrast, and emotionally engaging. In this way, the design becomes an integral part of the overall culinary experience,” says Anders Warming, Head of BMW Group Designworks.

“With THE CLOUD by Käfer, we are adding a new dimension to the BMW Welt experience. In addition to vehicle handovers, we can now also offer our guests an inspirational culinary journey in a unique setting created by BMW Group Designworks Munich. Here, in the upper reaches of BMW Welt on its third level, guests enjoy an impressive view over the inside of the building, while immersed in a fine-dining experience,” adds Sandra Wittemer, Head of BMW Welt.

The experts at BMW Group Designworks and Käfer have worked together closely since 2023 to create a space for all the senses and make a visit to THE CLOUD by Käfer truly unforgettable. Light, music, visual and haptic features flow into one another; every light and every piece of furniture contributes to the experience as a whole. For the execution of the project, BMW Group Designworks collaborated with renowned partners including architectural and design studio hildmannwilke, German lighting design brand Occhio, the artist Oscar Zabala – known for his generative audio-visual performances and installations – and innovative Swiss fabric manufacturer Jakob Schlaepfer, supplier to haute couture fashion houses around the world.

The eight-course menu with complementary side dishes brings regional produce – such as goat’s milk from Lenggries, char from Kinsau and venison from the Poltinger Forest – together with dukkah, black pepper soup and pearl emmer pilaf. And the milk-fed veal brochette is inspired by snacks typically served with a beer in African bars. Jens Madsen takes prime cut of veal, skewered on a spike, and serves it with tiger nut, chapati and habanero pepper.

The philosophy behind Madsen’s cuisine is very much his own and is rooted in movement, memory and origin. This new concept new brings together culinary traditions, skills and spices from around the world with top-quality local produce to create highly distinctive cuisine. In Season 1 at THE CLOUD by Käfer, this features aromas and ingredients from eastern and southern Africa, combined with the delicacies and rhythm of Bavaria. Each course reflects a particular stop on a culinary journey, in some cases inspired by faraway shores, at other times recalling pastures closer to home. It all goes into making cuisine that exudes a curiosity for global influences yet embraces its local roots, appealing to the senses, sparking wonder and surprise, and staying open to new perspectives.

Elegant and inviting, with a technically refined aesthetic, the restaurant displays clear references to the design language of BMW. After ascending to the third level of the “floating” structure conceived by COOP Himmelb(l)au, the guests embark on their journey after leaving the elevator. Arriving on Moon Island, they can take a moment to tune into the feel of the evening. They are greeted in understated style by a digital artwork featuring a quarter moon, which gradually morphs from the golden hour through soft twilight to the deep blue tones of the night.

At the Biophilic Bar, made from Perlino marble, artistically presented ingredients from the menu arouse the guests’ curiosity about the dining to come as they enjoy an aperitif. They then move on to the Slim Bar, where a personalised cocktail will be served – and where they can also round off their journey later on with a concluding drink. Here, the golden hour transitions into the blue hour. The guests then move on through the Chef’s Atelier, decorated with travel photos and exotic examples of kitchenware, until they finally reach the Dining Cloud, taking their seats at tables with panoramic views over BMW Welt. Floating over the centre of this space is the amorphous cloud-like installation from which it takes its name. Made from a transparent, featherweight fabric material, and brought to weightless, constantly changing life by a projection, it reprises both the golden colour of sunset and the deep blue of midnight.

Between the kitchen and the Dining Cloud stands a five-ton monolith made of titanium stone. On this impressive stage, the kitchen team put the finishing touches to the plates, before the servers take them to their recipients. The guests are given another hint of what is happening in the kitchen by a one-way mirror with 15 per cent transparency, which provides glimpses without revealing the whole picture.

BMW Group Corporate Communications

Lisa Meindl, Spokesperson BMW Museum and BMW Welt

Telephone: +49-89-382-31668

E-mail: lisa.meindl@bmw.de

Simone Bauer, Communications BMW Welt

Telephone: +49 151 601 414 52

E-mail: simone.bauer@bmw.de

Internet: https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en

E-mail: presse@bmwgroup.com

About BMW Group Designworks

Designworks is the BMW Group's innovation studio and a global creative consultancy at the intersection of design, technology and innovation. The "Architects of Future" focus on mobility, product and digital life design as well as strategic design consulting.

The creative studio was acquired by the BMW Group in 1995. Designworks acts as a driving force for all brands of the parent company and as an innovation driver for a large number of clients in a wide range of industries, such as IT and consumer electronics, aviation technology, the medical and environmental sectors, and the lifestyle and sports industries.  The studio was founded in 1972 in Malibu, California by Chuck Pelly. Holger Hampf has been at the helm of the consulting agency since 2017.

About Käfer at BMW Welt

Käfer arrived at BMW Welt in October 2012,  and now operates the Cooper's Garden bistro, Biker’s Lodge café, Bavarie restaurant and THE CLOUD by Käfer fine-dining restaurant. A bespoke culinary concept was developed by Käfer for the new partnership that takes into account the wide variety of guests visiting Bavaria’s most popular attraction. From the people who work at BMW Welt and customers collecting their new cars, to families from the Munich area, tourists from around the world and discerning aficionados of gourmet cuisine – the various eateries offer a broad spread of options for every taste. Particular emphasis has been placed on bringing together regionality and internationality – reflecting the Munich-based heritage of BMW and Käfer – with sustainability front and centre.

The BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2024, the BMW Group sold 2.45 million passenger vehicles and more than 210,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2024 was € 11.0 billion on revenues amounting to € 142.4 billion. As of 31 December 2024, the BMW Group had a workforce of 159,104 employees.

The economic success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. Sustainability is a key element of the BMW Group’s corporate strategy and covers all products from the supply chain and production to the end of their useful life. 

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Landshut. The BMW Group is consistently improving digitalization in the production of its components. From AI-driven production management and smart logistics processes to data-based quality controls – the Landshut plant, the company's largest component manufacturing site, utilizes state-of-the-art technologies and thus plays a central role as an innovation hub within the automotive and supplier industries.

At the BMW Group plant in Landshut, for example, the company uses AI-supported data analysis to detect anomalies in data traffic at an early stage and ward off cyberattacks. In addition, digital process control and networked production facilities are used to increase productivity and improve quality.

Thomas Thym, Head of the BMW Group Plant Landshut: "We not only implement technical progress, but also actively shape it in order to secure our competitiveness in the long term. Behind every digital car there must also be a digital factory."

Shopfloor Digital in Component Manufacturing: Connected Production for Greater Transparency
A key component of the BMW Group's digitalization strategy is the "Shopfloor.Digital" transformation program. The goal is to harmonize manufacturing processes and IT systems worldwide across all 30 production sites. To achieve this, the company is building a modern, cloud-based IT architecture and relying on process automation and AI solutions. As a component manufacturing site, the Landshut plant is a key component of this transformation program. "We view complexity as an opportunity and use the data we gain to continuously improve our processes," explains Franz Heigl, Head of Digitalization of Component Manufacturing.

Lean Management: Digital Tools for Lean Processes
At the same time, the BMW Group is driving forward the digitalization of its lean management approaches. This includes a digital process map in the production areas, a digital disruption process, and value stream management. To ensure the organization's common alignment, the goal development process serves as an effective leadership and steering tool, enabling goals to be broken down to their basics and translated into concrete challenges. "Our goal is to focus on the essentials in our day-to-day business and prioritize value-creating activities," says Heigl.

Smart production, smart logistics: Connected supply and production chains for greater flexibility and efficiency
The BMW Group is also consistently pursuing its digitalization initiative in logistics and manufacturing. With the help of sensors, real-time data, and AI-driven processes, the Landshut plant is optimizing its supply chains, material flows, and production processes. This will enable the production sites to be even more closely connected with suppliers to avoid bottlenecks and conserve resources.

One example of this is the production of the BMW Energy Master, the central control unit of the high-voltage battery for the Neue Klasse vehicles. Comprehensive inline monitoring, including AI-based camera systems, as well as 100% end-of-line system testing in a cleanroom environment meet the highest quality standards. The Landshut plant will supply all battery assembly plants worldwide with the BMW Energy Master in the future, where the control unit will then be mounted on the high-voltage battery in a final assembly step.

The Landshut plant also relies on automation and digitalization in the production of cockpits. During the final quality control, around 50 quality features are checked in just 30 seconds. This is followed by fully automated packaging and transport of the parts. This involves autonomous transport systems that move independently from the starting point to the destination without relying on an external control system.

In the Landshut plant's light metal foundry, the automaker is currently producing aluminum housings for the Neue Klasse electric engines in a pre-series production run. High quality standards are applied in the manufacture of our products. To ensure these standards are consistently met, modern technologies are used, such as inline computed tomography (CT). Every single electric motor housing manufactured at the Landshut plant undergoes a fully automated CT scan. Within just 42 seconds, 2,400 individual images are captured and reconstructed into a 3D model of the component. In contrast to the majority of applications in the medical field, quality control here is fully automated using artificial intelligence. This allows the powerful CT technology to be integrated extremely efficiently into the production process while simultaneously ensuring the quality of the parts.

Quality in the Supply Chain: Supplier Qualification
To ensure high quality standards in production, the BMW Group is also focusing on digitalization in its supply chain. At the ZDSC (Zero Defect Supply Chain) Campus, suppliers receive interactive training on topics such as shop floor management, production systems, and digitalization. The goal is to work with partners to establish a stable production system with a "zero-defect mentality." In this way, the BMW Group actively involves its partners and suppliers in the digital transformation.

AI LAb
The AI ​​LAb is a new innovation and collaboration space that enables all employees at the BMW Group Landshut Plant to try out and learn new AI-based technologies using application-oriented examples. The application examples cover a broad spectrum of AI applications: The Technology Trend Radar provides a structured overview of direct and indirect AI applications, sorted by technology and maturity level. With PowerApps, employees can create their own digital applications without programming knowledge, thus digitizing processes and automating tasks. The AIQX (Artificial Intelligence Quality Next) computer system enables the automation and optimization of quality assurance in production using AI.

On May 14 and 15, 2025, the Landshut plant presented its already implemented, networked and data-driven production of components at the "Smart Factory Day".

+++ Pilot project “GenAI4Q” at BMW Group Plant Regensburg: AI system developed for tailored quality checks in vehicle assembly +++ Learning-based analysis tool enables customised quality inspections in any situation +++

Regensburg. Can artificial intelligence (AI) make quality control in vehicle production more efficient, faster and more reliable? A software solution developed at BMW Group Plant Regensburg as part of the “GenAI4Q” pilot project is making this a reality. At its core is an AI that delivers tailored inspection recommendations for the approximately 1,400 vehicles manufactured each day.

“The use of artificial intelligence supports the digital transformation of BMW Group production towards an intelligently connected factory – for example, we are using AI for quality control in vehicle assembly. In this way, we are optimizing our production processes and creating added value for our products and, ultimately, for our customers” says Armin Ebner, head of BMW Group Plant Regensburg.

BMW vehicles meet the highest standards of product quality. To ensure this, Plant Regensburg conducts numerous quality tests throughout the production process. Shortly before leaving the plant, vehicles undergo a final inspection: Trained specialists examine each finished vehicle once more to ensure it meets premium quality standards.

A new vehicle rolls off the Regensburg assembly line every 57 seconds. Each vehicle is built to individual customer specifications for the global market. Different types of drive trains are flexibly manufactured on one production line – ranging from vehicles with internal combustion engines to plug-in hybrids and fully-electric models, as well as countless model and equipment variants. Virtually no two vehicles are alike. “Our AI tool generates an individual inspection catalogue for each specific customer vehicle,” explains Rüdiger Römich, responsible for Test Floor and Finish in Regensburg’s vehicle assembly.

The AI analyses vast amounts of data to create these custom specifications. This includes not only vehicle data, such as model and equipment variant, but also real-time production data for each specific vehicle. By recognising patterns and correlations, the AI system quickly and automatically determines the scope of the inspection and organises it intelligently, in the right order, within a smartphone app. Römich: “Intuitive usability makes it easy to record findings. Employees can also access additional functions when needed – for example, a microphone icon in the app activates voice recording.” The AI also manages speech recognition and transcription using standardised coding.

AI-based quality inspection was developed at BMW Group Plant Regensburg in collaboration with Munich startup Datagon AI.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Christian Dürrschmidt, Communications Regensburg
Cell phone: +49 151 6060 5194, Email: Christian.Duerrschmidt@bmw.de 

Saskia Graser, head of Communications Regensburg and Wackersdorf

Cell phone: +49 151 6060 2014, Email: Saskia.Graser@bmw.de

Media website: https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en

Email: presse@bmw.de

BMW Group Plants Regensburg and Wackersdorf
The BMW Group vehicle plant in Regensburg has been in operation since 1986 and is one of more than 30 BMW Group production locations worldwide. Every workday, around 1,400 vehicles of the BMW X1 and BMW X2 models roll off the production line at Plant Regensburg, destined for customers around the globe. Different types of drive trains are flexibly manufactured on a single production line – ranging from vehicles with internal combustion engines to plug-in hybrids and fully-electric models.

BMW Group Plant Regensburg was recognised as “FACTORY OF THE YEAR” 2024 in the category “excellent large-series assembly” of the prestigious industrial competition. As it implements the so-called BMW iFACTORY, the BMW Group is focused on digitalisation of the Regensburg plant site to create a digital and intelligently connected factory. It is already possible to experience in virtual form what the factory will look like a few years from now. Production of models for the NEUE KLASSE, BMW’s next generation of vehicles, will ramp up in Regensburg in the second half of the decade.
The BMW Group plant in Wackersdorf is home to cockpit production and parts supply for overseas plants. With the opening of a new battery testing centre and commissioning of the first phase in autumn 2024, the location is also a key facilitator for electromobility. An entirely new area of expertise is the door and flap centre for Rolls-Royce.

The BMW Group core staff at the Regensburg and Wackersdorf locations in eastern Bavaria consists of around 9,250 employees, including about 350 apprentices.

+++ With 342,521 cars produced in 2024, Plant Regensburg was the BMW Group’s highest-volume vehicle plant in Europe +++ Plant Director Armin Ebner: “New body shop will help meet high market demand” – with over 120 vehicle bodies produced per workday +++ Preparations for next model generation +++

Regensburg. Today, BMW Group Plant Regensburg commissioned a new body shop at Plant Site 6.12 (Neutraubling), attended by Regensburg’s local commissioner, Tanja Schweiger, and Neutraubling mayor, Harald Stadler. Plant Director Armin Ebner: “The BMW X1 and BMW X2 produced in Regensburg remain extremely popular with customers worldwide. In the new production hall in Neutraubling, we currently manufacture over 120 vehicle bodies per day, helping us meet high market demand.” Once completed, the bodies from Neutraubling are transported to the vehicle plant in Regensburg, where they are assembled into finished cars around the clock in three-shift operation.

Local Commissioner Tanja Schweiger: “In these increasingly challenging times, BMW continues to be a key player in the automotive industry. The decision to expand the body shop for these two best-selling models represents a clear strategy for the future and marks a significant positive development for the Regensburg district’s status as a location for industry.” Neutraubling Mayor Harald Stadler added: “The fact that you are expanding your plant here is a strong commitment to the location and shows that the economy feels at home with us. As mayor, I am also very proud when BMW vehicles with bodies 'made in Neutraubling' are on the roads all over the world.”

Regensburg: the BMW Group’s highest-volume European vehicle plant

Every 57 seconds, a new vehicle rolls off the Regensburg assembly line – adding up to more than 1,400 vehicles per day. With an annual production of 342,521 cars, Plant Regensburg was the BMW Group’s highest-volume vehicle plant in Europe in 2024, exceeding its 2023 production (238,301 units) by more than 100,000 vehicles. Over a third of the vehicles manufactured in Regensburg in 2024 were electrified, either as plug-in hybrids or fully-electric models. “We build our vehicles for the global market and contribute to the growth of electromobility,” emphasised Ebner.

Body shop expanded to approx. 40,000 m² – with about 150 employees

An approx. 40,000-square-metre hall on Berliner Straße was remodelled to accommodate the new body shop in Neutraubling. To the north, four smaller extensions were built, covering nearly 1,000 square metres. Around 150 employees currently work in the hall in a single shift. The production hall, which was built in 2003, is located on premises owned by the firm Preymesser. BMW previously rented this facility, using the space for logistics purposes. In April 2024, the company successfully applied for a change of use from the town of Neutraubling and the Regensburg County Administration Office. “I would like to say a big thank to the authorities for approving this request and for the excellent support from the town and County Administration Office,” underlined Ebner.

Implemented in record time of less than 12 months – thanks to “tremendous team effort”

The new body shop was constructed in a record time of less than 12 months. “What we have achieved here in recent months is not only impressive because of the speed. The cooperation with all internal and external partners has been outstanding,” said Ebner, praising the “tremendous team effort of everyone involved”. Dismantling of the previous logistics facilities and construction of the new body shop went hand in hand. The first test bodies rolled off the assembly line in January and production ramped up in early March. A total of 294 robots are in use. 238 welding guns set up to 4,771 welding points per vehicle body. As part of the capacity expansion, BMW X1 bodies will no longer be produced solely in the existing body shop in Regensburg, but also in Neutraubling.

Preparations for next model generation

With an investment of over 550 million euros in the past two years, the BMW Group has also secured the long-term future of both Upper Palatinate locations: Regensburg and Wackersdorf. Plant Director Armin Ebner: “This signals our firm commitment to Upper Palatinate as as location for industry.” At the same time as building current models, BMW Group Plant Regensburg is already preparing for production of the next model generation. “With the NEUE KLASSE, the company aims to set new standards for digitalisation, electrification and circularity – and we are gearing up for this in Regensburg as well,” said Ebner. During the production break over the New Year period, remodelling at the plant continued in the body shop, paint shop and vehicle assembly. Further, more extensive structural measures will follow during a five-week production downtime in summer 2025.

“FACTORY OF THE YEAR” award recognises outstanding performance

Numerous accolades for the plant and vehicle models built in Regensburg have confirmed the location's outstanding performance in recent years. Just a few days ago, the Plant Regensburg team was presented with the “FACTORY OF THE YEAR” 2024 award in the category “excellent large-series assembly” at a congress in Ludwigsburg. The award is regarded as one of Germany’s most prestigious industrial competitions. The judges noted that “the innovation and dynamism with which Plant Regensburg is implementing the transformation towards the iFACTORY, together with the entire workforce, is highly impressive. In particular, the flexibility in both the factory set-up and among its employees is exemplary and serves as inspiration for successful production in Germany.”

BMW Group Corporate Communications
Christian Dürrschmidt, Communications Regensburg
Cell phone: +49 151 6060 5194, Email: Christian.Duerrschmidt@bmw.de
Saskia Graser, head of Communications Regensburg and Wackersdorf +49 151 6060 2014, Email: Saskia.Graser@bmw.de

Media website: https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en

Email: presse@bmw.de

BMW Group Plants Regensburg and Wackersdorf

The BMW Group vehicle plant in Regensburg has been in operation since 1986 and is one of more than 30 BMW Group production locations worldwide. Every workday, around 1,400 vehicles of the BMW X1 and BMW X2 models roll off the production line at Plant Regensburg, destined for customers around the globe. Different types of drive trains are flexibly manufactured on a single production line – ranging from vehicles with internal combustion engines to plug-in hybrids and fully-electric models. 
BMW Group Plant Regensburg was recognised as “FACTORY OF THE YEAR” 2024 in the category “excellent large-series assembly” of the prestigious industrial competition. As it implements the so-called BMW iFACTORY, the BMW Group is focused on digitalisation of the Regensburg plant site to create a digital and intelligently connected factory. It is already possible to experience in virtual form what the factory will look like a few years from now. Production of models for the NEUE KLASSE, BMW’s next generation of vehicles, will ramp up in Regensburg in the second half of the decade.
The BMW Group plant in Wackersdorf is home to cockpit production and parts supply for overseas plants. With the opening of a new battery testing centre and commissioning of the first phase in autumn 2024, the location is also a key facilitator for electromobility. An entirely new area of expertise is the door and flap centre for Rolls-Royce.

The BMW Group core staff at the Regensburg and Wackersdorf locations in eastern Bavaria consists of around 9,250 employees, including about 300 apprentices.

www.bmwgroup-werke.com/regensburg/de.html

Leipzig. On 1 March 2005 BMW Group Plant Leipzig went on stream – with series production of the fifth-generation BMW 3 Series Sedan. Its construction had been announced four years earlier, in July 2001, with the location chosen from among more than 250 applicants. Since then, some 3.75 million cars have rolled off the production lines, and the plant has been steadily extended and upgraded. The BMW Group has so far invested more than 5 billion euros in the site – and will continue to capitalise on its flexibility in the future.

BMW Group Plant Leipzig currently manufactures four models with three different types of drive by two different brands – all on the same production line: the BMW 1 Series, BMW 2 Series Active Tourer (including the plug-in hybrid version) and BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé as well as the MINI Countryman in both its fully electric and conventionally powered variants. When the plant was in planning, output was expected to total 650 units a day. Now, 20 years down the line, capacity stands at up to 1,300 units a day. Since 2005 there have been 20 different product launches of BMWs and MINIs Made in Leipzig.

Extraordinary architecture and flexible structures

In its 20 years of existence, BMW Group Plant Leipzig has set standards time and again and clocked up a succession of milestones. The architecture of the central building alone remains impressive to this day. Designed by the renowned Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, it was awarded the German Architecture Prize in 2005, the year it opened. As the centrepiece and linking element of the plant, it provides the backdrop to the spectacular procession of vehicles that pass overhead through the offices on their way through the production process.

The flexible structures of the plant halls have also proven their worth to this day, throughout the various expansion stages of the facility. Leipzig was the first assembly plant in the world to feature a ‘finger’ arrangement in the production hall, for example, which offers ideal logistics solutions and can be flexibly adapted as needed. Developed specifically for this site, the finger layout allows trucks to deliver parts and preassembliesstraight to the production line. It also means extensions can be added as needed and new assembly stations integrated easily without having to rebuild the line from scratch. At the moment various further extensions are being added on the 240-hectare site.

For the last 20 years, BMW Group Plant Leipzig has demonstrated tremendous flexibility and adaptability, accommodating new products, processes and technologies. It has often played a pioneering role within the BMW Group production network. Its first upgrade consisted of the addition of a new press shop. This went into operation in 2009 and incorporated the first high-speed servo press in the world, able to produce pressed parts with unprecedented speed and efficiency. By 2014 three additional large-scale presses and two coil systems for body panels had also been installed, completing the press shop upgrade.

Pioneer in electromobility 

One particularly defining moment for Plant Leipzig was the decision to produce its first fully electric vehicle there, making it the birthplace of electromobility at the BMW Group. Between 2013 and 2022 more than 250,000 all-electric BMW i3 vehicles rolled off the production lines. Their carbon bodies were a world first in series production. In 2014 the BMW i8 followed: the first plug-in hybrid by the BMW Group, it featured an award-winning, futuristic design and progressive technologies, which together made it an icon among sportscars. With 20,500 units made – including the BMW i8 roadster launched in 2018 – the era drew to a close in 2020.

But the team’s expertise in electromobility continues: in 2021 BMW Group Plant Leipzig launched e-component manufacturing for high-voltage battery production. Having started with the production of battery modules for the BMW Group production network, facilities were expanded within four years to include further stages of manufacturing and additional production lines. Since the start of MINI Countryman Electric production in March 2024, Plant Leipzig has carried out the entire process of high-voltage battery manufacturing for the fifth generation of batteries, with its five cell-coating lines, three module assembly lines and two lines for high-voltage battery assembly. The batteries are used in the MINI Countryman Electric and fully electric BMW models at various BMW Group sites.

From rear-wheel to front-wheel drive 

It’s not just the BMW i8 that made 2014 a landmark year: it was also the year production of the first generation of BMW 2 Series Active Tourer began. This brought fundamental change to BMW Group Plant Leipzig: it was the first ever BMW with a front-wheel drive architecture and paved the way for this drive technology to become integrated into Plant Leipzig’s production lines. Thanks to Leipzig’s flexibility, the sports activity tourer was able to roll off the same line as the BMW 1 Series, 2 Series and first-generation BMW X1, all of which are rear-wheel drives.

Integrating the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer required just a few minor adjustments to the paintshop and assembly, but in the bodyshop, its new front-wheel drive concept and vehicle architecture meant a whole new production area was needed. About a year and a half later, production of a plug-in hybrid model was launched: the BMW 225xe. Like the BMW i8, this featured a combined combustion-engine and electric drive. Its successor, the second-generation BMW Active Tourer, in production since 2021, is also manufactured with either a plug-in hybrid drive or an internal combustion engine. In 2021, Leipzig’s rear-wheel drive era came to an end when the BMW 2 Series Coupé, BMW 2 Series Convertible and BMW M2 were phased out.

Production of the MINI Countryman is another USP of Plant Leipzig within the production network: it is the only full vehicle production facility in the BMW Group to produce BMW- and MINI-badged cars on one and the same production line.

Important employer in the region

With some 6,800 BMW employees and more than 11,000 people based locally, the BMW Group plant is a major contributor to the economy and a key employer in the region. When it first went on stream, it had roughly 2,600 BMW employees, with plans for around 5,500 jobs over the medium term.

In 2001, when Leipzig was chosen as the site for a new plant, the enthusiasm and welcome across the region were huge. Job applications poured in. On the day of the announcement alone, the specially established call centre took more than 4,000 calls. Over the next few days, the post bags were full, and by September 2001 thirty-five apprentices had become the first cohort to receive an employment contract with BMW Group Plant Leipzig. Since then, Leipzig has trained some 1,100 apprentices.

Last year Plant Leipzig opened its Talent Campus. This accommodates training and development spaces in a single new building on the plant premises, offering the perfect conditions for employee training.

In 2024 the MINI Countryman meant production volumes increased, marking another first for Leipzig: the introduction of nightshifts – unprecedented in the history of the plant.Today, BMW and MINI vehicles are manufactured round the clock, in three shifts. The additional shift has created jobs for another 900 employees.

Progressive energy management

Planning the BMW plant in Leipzig, efficient and sustainable processes played a crucial role – not just in vehicle production but in energy supplies as well. Visible from afar, the plant’s four wind turbines are among its landmark features and have been powering production with green energy since 2013. With a total capacity of 10 megawatts, they generate 26 gigawatt hours a year of electricity from wind energy – enough to cover about 15 percent of the plant’s total energy needs.

In addition, BMW Group Plant Leipzig is equipped for interim energy storage, with a battery storage farm that went into operation in 2017. This comprises up to 700 second-life high-voltage batteries from BMW i3 cars, enabling us to optimise local energy management and help stabilise the electricity network.

Looking to the future, BMW Group Plant Leipzig attaches great importance to hydrogen as a fuel. In pursuit of its vision of largely decarbonising production – by replacing fossil fuels with hydrogen – it will need sufficient supplies from a grid. A regional hydrogen network is currently under construction, and Plant Leipzig plans to tap into it.

BMW Group Plant Leipzig has extensive experience of working with hydrogen, having already used it for in-house plant logistics for more than a decade. A pioneer in the automotive industry, it opened Germany’s first indoor hydrogen filling station in 2013. It now operates five such facilities for refuelling forklifts and tug trains in intralogistics. Its hydrogen fuel cell-powered fleet currently consists of over 200 vehicles and is one of the largest in Europe.

Plant Leipzig was also the first car plant in the world to introduce a brand-new bivalent burner technology that can run on either natural gas or hydrogen. It can even switch between the two while operations are ongoing. In the paintshop, five such gas- and hydrogen-capable burners are currently used to dry the contrast roofs of the MINI Countryman, BMW 1 Series and BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, and another six have replaced the previous systems in the PVC drying section.

BMW Group Plant Leipzig is currently undergoing further extensions and upgrades in preparation for forthcoming models – and for the next 20 years in its history.

BMW Group Plant Leipzig – Key milestones:

• 2001 Leipzig is chosen as the location for the new plant
• 2002 Zaha Hadid’s design is selected for the central building. The ground-breaking is celebrated
• 2003 The foundation stone is laid for the central building, and the topping-out ceremony is celebrated later that year

• 2005 Series production is launched with BMW 3 Series. Plant Leipzig is inaugurated. The central building wins the German Architecture Prize
• 2007 Production of the three-door BMW 1 Series and the BMW 1 Series Coupé begins
• 2009 Leipzig produces its 500,000^th car. Production of the first generation of BMW X1 begins. The press shop opens with the world’s first high-speed servo press
• 2011 Plant Leipzig delivers its 1,000,000^th BMW

• 2013 Four wind turbines go on stream. Production of the BMW i3 begins. Carbon is used in series production – a world first
• 2014 Production of the BMW i8 begins. Plant Leipzig is extended for production of the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer (the first front-wheel drive BMW). The press shop is upgraded
• 2016 Plant Leipzig delivers its 2,000,000^th BMW
• 2018 The plant is upgraded
• 2021 Plant Leipzig delivers its 3,000,000^th BMW. Battery module production begins
• 2022 The BMW i3 is phased out
• 2023 Production of the MINI Countryman begins
• 2024 Production of three models begins: the MINI Countryman Electric, fourth-generation BMW 1 Series and second-generation BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé. Night shifts are introduced in assembly

Munich. All locations in the BMW Group production network are able to manufacture different drive train types and model variants on a single line – from internal combustion engines to plug-in hybrids to fully-electric drive trains. A combination of plant splits – where a model is produced at multiple locations, flexible substitution of drive train variants and smart distribution of vehicle concepts ensures good capacity utilisation at all sites.

The German plants lead the way on e-mobility in the BMW Group’s production network: The sites in Munich, Dingolfing, Regensburg and Leipzig all produce at least one model for the global market alongside traditional drive technologies. Even in a volatile environment, the BMW Group continues to grow at its domestic locations, manufacturing over a million vehicles there last year (2024: 1,087,067; +16% YOY). The BMW Group thus accounts for a quarter of the automotive industry's total production volume in Germany.

However, electromobility is not just making inroads at the company’s German plants. The BMW Group’s Chinese plants have fully-electric vehicles in their production portfolio and Plant Spartanburg (USA) is gearing up for electrification. From 2026, it will build fully-electric vehicles alongside its existing production portfolio. Starting in 2027, Plant San Luis Potosí in Mexico will also ramp up the fully-electric vehicles of the NEUE KLASSE.

As one of the pioneers of e-mobility, the BMW Group soon recognised that the ramp-up would not be linear but would progress at varying speeds. In the initial phase of the ramp-up, it primarily relied on “flex-plants”, which can manufacture both vehicles with internal combustion engines and electric drive trains. In this way the company is able to ensure its delivery capabilities in different market situations and maintain good capacity utilisation at individual locations. 

With increasing electrification of the product portfolio, the plant environment is also changing. By the end of the decade, the BMW Group expects a significant increase in the market shares of fully-electric vehicles. For this reason, the plant in Debrecen and, later, the main plant in Munich will be the first facilities dedicated exclusively to fully-electric vehicles, enhancing electrification capacities across the network. The fully-electric NEUE KLASSE will launch at the new plant in Debrecen, Hungary before the end of the year. Once refurbishment is complete, the main plant in Munich will also produce only fully-electric vehicles from 2027.

The ability to make flexible substitutions is also a feature at plants designed solely for electric vehicles: Shifts in drive train variant production can be managed within the network. This enables the production network to respond in an agile manner to different scenarios in the ongoing ramp-up of e-mobility.

In addition to flexible substitution, BMW Group production is also characterised by “flexibility elements”. Order flexibility enables customers to modify their vehicle configuration up until six days before production begins. Volume flexibility relies on the sites’ flexible work-time models, which are constantly being refined. Measures include short-term tools, such as shift extensions and breaks, as well as medium-term modifications to shift models. A third shift was added at both the Regensburg and Leipzig plants.

Production follows the market – globally balanced plant capacity allocation 
The main criterion for plant capacity allocation, i.e. determining which models are produced at which plants, is proximity to the market. For example, Plant Spartanburg is the Competence Centre for BMW X models, because the US is the main sales market for the BMW Group’s Sports Activity Vehicles. Production and sales volumes both totalled just under 400,000 units in 2024. Almost 50 percent of all BMWs sold in the US in 2024 were built at Plant Spartanburg.

The Chinese market accounts for more than a quarter of the BMW Group’s total sales. The region is so large that the BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA) joint venture produces vehicles almost exclusively for the local market. Here, also, sales and production volumes are closely aligned (2024 sales: 715,159; 2024 production: 695,579). Almost 90 percent of vehicles produced locally in China are also sold there.

The German plants in Munich, Regensburg and Leipzig manufacture UKL and compact-class vehicles primarily for the European market. Other locations, such as South Africa and Mexico, benefit from established free trade agreements.

The BMW Group's global distribution of value creation forms an important foundation for the resilience of its overall system, strengthening its ability to navigate trade policy and geopolitics. It also mitigates risks associated with currency fluctuations.

Munich , Leipzig . The BMW Group has acquired two zero-emission fuel cell trucks, as it launches a pilot operation as part of the European H2Haul project, which is aimed at promoting hydrogen mobility in freight transport. The two vehicles will run between Leipzig, Landsberg and Nuremberg, in order to trial the practicality of this technology. To allow serial operation, two state-of-the-art hydrogen fuelling stations are being built in Leipzig and Hormersdorf. They allow rapid refuelling with large quantities of hydrogen, which is crucial to the continuous use of fuel cell trucks in the logistics sector. The BMW Group is implementing the H2Haul project in cooperation with Iveco, DHL and TEAL Mobility.

“In global logistics, it is important to select the right means of transport, in order to operate in a future-oriented and efficient manner. To this end, the openness to technology in the BMW Group is also reflected in its transport logistics. For the first time, hydrogen-powered trucks will now be used in serial operation for German automobile production. We have been working with our partners for several years to implement this pilot fleet. This project is an important milestone as we gain experience in serial operation and continue to advance this important technology,” says Michael Nikolaides, Head of Production Network and Logistics BMW Group.

Two of 16 trucks subsidised in Europe will drive for BMW Group Logistics

The aim of the H2Haul project is to test hydrogen trucks with fuel cell drivetrains under realistic conditions, and to investigate the important contribution they can make to decarbonising heavy traffic. Testing this technology will pave the way for the commercialisation of fuel cell trucks in Europe. Funded by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, a total of 16 trucks will run in various European countries, including two IVECO S-eWay Fuel Cell trucks operated within Germany by BMW Group Logistics. The findings of the BMW Group when running the two trucks will help develop the technology to market maturity and pave the way for a wide-scale introduction in the road freight sector. Short refuelling times and longer ranges mean hydrogen trucks can represent an important addition to E-trucks, which are also in use at the BMW Group, on long routes. Another attribute worth emphasising is the flexible logistical operation of H₂ trucks, without having to put a charging infrastructure in place or expand a network.

BMW Group Strategy for Reduced Logistics Emissions

Participation in the H2Haul project, with the practical use of hydrogen fuel cell trucks in long-distance and heavy transport, is part of the BMW Group Strategy for Reduced Logistics Emissions and an important step towards achieving the BMW Group’s own climate goals on the road to zero-emission transport logistics. The cross-departmental “Reduced Logistics Emissions” team develops concepts to reduce CO₂ across all global BMW Group transport, whether by road, rail or ship. The team evaluates drive technologies, taking into consideration different future scenarios, with the goal being to make transport within the global production and distribution network zero-emission. Positive assessments lead to the implementation of pilot projects and the development of plant concepts, the emission data from which is then consolidated in order to allow a CO₂ report.

Additional use of H₂ combustion engine trucks within the HyCET project

As well as participating in the H2Haul project, the HyCET project to test trucks with H₂ combustion engines was also launched under the consortium leadership of the BMW Group. As part of the HyCET project, two 40-ton trucks and one 18-ton truck will be used in BMW Group Logistics in the future. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV). Affiliated partners in this project are DHL, Volvo Trucks, Deutz, KEYOU and TotalEnergies. By testing H₂ fuel cells and H₂ combustion engines at the same time, the BMW Group is also consistently following its approach to technological openness in the transport logistics sector. Compared to fuel cells, the combustion engine does have higher consumption. However, the similarity to the established diesel engine means it costs less to produce. The particularly low level of emissions produced by burning hydrogen means the H₂ combustion trucks are classed as zero-emission vehicles in accordance with EU regulations. Both H₂ fuel cell trucks and trucks with H₂ combustion engines are used on the same BMW Group Logistics route and will use the same fuel stations. Comparing the two drive technologies will determine the best possible areas of application for the respective technology within BMW Group Logistics.

Hydrogen vehicles also used in intralogistics in Leipzig

Within the BMW Group, the Leipzig plant has for years played a pioneering role in the use of hydrogen in logistics. In 2013, the first indoor hydrogen fuel station in Germany was built on the grounds of the plant in Leipzig. Forklifts and tugger trains for internal plant logistics can be refuelled there. Over ten years later, the Leipzig plant possesses one of the largest fleets in Europe, with over 200 fuel cell-powered industrial trucks. Nowadays, five hydrogen fuel stations are located on the grounds of the plant, the newest of which allows fully-automated refuelling for the first time.

Use of flexible hydrogen burners in the paintshop

BMW Group Plant Leipzig is the first automobile plant in the world to operate a newly developed burner technology, which can use both natural gas and hydrogen, in its paintshop. Five bivalent, hydrogen-capable burners are currently used when applying the contrast roof paint on the MINI Countryman. Other burners in the paintshop are gradually being converted, so that there will be no need to use natural gas at all in the long term. This makes the Leipzig plant a pioneer in the automobile industry and takes another step towards reducing CO₂ emissions. “Our vision for Leipzig is the extensive decarbonisation of production. Among other things, this can be achieved by replacing fossil fuels with hydrogen,” says Petra Peterhänsel, Head of BMW Group Plant Leipzig, describing the long-term orientation of the plant.

First hydrogen-powered BMW production model in 2028

As part of its holistic approach and after the successful global testing of the pilot fleet of BMW iX5 Hydrogen vehicles, it is now preparing to start the series production of vehicles with hydrogen drivetrain in 2028. The series production models will be integrated into BMW’s existing portfolio, i.e. BMW will offer an existing model in an additional hydrogen fuel cell drive system variant. As fuel cell technology is another electric vehicle technology, the BMW Group explicitly views it as complementing the drive technology used by battery electric vehicles (BEV) and next to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and internal combustion engines (ICE).

Dingolfing. Increasing efficiency through digitization: In a successful cooperation between BMW Group Plant Dingolfing and Landshut University of Applied Sciences, students have developed an innovative solution for plant logistics. The new digital tool automates the counting of empty containers using artificial intelligence (AI), saving time and avoiding errors.

Looking for simple automation
At the BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, around 1,600 different types of containers are in circulation every day, transporting parts for vehicle production. Until now, these containers were counted manually, which was time-consuming and prone to errors. “Our goal was to automate empties counting as efficiently and simply as possible,” explains Wolfgang Schratzenstaller, project manager at the BMW Group Plant in Dingolfing.

Cooperation with Landshut University
The idea of involving students from Landshut University of Applied Sciences in the project met with a positive response. “Students bring in new perspectives and unbiased approaches,” says Schratzenstaller. Prof. Dr. Abdelmajid Khelil, head of the IoT Innovation Lab at Landshut University, supported the project as part of a practical teaching module. The collaboration began with the summer semester 2024.

Mobile video instead of mental arithmetic 

Within three months, the eight-person team developed a cost-effective and efficient solution. A simple mobile phone video, taken while running through the rows with the containers, is sufficient to determine the exact number per container variant. “QR codes are placed above the block storage lanes, which link to a database of container data. The AI analyses the video and calculates the number of containers,” explains Dominik Dama, an IT master's student.

Outlook and development

The counting system is currently in the pilot phase to test its performance under real conditions. In the future, the solution will also be used in other areas of plant logistics. It is also planned to further automate the counting process by using autonomous Smart Transport Robots (STR) to record the videos.

Munich. Following extensive renovation work, BMW Welt reopens its doors today and presents new highlights for an exciting brand experience. As part of the reopening, a major innovation is in the pipeline: The new BMW Welt app offers visitors an innovative experience by combining BMW Welt's offerings with virtual content.

“With the reopening of BMW Welt, our visitors can look forward to new worlds of experience and events. One of the highlights is the BMW Welt app, which will be available at the end of February and will allow visitors to discover our museum in a completely new, immersive way. Virtual tours, gamification and detailed information about our vehicles make it the ideal companion for a visit to BMW Welt. We have also made many technological and technical optimisations to improve existing attractions and offers,” says Sandra Wittemer, Head of BMW Welt.

BMW Welt App: New technology with personalised tour guide

The BMW Welt App, which will be available to download from the end of February, turns a tour of BMW Welt into an interactive and informative adventure. A virtual tour with 16 stations is available to guests. The BMW Welt app offers a digital AI avatar as a personal tour guide. The tour can be started at any time at the touch of a button, allowing visitors to freely determine both the starting point and the pace of their own tour. The international audience can also be guided through event areas and exhibits in two languages if required.

If a vehicle particularly catches your eye, the BMW Welt app offers the opportunity to marvel at it as a digital 360° model on your smartphone. All you need to do is activate the smartphone camera via the BMW Welt app and capture a QR code on the exhibit. If required, the corresponding data sheets with all vehicle specifications are available for download.

In addition to the new exploration functions of BMW Welt, the BMW Welt app also provides attractive offers and discounts for the shop, restaurants and car hire as well as other functions such as a quiz, a scavenger hunt and the MINI Arcade as part of a major raffle.

BMW Welt's reopening week also has a lot to offer beyond the app: In addition to its role as a photo point, the BMW Isetta on display will also be driven through BMW Welt several times a day to hand out free gingerbread hearts to all guests. And on Valentine's Day, the kiss cam in the red BMW X3 and the Valentine's photo backdrop in the MINI area will be available for couples to take photos together.

New exhibition areas and business space

Much has been changed and renovated in the exhibition areas of BMW Welt. With the M Clubhouse, BMW M presents a new experience that combines the inviting character of a living room with the motorsport fascination of a BMW M garage. Highlights include the new BMW M5* in a unique design by artist Fillin Guas and a special sound installation that brings the Nürburgring to Munich.

In the newly designed BMW area, an interactive and informative space was created for the topics Charging, My BMW App and RELAX. WE CARE. In addition, UNO Car Party can be played with the whole family via AirConsole.

The BMW Welt Business Center has also been redesigned and will welcome guests from 18 February. Still bookable for conferences, meetings or similar events, elegant earth tones and golden accents in the fabrics and materials used create a modern look and an inviting ambience.

Event highlights until spring

The reopening also marks the start of BMW Welt's event year. Due to high demand, the BMW Welt yoga programme will continue from 22 February. From the children's music theatre “Frank and Bert” by the Bavarian State Opera on 2 March to the PULSE opening event on 8 March in the double cone and the planned start of this year's Internationales Krimifestival München on 4 April in BMW Welt, where Prof. Dr. Hendrik Streeck will read from his new business thriller “Das Institut”, there is already a lot on offer early in the year.

Fans of unusual sounds can expect something very special on 27 April: “Sound Journey on Four Wheels - A Children's Concert at BMW Welt”, a musical collaboration between the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra and BMW that focuses on the car.

Further highlights are already on the horizon for the rest of the year: the BMW Welt Campus will not only once again offer a holiday programme, but also the vr4kids road safety exercise. During this interactive 3D experience, children experience dangerous situations from everyday road traffic in a safe, digital environment and can train their behaviour accordingly. A new charging station for electric vehicles is also being built outside BMW Welt and will be officially unveiled in autumn.

Further information can be found on the BMW Welt website.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Corporate Communications 

Lisa Meindl
Spokesperson BMW Museum and BMW Welt
Phone: +49 89 382 31668
Email: lisa.meindl@bmw.de

Simone Bauer

Communication BMW Welt

Phone: +49 151 601 414 52

Email: simone.bauer@bmw.de

Michael Stadler

Phone: +49 89 381 08 119

Email: bmwwelt@haebmau.de

https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en

Email: presse@bmw.de

The BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2024, the BMW Group sold over 2.45 million passenger vehicles and more than 210,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2023 was € 17.1 billion on revenues amounting to € 155.5 billion. As of 31 December 2023, the BMW Group had a workforce of 154,950 employees.

The economic success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. Sustainability is a key element of the BMW Group’s corporate strategy and covers all products from the supply chain and production to the end of their useful life.

www.bmwgroup.com

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Regensburg. BMW Group Plant Regensburg has achieved another major milestone: As projected, the threshold of 100,000 fully-electric vehicles produced since the start of the year was reached today. The milestone vehicle, which came off the assembly line in Regensburg today, watched by Milan Nedeljković, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Production, is a BMW iX1. The vehicle, finished in Blue Bay Lagoon metallic, will be shipped to overseas, to the island of La Réunion. The plant has produced this successful premium compact model for customers worldwide since November 2022.

Nedeljković: “We offer a very wide range of fully-electric vehicles across all key segments. Our German plants produce these vehicles for the global market, delivering a major contribution to the growth of e-mobility.”

Regensburg Plant Director Armin Ebner offers a correspondingly positive assessment of the year: “We are meeting customer needs with our BMW iX1 and BMW iX2 models. I am especially proud of our team at Plant Regensburg, who once again showed tremendous commitment and flexibility, despite volatile market conditions. We have achieved our projected growth target for production of fully-electric vehicles in Regensburg in 2024, as promised.

More than a third of the vehicles built at our plant this year were electrified – i.e. a plug-in hybrid or an all-electric model. In 2024, we will substantially exceed last year's figure of 238,301 BMW vehicles built in Regensburg –with annual production of well over 330,000 units in total.”

More than 1,400 BMW X1 and BMW X2 models are currently coming off the production line at BMW Group Plant Regensburg every workday. The core BMW X1 model will be produced with all drive train variants: as a combustion-engine vehicle and plug-in hybrid, alongside the fully-electric BMW iX1.

“Our plant has become even more digital, more circular and more efficient overall this year,” says Ebner. “We are systematically driving our transformation towards electromobility and the BMW iFactory – an intelligently connected digital factory.” Recent accolades, such as being named “FACTORY OF THE YEAR” 2024 in the category “excellent large-series assembly” and receiving the “Best Cars Award” for the BMW X1 from trade journal auto motor und sport in 2024, provide impressive proof of this. “I would like to extend a big thank you to our entire plant team and our partners for everything we have achieved together.”

BMW Group Corporate Communications
Saskia Graser, head of Communications Regensburg and Wackersdorf
Cell phone: +49 151 60602014, Email: Saskia.Graser@bmw.de

Martina Hatzel, Communications Production Network

Cell phone: +49 151 60111966, Email: Martina.Hatzel@bmwgroup.com

Media website: https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en

Email: presse@bmw.de

BMW Group Plants Regensburg and Wackersdorf
The BMW Group vehicle plant in Regensburg has been in operation since 1986 and is one of more than 30 BMW Group production locations worldwide. Every workday, around 1,400 vehicles of the BMW X1 and BMW X2 models roll off the production line at Plant Regensburg, destined for customers around the globe. Different types of drive trains are flexibly manufactured on a single production line – ranging from vehicles with internal combustion engines to plug-in hybrids and fully-electric models.

BMW Group Plant Regensburg was recognised as “FACTORY OF THE YEAR” 2024 in the category “excellent large-series assembly” of the prestigious industrial competition. As it implements the BMW iFACTORY, the BMW Group is focused on digitalisation of the Regensburg plant site to create a digital and intelligently connected factory. It is already possible to experience in virtual form what the factory will look like a few years from now. Production of models for the NEUE KLASSE, BMW’s next generation of vehicles, will ramp up in Regensburg in the second half of the decade.

The BMW Group plant in Wackersdorf is home to cockpit production and parts supply for overseas plants. With the opening of a new battery testing centre and commissioning of the first phase in autumn 2024, the location has also become a key facilitator for electromobility. An entirely new area of expertise for the site is the door and flap production centre for Rolls-Royce.

The BMW Group core staff at the Regensburg and Wackersdorf locations in eastern Bavaria consists of around 9,250 employees, including more than 300 apprentices.

www.bmwgroup-werke.com/regensburg/de.html

Munich. The BMW Group is building a Cell Recycling Competence Centre (CRCC) for battery cells in Kirchroth, in the Straubing-Bogen district of Lower Bavaria, where it will implement a process referred to as “direct recycling”. This innovative procedure enables residual materials from battery cell production, as well as whole battery cells, to be mechanically dismantled into their valuable components. The recovered raw materials are then directly reused in pilot production of battery cells at the company’s own Battery Cell Competence Centres.

“The new Cell Recycling Competence Centre brings another element to our in-house expertise: From development and pilot production to recycling, we are creating a closed loop for battery cells,” says Markus Fallböhmer, SVP Battery Production at BMW AG, “taking advantage of the short distances between our Competence Centres in Bavaria.” The BMW Group is investing around 10 million euros in construction of the new Competence Centre. Installation work at the building is already scheduled to begin in the second half of 2025. Once completed, validation of the recycling method in near-series processes will get underway.

Innovative direct recycling recovers valuable raw materials

Battery cell raw materials – primarily lithium and cobalt, but also graphite, manganese, nickel and copper – are among the main cost factors in cell production. Responsible use of these resources is essential from both environmental and economic perspectives. “The direct recycling will help reducing the costs for our battery cell pilot line”, explains Fallböhmer. Unlike conventional methods, the main characteristic of direct recycling is that raw materials from battery cells are not reverted to their original state, but are instead fed back “directly” into the cell production cycle. This method dispenses with the previously common energy-intensive chemical or thermal processing. The recycling method was developed by BMW Group experts at the Competence Centres in Munich and Parsdorf. At the new CRCC, it will be implemented on a larger scale and, once the processes are finalised, battery cell material in the mid-double-digit tonne range can be recycled per year.

Optimal location for new Competence Centre in Bavaria

The BMW Group consolidates its battery cell expertise at its Competence Centres in Munich and Parsdorf. The Battery Cell Competence Centre (BCCC) in the north of Munich offers state-of-the-art labs and research facilities for developing the battery cells for next-generation high-voltage batteries and producing them in small quantities. The most promising battery cell from the BCCC will be scaled up for series processes on a pilot line at the Cell Manufacturing Competence Centre (CMCC) in Parsdorf. Once completed, recycling of surplus material from pilot production in Parsdorf will take place at the new Competence Centre in Kirchroth. The recovered raw materials will then be reused in cell production in Parsdorf. This ensures short distances between all Competence Centres and prevents valuable raw materials from being lost. Following on from the BCCC and CMCC, the CRCC thus represents the next step in the BMW Group’s battery cell strategy on the road to the circular economy.

Joint venture operates Competence Center, intellectual property at the BMW Group

The new CRCC, spanning an area of 2,200 m², will be integrated into the expansion of an existing building in the Kirchroth-Nord industrial park, near Straubing. Electrical energy from the discharged cells will be captured in energy storage systems within the building and used to operate the recycling systems. The energy concept will be rounded out by photovoltaic systems installed on the roof of the building. While the intellectual property for the recycling method is fully owned by the BMW Group – the Competence Centre will be built and operated by Encory GmbH. As a joint venture of the BMW Group and Interzero Group, Encory develops and implements logistics and consulting solutions in areas such as collection, recycling, and remanufacturing of vehicle components. Both partners hold a 50% stake in the company. Around 20 people will be employed in the new Competence Center.

Circular economy at the BMW Group

The BMW Group views the circular economy as one of the key issues in designing more resource-efficient vehicles. The premise is to optimize the circularity of materials. This means resources are not lost, but retain their value for long-term use. The BMW Group applies the principles of Re:Think, Re:Duce, Re:Use and Re:Cycle. From vehicle design and production, to recycling and reuse, everything is geared towards ensuring cars can serve as a source of raw materials for new vehicles at the end of their use phase. Recycling focuses, in particular, on the use of innovative methods to recover high-voltage batteries from electrified vehicles.

Munich, Dingolfing, Leipzig. The BMW Group is systematically advancing the digitalisation and automation of its production processes within the BMW iFACTORY framework. Since 2022, the company has been testing Automated Driving In-Plant (AFW) for new vehicles at its largest European plant in Dingolfing. Following successful CE certification, the pilot project is now transitioning into series operation.
In addition to Dingolfing, Leipzig is also currently being enabled to implement the AFW project in series operation. Other facilities in the BMW Group production network are set to follow in stages.

“Automated Driving In-Plant optimises our production process and delivers significant efficiency gains for our logistics,” explains Milan Nedeljković, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Production. “That is why we will be swiftly rolling out this technology throughout our production network.”

In addition to the BMW 5 Series and 7 Series in Dingolfing, this technology is now also being used for the MINI Countryman and other BMW models in Leipzig. In Dingolfing the new vehicles drive fully autonomously – without a driver – along a route of more than one kilometre, from the two assembly halls, through the “short test course”, to the plant’s finishing area. This is made possible by sensors installed along the route – creating the largest LIDAR infrastructure in Europe – and relying on an externally generated environment model and an external movement planner. Regardless of the vehicle's equipment options, this system controls its automated movements, using state-of-the-art cloud architecture. Parts of the technology were provided by the young Swiss company Embotech AG, which the BMW Group already cooperated with in the early stages through its venture client unit, the BMW START-UP Garage.

Plant Leipzig plans to introduce automated driving for around 90 percent of the BMW and MINI models built there, with Plants Regensburg and Oxford set to follow in 2025. The new site in Debrecen, Hungary, will also implement this technology from the official launch of series production.

Going forward, the BMW Group plans to expand its use of Automated Driving In-Plant to other areas of production, such as for driving through the testing zone and in outdoor distribution areas. Production and development experts are also working closely together to refine the technology in-house. Another key factor in expanding the technology is the increasing use of on-board technology, which will support the external sensors in the long term.

“Over the next ten years, we will log several million test kilometres with Automated Driving In-Plant in our production network alone,” says Nedeljković. “In this way, the BMW Group is once again setting a new benchmark for automation and digitalisation of its production processes – while paving the way for future applications in the field of autonomous driving.”

Dingolfing. Today, four months after the start of production for the BMW M5 Sedan, series production of the new BMW M5 Touring got underway at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing (consumption weighted, combined: 2.0 l/100 km and 30.7 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions weighted, combined: 46 g/km; fuel consumption with discharged battery: 10.9 l/100 km (WLTP); CO2 classes: weighted, combined B; with discharged battery G). The new model combines exceptional driving dynamics with versatile space for everyday life, leisure and travel.

It is the third current BMW M vehicle to feature an M HYBRID drive train in which a high-rpm V8 power train is complemented by an e-drive with extremely responsive power development. Together, the two engines deliver a peak performance of 535 kW/727 hp and a maximum torque of 1,000 Nm.

“With the BMW M5 Touring, the new BMW 5 Series family ‘made in Dingolfing’ is complete,” says Plant Director Christoph Schröder. “We can now offer customers of our core model series worldwide a unique variety of drive technologies and body variants.”

With the addition of the new model, the location also continues to expand its production of BMW M high-performance cars. Alongside the BMW M4 Coupé and Convertible, the BMW M8 Coupé, Convertible and Gran Coupé and the BMW M5 Sedan, the new BMW M5 Touring is the seventh
M derivative to come off the Dingolfing production line. BMW M models account for around six percent of Dingolfing's total production.

Munich. As summer slowly draws to an end, BMW Welt has lined up a diverse program of highlights for the coming months before it temporarily closes in January 2025 for refurbishment. From glamorous award ceremonies and impressive concerts to exciting technology updates, there’s something in store for everyone.

“With a varied program running until the end of the year and exciting new developments as part of the refurbishment work scheduled for early 2025, we look forward to continuing to inspire and delight our guests,” says Sandra Wittemer, Head of BMW Welt.

New digital vehicle consultation at BMW Welt

In addition to the existing in-person consultations, BMW Welt now offers a digital vehicle consultation service. Using innovative technology and the EVE (Emotional Virtual Experience), customers can now configure their dream vehicles from the comfort of their homes. You can find the link to the digital vehicle consultation here.

“Multiball” in “The Campus”

BMW Welt’s interactive learning space for children and teenagers, “The Campus”, now features a new highlight. The “Multiball” system transforms a simple wall into an interactive gaming surface. Projected images and motion sensors allow users to play a variety of sports games, such as tennis or football, using a ball or even their body. The “Multiball” experience is available now at The Campus at BMW Welt.

12 October: Bavarian Sports Award 2024

After a year marked by sporting highlights like the European Football Championship and the Olympic Games, BMW Welt will once again be the stage for the Bavarian Sports Award. On 12 October 2024, athletes and guests will gather here to honour outstanding sporting achievements in a celebratory atmosphere.

23 October: “Blauer Panther – TV & Streaming Award”

When the spotlights shine on the “Blue Carpet” at BMW Welt, it’s time once again for the “Blauer Panther – TV & Streaming Award”. On 23 October 2024, top talents and personalities from the German television and streaming landscape will be honoured at BMW Welt. This glamorous awards ceremony, held as part of the Bavarian Media Days, attracts stars and media professionals from across Germany to Munich. With a dazzling awards show followed by an aftershow party, the evening promises plenty of excitement and lively entertainment. BMW Welt’s unique architecture has made it a sought-after filming location and the perfect backdrop for this prestigious event.

25 October: Benefit concert

Once again, the “Helping Hands Staff of BMW Group e. V.” association invites you to attend its annual benefit concert at BMW Welt on 25 October. The purpose of the event is to support children with disabilities. Under the patronage of Dr Martin Kimmich, donations will be collected to help fund, among other things, the purchase of therapy equipment. Everyone involved – from musicians to technicians – is an unpaid volunteer, ensuring that all proceeds go directly to supporting children in need. Tickets are available via this link.

9 November: Claire Douglas reading – Crime Festival at BMW Welt

In early November, fans of crime fiction can fasten their seatbelts and take a thrilling detour into a world of suspense. As part of the 20th International Crime Festival, thriller queen Claire Douglas will reveal the secrets of her No. 1 Spiegel bestseller “Girls’ Night”. Anyone who wishes to experience the live reading up close on 9 November in BMW Welt’s Double Cone can register now, without obligation, at mail@krimifestival-muenchen.de. For more information about the readings and the Crime Festival’s programme, please visit www.krimifestival-muenchen.de.

November to December: Magical moments at the Candlelight Concerts

Magical moments await visitors at BMW Welt in the second half of the year – with the Candlelight Concerts on 21 and 22 December. The highlight of the series will take place even earlier, on 30 November, when the Candlelight Concert will feature aerial acrobatics. Further details and tickets are available here.

Preview for 2025: BMW Welt to temporarily close for renovation work

To enhance the visitor and customer experience, BMW Welt will undergo extensive renovations and structural changes in early 2025, necessitating a five-week closure to the public starting on 7 January 2025. These renovations are an important step in redesigning the experience and event areas. During the aforementioned closure, vehicle deliveries will be suspended, but the new digital consultation service will remain available throughout January 2025.

So, if you’re planning a visit to BMW Welt, be sure to do so before the end of the year. BMW Welt will reopen to visitors on 10 February 2025. “The renovations will give BMW Welt a fresh new look, allowing us to offer an even better delivery experience for our customers. We’re excited about the upcoming changes,” adds Sandra Wittemer, Head of BMW Welt.

For more information, please visit the BMW Welt website.

Steyr. BMW Group Plant Steyr is switching entirely to district heating for warmth: in regular operations the Austrian engine facility now no longer uses natural gas, relying instead on heat from a nearby biomass powerplant. In a symbolic act, Milan Nedeljković, Board Member for Production at BMW AG, and Arnold Schwarzenegger turned on the new power supply. The change of energy source marks yet another step in the BMW Group’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint.

Milan Nedeljković, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Production: “We are optimising the carbon footprint of all our production facilities worldwide, using innovative technologies and the potential of the local area to generate energy from fossil fuel-free sources. Today, we are setting a new milestone here in Steyr.”

Consistent reductions in energy consumption

BMW Group Plant Steyr uses around 250 gigawatt hours of energy a year – enough to power about 59,000 homes. Over the last few years, energy consumption has fallen steadily: “Since 2006 we have succeeded in almost halving the amount of energy we use per engine,” explained Plant Director Klaus von Moltke.

Heat supplies play a particularly important role in all of this: “The plant was first connected to the district heating grid in 2012. Since then, there have been multiple expansions,” Klaus von Moltke continued. The transition to purely district heating was expected to reach completion at the turn of the year 2024-2025 but has now been realised two and a half months earlier.

Where the heat comes from: regional district heating from wood chips

The switch would not have been possible without a strong partner in the region: BMW Group Plant Steyr now sources its heat from the biomass powerplant of Fernwärme Steyr, just under a kilometre away. This is operated by the state’s two energy providers – Energie AG Oberösterreich Erzeugung GmbH and EVN Wärme GmbH – in their joint subsidiary, Bioenergie Steyr GmbH. To provide the heat energy that Plant Steyr needs, an additional heat generation plant with a 10-megawatt biomass boiler is being erected at the site. So, Plant Steyr will source its heat from renewable resources: wood chips from the surrounding forests.

Klaus von Moltke summarised the situation saying: “By switching to 100 percent heat from regenerative biomass, we are taking a major step today. Our plant now sources both its electricity and its heat for regular operations from renewables.”

Today’s symbolic energy switch took place on stage as more than a thousand employees looked on. In his keynote speech Arnold Schwarzenegger called on everyone present to act on climate change. He then shut down the plant’s gas supply. Milan Nedeljković, Board Member for Production at BMW AG, then symbolically turned on the final expansion to the district heating supply.

Arnold Schwarzenegger then joined Klaus von Moltke and Milan Nedeljcović for a tour of the training and education centre, engine assembly and BMW Group Plant Steyr’s recently opened electric motor production line, chatting with employees as he went.

+++ The UK’s first “motionless” wind energy system has been installed on the roof of BMW Group’s Oxford Plant +++ It’s part of a BMW Group project trialling innovative technology for efficient energy solutions +++ This BMW Group Real Estate pilot is spearheaded by BMW Startup Garage, a programme dedicated to supporting early-stage startups working on innovative technologies +++

Munich. BMW Group today announced the installation of the UK’s first “motionless” wind energy system at the MINI manufacturing plant in Oxford. Utilising Aeromine Technologies’ innovative, low-impact technology, the system harnesses wind power to produce clean energy without visible moving parts. BMW Group’s Oxford Plant will serve as a testbed for this cutting-edge technology, assessing its potential to enhance energy efficiency across BMW Group sites around the world, as well as commercial buildings in the UK. 

This new innovative energy project is part of the BMW Startup Garage, a business unit dedicated to supporting early-stage startups working on cutting-edge technologies. It focuses on testing a functional product, at least in the form of a prototype, during a pilot project and commissioning the startup as a supplier at an early stage. Rather than acting as an investor through venture capital, the BMW Startup Garage is taking on the role of a customer, a “venture client”.  

Aeromine Technologies has designed the wind energy unit, which is installed on the edge of a building, oriented towards the prevailing wind. The unit features wing-like vertical airfoils that create a vacuum effect, drawing air behind an internal propeller to generate clean electricity. Unlike traditional wind turbines, Aeromine’s bladeless design minimises noise and vibrations, ensuring no disturbance to buildings or the surrounding environment and with minimal impact on avian wildlife. Additionally, the unit is constructed from highly durable, recyclable materials, helping support BMW Group’s commitment to put sustainability at the centre of its strategic direction. 

Carmen Gargioni, Team Lead Innovation at BMW Group Real Estate Management, said: “BMW Group is always looking for innovative and efficient solutions in every aspect of the business. The BMW Startup Garage acts as a matchmaker between startups and different business units. New technologies are essential as we strive to find the most efficient solution to our requirements. This includes exciting innovations from new players.” 

The new wind energy unit is designed to complement MINI Plant Oxford’s existing solar arrays across the buildings on site. The installation on the Body Shop has been in place for ten years and, when it was installed, was one of the largest roof-mounted solar farms in the UK with more than 11,000 panels covering an area the size of five football pitches. The solar panels generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 850 households for a year. However, the solar panels are less effective during winter and evening hours, when wind conditions are often strongest – presenting an opportunity for Aeromine’s wind energy unit to step in and continue generating renewable energy.

Urs Sambale, Project Manager for Sustainability Steering at BMW Group Real Estate Europe, said: “This pilot is a small but exciting project for BMW Group and complements our existing approach to purchasing renewable electricity from the national grid. We’re looking forward to seeing its potential for generating clean wind energy at BMW Group sites.”

Claus Lønborg, Managing Director, Aeromine Technologies Inc., said: 

“Aeromine’s partnership with BMW Group represents a pivotal step in our mission to innovate and expand the capabilities of renewable energy solutions. Our “motionless” wind energy technology is designed to work seamlessly alongside solar systems, maximising the renewable energy output from rooftops while helping address challenges like noise, vibrations, and wildlife impact. We’re excited to see how this initial installation can lead to broader applications across BMW’s global facilities.”

The BMW Group has set itself clear targets for CO2 reduction up to 2030 throughout the entire lifecycle - from the supply chain, through production, to the end of the use phase - and is constantly seeking new ways to cut emissions including by exploring new innovations. 

About the BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2023, the BMW Group sold over 2.55 million passenger vehicles and more than 209,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2023 was € 17.1 billion on revenues amounting to €155.5 billion. As of 31 December 2023, the BMW Group had a workforce of 154,950 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company set the course for the future at an early stage and consistently makes sustainability and efficient resource management central to its strategic direction, from the supply chain through production to the end of the use phase of all products.

For more information visit www.bmwgroup.com

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About the BMW Startup Garage 

The BMW Startup Garage is the venture client unit of the BMW Group. It engages annually with over 1,000 startups across approximately 30 countries, seeking innovations that provide significant benefits to BMW Group's products, services, systems, and processes. This ensures early access to innovations, allowing BMW to shape them before they reach market readiness. Simultaneously, startups gain valuable insights into automotive processes, build networks within the company, and receive support in developing their business plans. The program aims to evaluate startups and enable them as long-term partners for the BMW Group, thereby strengthening the company's leadership in innovation. The Startup Garage is represented worldwide at all BMW Tech Office locations: Munich, Mountain View, Shanghai, Seoul, Tokyo, and since 2020, Tel Aviv.

About Aeromine Technologies

Aeromine Technologies has developed a breakthrough scalable renewable energy solution that harnesses the power of wind in an efficient system. Aeromine units install on the edge of the building roof, they are “motionless”, vibration- and noise- less. System installations are typically 50 kW or larger. The solution is robust, long-lasting, and requires much less rooftop space than other options to generate distributed energy. Ideal for large, flat rooftop buildings – including warehouses, big box retailers, data centers, office, and apartment buildings - Aeromine leverages existing financial structures, installation resources and incentives established by the solar industry.

www.aerominetechnologies.com      Video: Drone footage DJI_0138.MP4

Debrecen. BMW Group Plant Debrecen is taking shape: The state-of-the-art paint shop is the first technology to be commissioned at the new production location in Hungary. Through the use of various new processes and systems, such as power-to-heat, Heat Grid and eRTO, the Debrecen facility will become the first paint shop in the BMW Group’s global production network to operate entirely without fossil fuels. The new site in Debrecen, where pre-series production of the Neue Klasse will ramp up at the end of the year, provides a blueprint for all future plants based on the principles of the BMW iFACTORY.

The new paint shop in Debrecen is designed to paint 30 vehicle bodies per hour in a fully automated painting process. This capacity can be increased significantly at a later date. The installation will be enabled using BMW iX1 bodies. The cutting-edge system was developed and planned by leveraging existing expertise within the production network. With a footprint of 33,000 square metres, the three-story paint shop building provides ample workspace for modern production.

Power-to-heat significantly reduces carbon footprint

The power-to-heat principle is essential to operating the Debrecen paint shop without fossil fuels like natural gas. All ovens and other processes necessary for painting will run entirely on electricity, rather than natural gas, as was the case in the past. This principle significantly reduces the paint shop's carbon footprint, even if power consumption will increase, due to running without natural gas. In Debrecen, we obtain the external power required for production exclusively from renewable energy sources.

Heat Grid achieves another ten percent energy savings

The Heat Grid energy efficiency project was successfully implemented during the planning stage of the new paint shop. The innovative concept combines several measures for efficient energy recovery, enabling additional energy savings of up to ten percent. The centrepiece of the project is a large, multivalent storage boiler that consolidates waste heat from the compressed air supply, drying ovens and cooling systems. This waste heat is then used to preheat the water circuit.

Another of Debrecen's unique features is that the whole system operates at a water supply temperature of just 65 degrees Celsius, compared to 90-120 degrees Celsius in previous installations. The hot water is used to supply the paint shop’s hall ventilation systems, maintaining stable conditions in the spray booths at a process temperature of 22 degrees Celsius and a humidity of 60-65 percent.

Exhaust purification in innovative eRTO process

Debrecen will rely on the innovative eRTO process for exhaust purification. eRTO stands for electric regenerative thermal oxidation, a process that purifies exhaust air from the paint shop at temperatures of 800-1,000 degrees Celsius and, unlike in the past, runs exclusively on electricity. During the purification process, the exhaust air passes through a ceramic bed where solvent residues are burned off. To do this, the air has to be heated to high temperatures in a short space of time. Due to its high thermal recovery rate, with heat effectively retained within the system, the eRTO system delivers a very high level of energy efficiency.

Fully automated dry separation

Like many other BMW Group locations, the new paint shop in Debrecen uses modern, environmentally-friendly dry separation technology. Any paint overspray that does not adhere to the body in the spray booth is filtered out and mixed with limestone powder. This significantly reduces water consumption and allows the spray booth to operate with up to 90 percent recirculating air. This means only ten percent of the air needs to be temperature controlled and humidified, rather than 100 percent, resulting in substantial energy savings. The used stone powder can also be fed back into the material loop and reused, for example, in the cement industry, rather than requiring disposal as contaminated wastewater, as was the case in the previous wet-scrubbing method.

Comprehensive digitalisation

Alongside innovative technologies, such as Heat Grid and eRTO, comprehensive digitalisation also contributes to the new Debrecen paint shop’s high level of efficiency. For example, fully automated driverless AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) transport car bodies to their respective operations. In addition, Automated Surface Inspection (AOI) is employed, utilising artificial intelligence to detect post-painting irregularities and identify any areas requiring post-processing. The planning for the paint shop was implemented virtually. This allowed the structural planning to be tested virtually before actual construction began. Preliminary training sessions for employees were also held virtually.

Munich/Spartanburg, USA. The BMW Group is exploring the use of humanoid robots in production for the first time. During a trial run lasting several weeks at BMW Group Plant Spartanburg, the latest humanoid robot Figure 02 from California company Figure successfully inserted sheet metal parts into specific fixtures, which were then assembled as part of the chassis. The robot must be particularly dexterous to complete this production step.

At the same time, using a robot can save employees from having to perform ergonomically awkward and tiring tasks. Together with Figure, the BMW Group is currently testing and evaluating how humanoid robots can be used safely in automobile production. This video shows the trial run in the body shop at BMW Group Plant Spartanburg: https://b.mw/Figure_02

“The developments in the field of robotics are very promising. With an early test operation, we are now determining possible applications for humanoid robots in production. We want to accompany this technology from development to industrialization,” says Milan Nedeljković, Member of the Board of Management for Production at BMW AG.

With the BMW iFACTORY, the vision for the production of the future, the BMW Group is always on the lookout for new technologies. Efficiency, digitalisation and sustainability are central to this vision to realisation. During the trial run, the BMW Group gained valuable knowledge of what requirements must be met in order to be able to integrate so-called multi-purpose robots in an existing production system. This includes how humanoid robots communicate with the system under real conditions. After the first use in automobile production, the experts at the BMW Group and Figure are collaborating to prepare Figure for future applications in production and continuing to develop the robots, based on the findings.

Figure 02 embodies the latest technological advances in robotics 

“We are excited to unveil Figure 02, our second-generation humanoid robot, which recently completed successful testing at the BMW Group Plant Spartanburg. Figure 02 has significant technical advancements, which enable the robot to perform a wide range of complex tasks fully autonomously,” says Brett Adcock, Founder and CEO of Figure.

According to the California company, Figure 02 is the world’s most advanced humanoid robot currently available on the market. The combination of two-legged mobility and advanced dexterity means that the Figure 02 is ideally suited for use in areas with physically demanding, unsafe, or repetitive processes, thereby improving ergonomics and safety for associates. Figure 02 boasts three times the processing power of its predecessor, improved voice communication, better cameras, microphones, and sensors, a high-performance battery, and fourth-generation human-scale hands with 16 degrees of freedom per hand and human-equivalent strength.

The robot is capable of fully autonomous execution of human-like and two-handed tasks requiring varied and dynamic manipulation, complex grasping, and coordination of both hands in unison. It is able place various complex parts with accuracy measured in millimetres and can walk dynamically leveraging efficienties of the robot’s design.

Currently, there are no Figure AI robots at BMW Group Plant Spartanburg, and there is no definite timetable established for bringing Figure robots to the plant. BMW Group will continue to work with Figure for data capturing and training capabilities for the Figure02 robots.

Munich. The Neue Klasse will usher in a new era of fully electric driving at the BMW Group – the success of which will depend heavily on the production of powerful high-voltage batteries. That’s why the BMW Group is expanding its production network for the next generation of high-voltage batteries significantly. “We are setting up five facilities on three continents to produce our sixth-generation high-voltage batteries,” explained Milan Nedeljković, Board Member for Production at BMW AG. Across the globe, the principle of “local for local” will apply: "Close connection of battery production with vehicle production is part of our strategy," explains Markus Fallböhmer, Senior Vice President of Battery Production at BMW AG. This helps the BMW Group increase the resilience of its production.

Battery and vehicle production closely connected

The Neue Klasse will be the first to incorporate the all-new cylindrical cells. These represent a technological leap by the BMW Group, offering vastly improved energy density, charging times and range. They will be assembled in new facilities located as closely as possible to vehicle plants, in keeping with the principle of “local for local”. State-of-the-art assembly plants for sixth-generation high-voltage batteries are currently under construction in Irlbach-Strasskirchen (Lower Bavaria), Debrecen (Hungary), Woodruff (near Plant Spartanburg in the US), Shenyang (China) and San Luis Potosí, Mexico. With the “local for local” approach in place, production will be able to continue even when unexpected political or economic events occur. In addition, short distances between battery and vehicle plants will reduce the carbon footprint of car production. The BMW Group is also upgrading its existing sites and therefore securing and creating jobs.

Neue Klasse to launch first at Plant Debrecen in 2025

The first Neue Klasse vehicles will be produced at the BMW Group’s new plant in Debrecen, starting in 2025. High-voltage battery and vehicle manufacturing will launch in parallel. With the training centre in Debrecen open since autumn 2023 and the communications centre in use since February 2024, a large number of employees are already at work in their offices at the site. The production team, meanwhile, are preparing for their new jobs at various locations across the BMW Group production network. This will ensure a smooth start to pre-series production and a successful series launch in the second half of 2025. Currently, the final buildings are being completed. They will be handed over to the technologies by the end of the year.

High-voltage batteries from Lower Bavaria

The BMW Group is also going to manufacture high-voltage batteries for Neue Klasse models in Germany – specifically in Irlbach-Straßkirchen, in Lower Bavaria. The new facility will supply sixth-generation high-voltage batteries to German car plants. The BMW Group was granted permission to build the new high-voltage battery assembly plant in April 2024 and erected the first of pillar for the production hall in late June 2024. The production building is scheduled to be enclosed with facade and roof by the end of the year. The citizens of Straßkirchen had previously voted in favour of the BMW Group coming to their area, with a clear majority in the referendum of September 2023.

China to produce the Neue Klasse from 2026

From 2026 Neue Klasse vehicles will also be made by BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA) in Shenyang, China. Here, too, the sixth-generation high-voltage batteries required for the cars will be manufactured locally. The production hall was completed in November 2023 after a construction time of only 21 months. The installation of plant and machinery has been underway since March 2024. Preparing for the launch of the Neue Klasse, the BMW Group has also set up its largest R&D network outside Germany, with facilities in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenyang and Nanjing.

Neue Klasse in Mexico from 2027

At San Luis Potosí in Mexico, additional production capacity is being established for series production of the Neue Klasse to start in 2027. Construction of the new high-voltage battery assembly plant started in May 2024 and will comprise more than 80,000 square metres of production space when completed. But the integration of battery assembly is not all that’s changing at Plant San Luis Potosí: the bodyshop is set to grow to more than 90,000 square metres in total, while vehicle assembly and logistics spaces will expand by nearly 10,000 square metres. The BMW Group is the first premium OEM to manufacture fully electric cars and high-voltage batteries in Mexico – and a pioneer in the industry. Additionally, the company plans to expand the photovoltaic systems within the plant and thus double the power generated from photovoltaics. This is intended to generate more than 20 percent of the current electricity demand directly on the plant premises in the future.

BMW Group Plant Woodruff: High-voltage batteries for Spartanburg

Electromobility is also advancing in South Carolina. BMW Group Plant Woodruff will cover an area of about 93 hectares and consist of a technology building, ancillary structures, an energy centre, a staff restaurant, a fire department and a Talent Campus. It will create more than 300 new jobs with the BMW Group. When construction reaches completion in 2026, Woodruff will assemble high-voltage batteries for fully electric cars made in nearby Plant Spartanburg. The ground-breaking ceremony for the first building in Woodruff – the training centre – was in June 2023.

Battery expertise concentrated in Parsdorf and Munich

Prototype battery cells like the ones in the Neue Klasse, launching in 2025, are already being made at the BMW Group’s Cell Manufacturing Competence Centre (CMCC) in Parsdorf, just east of Munich. The CMCC was built to complement the Battery Cell Competence Centre (BCCC) in the north of the city, where development work is carried out. The CMCC scales up the best product for series production. Product and process are uniquely interlinked by the close collaboration across divisions, between Development, Purchasing and Production. The BMW Group operates further pre-series plants and pilot lines for future high-voltage batteries in Munich and the nearby towns of Parsdorf and Hallbergmoos.

Munich. The BMW Group is now powering exhaust purification in its first paint shops electrically. Thanks to a new method, the high temperatures needed for the thermal purification of exhaust from paint booths and drying areas can now be generated by electricity. With that, a further production process can now be carried out without using natural gas.

Michele Melchiorre, Head of Production System, Planning, Tool Shop, Plant Construction at the BMW Group: “For other energy-intensive paint shop processes, such as vehicle drying and water heating, solutions already exist for working without natural gas. So, electric exhaust purification is the final steppingstone for the BMW Group to run its paint shops on regenerative energy in the future.”

The first systems have already been tested at Plant Regensburg and BMW Brilliance in China, and Plant Dingolfing has converted a painting line for the new system to be used in series production. When the BMW Group’s newest plant goes on stream in Debrecen in 2025, it will use only the new method.

eRTO: The gas-free alternative

eRTO (electric regenerative thermal oxidation) is a process whereby gaseous or vaporous substances are burned off at temperatures of up to 1,000° Celsius. Unlike previous methods, it runs purely on electricity.

Before being released into the atmosphere via chimneys, exhaust from paint booths and drying areas is purified to prevent paint shop solvents from harming the environment. This is done by passing it through a bed of ceramic media, where the solvent residues are burned off. To do this, the air has to be heated up to very high temperatures in a short space of time. The energy needed to do this could previously only be provided by natural gas. But the innovative eRTO system now makes it possible to purify exhaust without fossil fuels and use electricity from renewable sources instead.

Electricity not gas – ceramic media retain heat

The eRTO system is installed between the painting booth, drying process and chimney. Thermal energy is recovered by a flat, two-metre-deep ceramic bed where temperatures reach up to 1,000° Celsius and which serves as a recuperator. Electrical heating rods heat the surrounding ceramics, and because most of the heat is retained, with only small amounts escaping, a connected load of just a few hundred kilowatts is sufficient to run the system.

Use in series production at new plant in Debrecen

The eRTO system was initially function-tested in ongoing paint shop operations at BMW Group Plant Regensburg. It is being further validated at BMW Brilliance Plant Lydia in China, where an eRTO system is used to purify exhaust from the drying system for car bonnets. The first European BMW Group facility to use the technology in series paint shop operations is Plant Dingolfing, where the first of four paint lines has already been converted for electric exhaust purification. More such systems are planned for the production network, and the new plant in Debrecen will purify paint shop exhaust only by eRTO.

+++ Realistic simulations of future operations already possible in digital factory layout +++ Employees trained on “digital twin” using VR goggles +++

Regensburg. At BMW Group Plant Regensburg, it is already possible to experience in virtual form what the factory will look like a few years from now: Production of the NEUE KLASSE, BMW’s next model generation, will also ramp up in Regensburg in the second half of the decade. Plant Director Armin Ebner: “With the NEUE KLASSE, which is based on an entirely new vehicle architecture, our goal as a company is to set new standards for digitalisation, electrification and circularity. Today, many years before the official launch of series production, virtual planning of the new production lines is already well underway – even as we continue to build the current BMW X1 and BMW X2 models.”

Virtual image of new production lines years before series launch

As part of a pilot project implemented in vehicle assembly, BMW Group Regensburg is utilising “3D human simulation” for the first time company-wide. “This allows us to not only map future manufacturing structures virtually in a digital twin, but also simulate the employees who will work on our assembly lines in the future,” explains Sebastian Moser, an innovation and digitalisation specialist for the Regensburg production system. In practice, this means future workflows and individual operations on the Regensburg assembly line can be virtually mapped and tested long before the series launch of new models.

“The project is a further step towards the digital and intelligently connected BMW iFACTORY,” confirms Ebner. “Virtualisation, artificial intelligence and data science are accelerating and refining our planning. Digital factory planning enables us to reduce planning effort and realise more efficient, stable vehicle launches in the future.” The BMW Group is adopting a digital-first approach to validate and optimise complex manufacturing systems throughout its production network, relying on NVIDIA Omniverse Enterprise, a platform for creating and operating 3D industrial metaverse applications, to run simulations with digital twins.

Human simulation already very close to future factory reality

To date, the "3D human simulation" at the BMW Group site in Regensburg encompasses a complete line section with 41 operating cycles, covering over 1,000 square metres of assembly space. Realistic simulation of operations in the future factory layout makes it possible to already develop effective cycle specifications and conduct health-friendly ergonomic analyses today.

“The ‘model people’ on our digital assembly line move and behave just like real people,” explains Dominik Wottke, a production and quality expert in vehicle assembly at the Regensburg plant. “For example, if the software detects that a virtual employee needs to bend too low or lift a weight that is too heavy to be able to complete an operation, then that is also the case in the real world. We are therefore able to respond to this in a targeted manner and make improvements in the modelling.”

VR goggles take employees on virtual journey into the future

The “3D human simulation” also serves as a training and information tool. “We can use video sequences from the digital twin to take our associates on a journey into the future and show them what their future workplace will look like,” says Wottke. Project managers have set up a virtual room for this purpose, where employees from vehicle assembly in Regensburg can wear VR goggles to explore the future assembly line virtually and examine details up close, if needed. They can also practice specific operating cycles and enhance their skills, working alongside virtual “colleagues”. The aim is to train these operations so well in advance that the learning phase on the actual assembly line can be shortened.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Christian Dürrschmidt, Communications Regensburg

Cell phone: +49 151 6060 5194,

Email: Christian.Duerrschmidt@bmw.de

Saskia Graser, head of Communications Regensburg and Wackersdorf

Cell phone: +49 151 6060 2014,

Email: Saskia.Graser@bmw.de

Media website: https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en

Email: presse@bmw.de

BMW Group Plants Regensburg and Wackersdorf

The BMW Group has viewed itself for decades as the benchmark for production technology and operational excellence in vehicle construction – including at its locations in Regensburg and Wackersdorf. 
The BMW Group vehicle plant in Regensburg has been in operation since 1986 and is one of more than 30 BMW Group production locations worldwide. A total of up to 1,400 vehicles of the BMW X1 and BMW X2 models come off the production line at Plant Regensburg every workday – destined for customers all over the world. Different types of drive trains are flexibly manufactured on a single production line – from vehicles with internal combustion engines to plug-in hybrids, to fully-electric models.

High-voltage batteries for the electric models built in Regensburg are also produced locally, in direct proximity to the vehicle plant. They are assembled at the electric component production facility, which opened in 2021 at the Leibnizstrasse location.

BMW Innovation Park Wackersdorf also belongs to the Regensburg site. The 55-hectare campus built in the 1980s was originally intended as a nuclear reprocessing facility. The BMW Group has located its cockpit production there, as well as its parts supply for overseas plants. In addition to BMW as the largest employer, several other companies are also based at Innovation Park Wackersdorf. A total of around 2,500 employees work there.

The BMW Group core staff at the Regensburg and Wackersdorf locations in eastern Bavaria is made up of around 9,250 employees, including more than 300 apprentices.

www.bmwgroup-werke.com/regensburg/de.html

São Paulo/Munich. The BMW Group is strengthening its involvement in Brazil by electrifying the Araquari plant. Following a historic sales record for electrified vehicles in Brazil last year, the BMW Group is announcing local production of the BMW X5, the very first premium plug-in hybrid model built in South America. The technologically advanced and powerful vehicle is produced at the BMW Group plant in Araquari in addition to the BMW X1, BMW X3 and BMW X4 as well as the BMW 3 Series for the local market.

“At the BMW Group, production follows market demand. Last year, BMW Group Brazil achieved a record of 25% share of electrified vehicles within the sales mix. In addition, the BMW X5 was the third-best model of the entire BMW line-up in Brazil. It is a logical conclusion for us to announce the production of the BMW X5 plug-in hybrid in Brazil now,” says Michael Nikolaides, Head of Production Network and Logistics at BMW Group. “We are committed to technology openness. In this context, PHEVs are and will remain an important part of our offering. Now, for the first time, we are bringing this technology to a South American production facility. The BMW Group plant in Araquari has a flexible production line. I am proud to say that Plant Araquari will be the only one to produce ICE, PHEV, and Flex-fuel models in the whole BMW Group production network. Depending on market demand, we can get ready to produce hybrid or electric models in a short period of time. In the next step, we will build PHEV and ICE vehicles on one line.”

Since 2014, the BMW Group has been manufacturing for the local market in Araquari, Brazil, in the state of Santa Catarina. The Araquari plant has its own Body Shop, Paint Shop, Assembly, Quality and Logistic processes. Along with a BMW Group Engineering Office, which is part of the plant’s facilities. In December 2023, the BMW Group announced a 10% increase in production at the Araquari plant from 2024 to reach an annual production of 11,000 units. In addition, the workforce is being consistently increased and trained to produce electrified vehicles.

Regensburg. Prospects are looking good for the BMW Group in Upper Palatinate: Plant Director Armin Ebner is extremely optimistic for 2024. “Since we added a night shift in autumn of last year, our daily production has already increased by about 300 vehicles, to 1,300 currently. Our total annual production for 2023 was 238,301 vehicles.” This means that, last year, nearly one in ten BMWs produced worldwide came from Regensburg.

“This confirms the strong customer appeal of the compact class models built in Regensburg, the BMW X1 and the BMW X2,” underlines Ebner. The second generation of the BMW X2 went into production in Regensburg in November. The global market launch of the vehicle manufactured exclusively at BMW Group Plant Regensburg took place on 2 March. Its main markets will be China, the US and Europe.

Ebner anticipates a further increase in the number of vehicles produced in Regensburg in 2024. To be more precise, the plant will be able to manufacture well over 300,000 units per year, if justified by market demand. Production of electric models, in particular, is expected to increase significantly: In 2024, at least one in three BMWs leaving the BMW Group's Bavarian vehicle plants should be an electric car – and the same applies to Regensburg.

“With the BMW iX1 and BMW iX2, we will continue to inspire customers around the world with fully-electric driving pleasure from Regensburg,” says Ebner. Europe is a particularly important sales market for the fully-electric BMW iX2. In its domestic market of Germany, for instance, the BMW iX1 was Germany's ninth most popular electric car, with 14,694 new vehicle registrations in 2023, according to the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA).

High-voltage batteries for the electric cars built in Regensburg are produced at the Leibnizstraße site, in direct proximity to the vehicle plant. “Our location in Leibnizstraße provides valuable support for the transformation. The fact that we produced more than 100,000 high-voltage batteries here last year is evidence of the successful ramp-up of electromobility in Regensburg,” explains Ebner. To meet differences in customer demand across all regions of the world, Regensburg will also continue to build vehicles with an internal combustion engine as part of the mix on the same assembly line.

Commissioning of battery testing centre in Wackersdorf from mid-2024 

The Wackersdorf location is also set to become a major facilitator for electromobility: “The first deliverables from our new battery testing centre will enter into regular operation in Wackersdorf from mid-2024 onwards,” says Ebner. The new testing centre, covering an area of more than 8,000 square metres, will be integrated into the site's existing building structures. Here, high-voltage batteries and other electric powertrain components for future BMW Group models will be put through their paces in a very early phase of development – well before the start of production.

600 new hires planned by end of 2024

This high level of production is also reflected in the development of employee numbers. “We already hired more than 500 new staff in 2023. For 2024, we are planning on recruiting another 600 for our production,” explains Ebner. The site is looking to hire employees in areas with skills shortages, such as maintenance and electronics. “But we will also be offsetting natural attrition caused by people leaving the plant due to age,” Ebner continued. BMW Group Plant Regensburg will recruit 120 new apprentices in the summer as well. “This will include training eight apprentices for our planned new site in Straßkirchen here in Regensburg.” The BMW Group’s core staff at its Regensburg and Wackersdorf locations in eastern Bavaria currently totals around 9,250 employees.

€ 200 million investment in securing long-term future – gearing up for production of NEUE KLASSE from second half of the decade

By the end of 2024, a total of around € 200 million will be channelled into the Regensburg and Wackersdorf locations. Ebner: “The prospects for both sites look very good. This renewed investment will help us secure the long-term future of both facilities. At the same time, it is also an investment in Upper Palatinate as a location for industry.”

At the same time as building the current models, the vehicle plant in Regensburg is also preparing for production of the next model generation, which will ramp up in the second half of the decade. “With the NEUE KLASSE, the company aims to set new standards for digitalisation, electrification and circularity – and we are already gearing up for this in Regensburg. During the production break over the New Year, we completed the first major modifications, including for our vehicle assembly. Further extensive structural measures will be implemented at the turn of the year 2024/2025,” explains Ebner.

Extensive resource conservation initiatives
BMW Group Plants Regensburg and Wackersdorf are also investing in resource conservation. Initiatives range from transport logistics to biodiversity, and from water management to new, resource-efficient production methods. “For example, at the start of the year, we converted one of our paint shop’s two base coat lines entirely to dry separation using limestone powder. The second line – due to production reasons – will be switched in August 2025.”

This method will save the BMW Group plant sites in Regensburg and Dingolfing a total of 17 million litres of water and around 17,400 megawatt hours of energy per year. “Converting the painting process moves us another step closer to the BMW Group’s aim of reducing CO₂ emissions throughout the entire vehicle lifecycle by 40 percent by 2030,” emphasises Ebner.

BMW Group Plant Regensburg also invested in water-efficient practices in 2023. Refurbishing its re-cooling systems has reduced the plant's total water consumption by a fifth, saving around 53 million litres of water per year.

Digitalisation in line with principles of BMW iFACTORY

As it implements the BMW iFACTORY, the BMW Group is also focused on digitalising the Regensburg plant site to create a digital and intelligent connected factory. “We are following a holistic approach that brings together people, processes and systems. Digitalisation optimises processes and helps our employees do their jobs – because people will continue to be the backbone of our production,” says Ebner.

For example, BMW Group Plant Regensburg is the automotive industry's first plant worldwide to use an end-to-end digitalised and automated process for inspection, processing and marking of painted vehicle surfaces in standard production that relies on robots controlled by AI (artificial intelligence).

“My aim is for us to be a pioneer, shaping change together with our outstanding plant team, so we can defend our leading global position – and so mobility ‘made in Upper Palatinate’ can continue to inspire people all over the world in the future,” sums up Ebner.

BMW Group Corporate Communications
Saskia Graser, head of Communications Regensburg and Wackersdorf
Cell phone: +49 151 6060 2014, Email: Saskia.Graser@bmw.de

Media website: https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en

Email: presse@bmw.de

BMW Group Plants Regensburg and Wackersdorf

The BMW Group has viewed itself for decades as the benchmark for production technology and operational excellence in vehicle construction – including at its locations in Regensburg and Wackersdorf. 
The BMW Group vehicle plant in Regensburg has been in operation since 1986 and is one of more than 30 BMW Group production locations worldwide. A total of up to 1,300 vehicles of the BMW X1 and BMW X2 models come off the production line at Plant Regensburg every workday – destined for customers all over the world. Different types of drive trains are flexibly manufactured on a single production line – from vehicles with internal combustion engines to plug-in hybrids, to fully-electric models.

High-voltage batteries for the electric models built in Regensburg are also produced locally, in direct proximity to the vehicle plant. They are assembled at the electric component production facility, which opened in 2021 at the Leibnizstrasse location.
BMW Innovation Park Wackersdorf also belongs to the Regensburg site. The 55-hectare campus built in the 1980s was originally intended as a nuclear reprocessing facility. The BMW Group has located its cockpit production there, as well as its parts supply for overseas plants. In addition to BMW as the largest employer, several other companies are also based at Innovation Park Wackersdorf. A total of around 2,500 employees work there.

The BMW Group core staff at the Regensburg and Wackersdorf locations in eastern Bavaria is made up of around 9,250 employees, including more than 300 apprentices.

www.bmwgroup-werke.com/regensburg/de.html

Leipzig. Electrification continues at BMW Group Plant Leipzig: Four months after launching production of the combustion-engined MINI Countryman, the all-electric version is now rolling off the lines at Leipzig as well. After phasing out production of the BMW i3, the birthplace of electric mobility at the BMW Group has welcomed another fully electric car to its range. It now manufactures four models with three drive types by two brands, all on a single production line: the BMW 1 Series, the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer (including the plug-in hybrid version), the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe and the MINI Countryman in both its fully electric and combustion-powered versions.

The MINI Countryman Electric represents a major step in the MINI brand’s transition to full electrification by 2030 and combines an electrified go-kart feel with zero local emissions mobility. It comes in two fully electric variants: the Countryman E (150 kW, 204 hp | electricity consumption 17.4 – 15.7 kWh/100 km | CO2 emissions 0 g/km) and the more powerful all-wheel Countryman SE ALL4 (230 kW, 313 hp | electricity consumption 18.5 – 16.8 kWh/100 km | CO2 emissions 0 g/km).  

Consistent plant upgrades and flexible production system

To enable production of up to 350,000 units a year – 100,000 more than previously – Plant Leipzig has been continuously upgraded since 2018, with extensive additions and upgrades to the bodyshop, paintshop, assembly and logistics. “Our cars and components are very much in demand. In recent years the BMW Group has invested around 1.6 billion euros in the Leipzig site to produce additional vehicles and electric components, and now we’re increasing vehicle volumes too – which is great news for our plant,” said Petra Peterhänsel, Plant Director.

The main driver behind the volume increase is the MINI Countryman. During the course of 2024, output will rise to almost 500 units a day – on top of the 800 or so BMW vehicles the plant is producing. What’s more, thanks to its flexible production system, Plant Leipzig is in a position to respond quickly to customer demand, for example by increasing the share of fully electric vehicles.

Flexible assembly structures also meant the MINI Countryman Electric could be integrated seamlessly into production. The situation is similar with the different drive units, which are all produced on one and the same line in aggregate assembly and prepared for what’s known as “marriage” with the body. The e-drives, transmissions and control electronics (collectively known as the highly integrated electric drive topology, or HEAT) for the two all-electric models are connected directly in the plant. A new production line was required only for the control electronics.

More staff and nightshifts for increased production volume

Higher production volume means secure employment and up to 900 additional employees in vehicle production alone. By the end of 2024, Plant Leipzig will employ around 7,000 BMW staff. Working hours will need to be adjusted in all technologies, with nightshifts in assembly starting for the first time in September of this year and cars being produced round the clock in three shifts.

“Plant Leipzig first went on stream in 2005 with about 2,600 employees in production. 19 years later there are over 7,000. Over the years, the plant has grown steadily and considerably. The start of nightshifts in assembly represents another important milestone in the success story of our plant and is a clear show of confidence by our company in our site here in Leipzig,” emphasised Works Council Chairman Jens Köhler.

Made at Plant Leipzig: high-voltage batteries for the MINI Countryman Electric

With the production launch of the MINI Countryman Electric, all three stages of the Gen 5 high-voltage battery production process are now represented at BMW Group Plant Leipzig: cell coating, module production and battery assembly. Operations in all three are currently ramping up, with five cell-coating, three module-production and two high-voltage battery-production lines now in place.

“We are in the middle of the transformation to e-mobility,” said Markus Fallböhmer, Head of Battery Production at the BMW Group. “Starting this year, Plant Leipzig will carry out every stage of our in-house high-voltage battery production process. It’s our next great step forwards.”

Plant Leipzig’s e-component production capacity has been increasing since 2021. It will now manufacture not just the high-voltage batteries for the MINI Countryman Electric but also e-components for the BMW iX1, BMW iX2, BMW i4, BMW i5 and BMW iX made at other sites. The e-component production unit at Leipzig currently employs some 1,000 people.

To enable production of high-voltage batteries, spaces previously used for the BMW i3 and BMW i8 have been converted and new buildings added. One of them is a new hall with a footprint of about 61,000 m². This houses two lines capable of producing up to 300,000 high-voltage batteries a year. The BMW Group has invested over 900 million euros in e-component production at Plant Leipzig to date.

Resource-saving painting processes

At launch, the fully electric MINI Countryman comes in three additional body colours: British Racing Green, Chili Red and Blazing Blue – and with MINI’s trademark contrast roof, if desired. This is painted using a new overspray-free method that saves resources and is currently being readied for series operation. The term “overspray” refers to the mist of excess paint particles that forms when bodies are painted the conventional way. With the new technique, this mist no longer occurs. This makes it easier to paint in multiple colours as the laborious process of masking is no longer required. Overspray-free painting also helps save CO₂ emissions, as exhaust from the cabin requires less cleansing. In addition, it requires considerably less conditioned air, i.e. air that is brought to the exact temperature and humidity required for painting. As a result, less energy is needed to temper air and treat exhaust.

The burner technology used to dry the paint on contrast roofs was also converted for the start of MINI Countryman production and now consists of a bivalent system. The fuel-flexible burners can run on hydrogen (H2) as well as gas (methane, CH4) and even switch between the two while in operation. Five such bivalent hydrogen-capable burners are used to produce the contrast roofs for the MINI Countryman.

Further burners in the paintshop will also gradually switch to bivalent operations, with the next six hydrogen-capable burners just installed. This makes Leipzig a pioneer in the automotive industry and takes it ever closer to lower CO₂ emissions. “Our vision at Plant Leipzig is to decarbonise production as far as possible by replacing fossil fuels with green hydrogen,” said Petra Peterhänsel, explaining the long-term focus of the facility. This will require sufficient green hydrogen from a grid. A regional hydrogen grid is currently in planning, with Plant Leipzig set to benefit.

Steyr, Austria. The new halls for future e-drive production reached completion at the BMW Group site in Steyr. Construction began in September 2022, with the topping-out ceremony taking place exactly one year later. With some 60,000 square metres of production space, the 105 by 150-metre building was erected to a tight schedule. But now it’s standing. “The construction and installation of this production facility for Neue Klasse e-drives is running totally to plan. Now comes the next important stage, which is no less ambitious than the construction of the halls themselves,” explained Helmut Hochsteiner, head of electric drives at the BMW Group site in Steyr.

Approx. 300 items of plant and equipment worth over 500 million euros

Over the next few months, around 300 items of plant and equipment – many made to specification – will need to be installed, ready for pre-series production to launch as planned in July of this year. “The 300 machines are all shapes and sizes, from small, individual items to the over 30 metre-long ‘marriage’ station. Here, four robots and other systems will work in concert to fit the transmission to the main motor,” said Hochsteiner.

Klaus von Moltke, Senior Vice President of Engine Production at BMW AG and Plant Director of Steyr, outlined the economic dimensions of the project: “We are investing a total of more than 500 million euros in plant and equipment for Steyr, offering further confirmation of the BMW Group’s commitment to the site. Series production of e-drives for the Neue Klasse is scheduled for launch in the autumn of 2025.”

The first piece of plant was brought into the new assembly hall in the end of January. The ‘inaugural inhabitant’ is a crane that will lift power electronics components from the first floor – where inverter will be assembled in a clean-room – down to final assembly on the ground floor. Once the electronic parts have arrived, the inverter and e-drive will be ‘married’.

By 2030 the BMW Group will invest some 1 billion euros in total in e-drive production at its Steyr facility. The plant will manufacture over 600,000 e-drives a year alongside diesel and petrol units. Production of these will remain high as well, with combustion engines forming an important part of Steyr’s product portfolio well into the future.

Munich. A new era is dawning for BMW Group Plant Munich: from 2026, the iconic parent plant will produce the Neue Klasse sedan. Just one year later, the factory will manufacture nothing but all-electric models, making the Munich plant the first location in the BMW Group’s existing production network to have successfully completed the transformation to E-mobility from the end of 2027.

“The Munich plant is an excellent example of our ability to adapt. We are investing € 650 million here and will produce exclusively all-electric vehicles in our parent plant from the end of 2027,” says Milan Nedeljković, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Production. “Last year alone, six all-electric models went into production. At the same time, we also set a production record, proving that we are simultaneously able to both deliver and shape the future in our production network.”

Peter Weber, Director BMW Group Plant Munich, adds: “Munich is the beating heart of BMW. The plant in Munich is innovative and adaptable. As in the 1960s, a Neue Klasse is again laying the foundation, on which our plant is reinventing itself. The fact that this comprehensive transformation is taking place at the same time as roughly 1,000 vehicles per day are currently being manufactured is common practice in Munich and is possible thanks to the outstanding performance of all our employees. We are delighted to be guiding the Munich plant into a fully-electric future – starting with the Neue Klasse sedan.”

Smooth transition to electromobility, as the era of combustion automobiles from Munich ends in 2027

BMW Group Plant Munich is a prime example of the fluent transition to the era of electromobility. In 2015, the first plug-in hybrid models from the BMW 3 Series were manufactured on the same production line as combustion vehicles. In 2021, the BMW i4 became the first all-electric vehicle to be produced on the same production line. Nowadays, every second vehicle that rolls off the production line has an all-electric drive system.

From 2026, production of the Neue Klasse in the Munich plant will initially run parallel to production of current models. A good year later, from the end of 2027, the BMW Group’s parent plant will be the first existing site in the global production network to manufacture exclusively all-electric vehicles, having been transformed accordingly. As such, the era of vehicles with combustion engines in Munich will draw to a close 75 years after the launch of the BMW 501 in 1952.

After the start in the new plant in Debrecen, Hungary, and in Munich, the Neue Klasse vehicles will also be produced in Shenyang, China, and San Luis Potosí in Mexico.

Extensive modifications offer long-term security for location

Over the course of a history stretching back more than 100 years, BMW Group Plant Munich has undergone many changes and repeatedly reinvented itself. Together with the conversion from manufacturing aircraft engines to automobile construction, the successful introduction of the Neue Klasse in the 1960s is a milestone in the list of changes throughout the company’s history.

At the moment, multiple large construction sites are evidence of the turnaround, as they pave the way for the arrival of the Neue Klasse from 2026. The € 650 million of investment comprises four buildings, including a new vehicle assembly line with logistics areas and a new body shop.

In order to create the space within the limited floor space at the plant in the heart of Munich, the traditional engine manufacturing has been moved to Hams-Hall in Great Britain and Steyr in Austria after roughly 70 years at the parent plant. 1,200 employees have been trained for different production strategies in Munich or have taken up employment at other locations in the production network.

As in the 1960s and all other changes since, the current transformation of BMW Group Plant Munich is taking place whilst production is still ongoing. Regardless of the construction work, roughly 1,000 cars roll off the production line every day, including BMW 3 Series and the BMW i4 – all on the same assembly line.

The extensive reorientation of the plant secures a long-term future for the site in Munich, and is also a significant investment in Bavaria as an industrial location.

Digitalisation at the Munich plant in accordance with the principles of BMW iFACTORY

The principles of BMW iFACTORY guarantee the utmost flexibility, excellent processes and outstanding integrability at all sites within the BMW Group – from the completely new plant in Debrecen to the parent plant in Munich, which is over 100 years old and at which the transformation is in full swing. BMW iFACTORY is synonymous with the superb production expertise throughout the entire production network. One important aspect is a comprehensive digitalisation with a holistic approach to the interaction between people, processes and systems. It optimises processes and supports employees with their work. The implementation takes place in three areas: data science, artificial intelligence (AI) and virtualisation.

Munich. The BMW Group is to set up a state-of-the-art Talent Campus in Munich. The new building will be erected in the northeast of the home plant, on the site of the former carpark on Riesenfeldstraße. Together with Munich’s existing buildings and training spaces, the new structure will form an open campus that provides training and education for the BMW Group’s approx. 40,000 Munich-based employees – 900 trainees among them. It will be home not only to cutting-edge training spaces and workshops but also a staff restaurant and a public café. In addition, new green spaces will integrate production seamlessly into the neighbourhood. The new Talent Campus will open for business in the summer of 2025.

“Training and education are key to our transformation and to making the BMW Group electric, digital and circular. With the new Talent Campus, we are investing in a flexible, needs-based education infrastructure for our Munich site and adding another crucial component in the global training and education campaign that will make the BMW Group fit for the future,” said Ilka Horstmeier, Member of the Board of Management at BMW AG, People and Real Estate, Labour Relations Director.

Peter Weber, Director at BMW Group Plant Munich added: “BMW Group Plant Munich is currently preparing to produce the Neue Klasse, and our employees will be crucial to its success. I am very proud indeed that our main plant will be home to a cutting-edge training centre that will benefit the whole of the BMW Group. With the new centre, we are creating the infrastructure needed to ready specialists in every area of car production for the future.”

Martin Kimmich, Chairman of the General Works Council, BMW AG, emphasised: “The BMW AG Works Council has long been committed to this Talent Campus, and we are delighted that our vision is now becoming a reality, with construction about to start. Given the lack of skilled workers, investments in training and education are key for the future viability of our company.”

Timber structure

The new Talent Campus will be built largely from wood, which will also be visible on the façade. This will lend warmth to the interior as well as a natural look to the outside. The generous windows will let plenty of daylight into every part of the building for the optimum learning atmosphere. The spaces themselves will be open and usable in various ways, with layouts that can be modified and upgraded at any time. This will extend the life of the structure as it can be adapted to meet changing needs without requiring major building works. The entire building will offer barrier-free accessibility.

State-of-the-art learning environment

The combination of cutting-edge equipment, a high-tech learning environment and natural materials will offer perfect conditions for successful learning. The Talent Campus will allow BMW Group trainees and employees to develop all the skills they need for the future automotive industry. It will provide training and education for people across the Munich site. In addition, the aim is to make selected spaces available for public training courses. The new building will incorporate not just classrooms but also workshops, a staff canteen and a public café.

Leipzig. The production launch of the MINI Countryman marks a number of debuts and milestones: as the first MINI model to be made in Germany, the new MINI Countryman will roll off one and the same manufacturing line as the BMW 1 Series and 2 Series. Thanks to its flexible assembly structures, Plant Leipzig is in a position to produce two brands with three different drives – combustion, plug-in-hybrid and fully electric – all on the same production line.

Big Love is the motto of not just the MINI brand but also of the plant: Leipzig loves MINI and MINI loves Leipzig. Celebrating the production launch of the MINI Countryman today at a special event in the assembly hall were the BMW AG Board Member for Production, Milan Nedeljković; the Minister President of the state of Saxony, Michael Kretschmer; the head of the MINI brand, Stefanie Wurst; Mayor and Alderman for Business, Work and Digital Affairs, Clemens Schülke; various guests from politics and the media, and plant employees. To make sure everyone in the plant could experience the live broadcast of the celebration, the production lines stood still for almost 45 minutes.

Production of the largest MINI model to date marks an important step into the future of BMW Group Plant Leipzig. Since 2018 the company has invested some €700 million in the Saxony site to increase capacity and enable production of the MINI Countryman. In addition, this third generation of the vehicle will also be available with a fully electric drive. “Leipzig remains electrified,” said Plant Director Petra Peterhänsel.

“When it comes to the transformation,” Nedeljković emphasised, “skill and flexibility are crucial.” He added that the BMW Group had been quick to introduce and advance change: “Plant Leipzig plays a fundamental role in this regard. It was here that we launched production of the BMW i3 exactly ten years ago. We have since built on that, rolling the latest generation of electric cars out across our network.”

Nedeljković explained that all BMW Group plants are set up to produce different models with different drives – from combustion-powered to plug-in hybrid and fully electric – all on a single production line. But what’s special about Plant Leipzig, he added, is that its flexible production system is now being used for multiple brands for the very first time.

Michael Kretschmer, Minister President of Saxony, emphasised the importance of the BMW Group plant in Leipzig for the region and the federal state: “The BMW site in Leipzig is a success story of modern industrial production. Continued investments in the site and the launch of the MINI Countryman reaffirm the company’s commitment to ‘Autoland’ Saxony – and provide a boost for the entire regional economy, benefiting service providers and suppliers across the area.”

Clemens Schülke, Mayor and Alderman for Business, Work and Digital Affairs of the city of Leipzig was visibly pleased about the ‘new Leipziger’: “In my view, BMW Leipzig is an absolute success story. That’s why I am really looking forward to the next chapter: the first German MINI will be a genuine ‘Leipziger’. This model demonstrates the power and flexibility of our strong automotive cluster.”

Stefanie Wurst, head of MINI, detailed the characteristics of the new MINI Countryman: “The first MINI made in Germany stands for superior environmental credentials, not just as a product but equally in terms of its production. Its versatility and powerful, efficient drives make it the perfect companion for the city – but also for adventures beyond.”

Plant Director Petra Peterhänsel emphasised the importance of the MINI Countryman for the future of Plant Leipzig: “Today is a historical day for our site. As the plant develops and production of the MINI Countryman gets underway, our headcount will increase by over 1,000 by the end of 2024.”

“Today, we can see once again just how important our plant here in Leipzig is for the production network as a whole,” pointed out Works Council Chairman Jens Köhler as he thanked the BMW Group for their trust.

Hosting the event was the radio and television presenter Roman Knoblauch. But in addition to the MINI Countryman in Smokey Green with a contrast roof in Energy Silver, there was a secret star of the show: Spike, MINI’s digital friend. As the Intelligent Personal Assistant, Spike will support drivers of the new MINI model family and make the cars even more fun to use.

Leipzig. The start of MINI Countryman production marks a number of firsts and milestones for BMW Group Plant Leipzig: for the first time, a MINI model is being made in Germany – on the same production line as the BMW 1 Series and 2 Series. It’s all made possible by the plant’s flexible structures and development. Over the last five years the BMW Group has invested €700 million to ready Leipzig for increased vehicle volumes and adapt it for MINI-specific requirements. By the end of 2024 the workforce in production will increase by over 900. In addition, the new MINI Countryman is a catalyst for innovations in sustainable production.

“By launching production of the MINI Countryman here in Leipzig, we are introducing multibrand operations to our flexible production system,” explained Milan Nedeljković, Board Member for Production. “Plant Leipzig also offers a number of highlights in terms of resource conservation in production, providing further evidence of the successful rollout of our long-term masterplan: the BMW iFACTORY.”

Seamless integration through flexible structures 

When it comes to production of the new MINI Countryman, the BMW Group is building on the skills and extreme flexibility of Plant Leipzig to forge new pathways in manufacturing. Seamlessly integrated into the production process, the MINI Countryman now rolls off the same assembly line as the BMW 1 Series, BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé and BMW 2 Series Active Tourer.

Thanks to its flexible assembly structures, Plant Leipzig is in a position to produce two brands with three different drives – combustion, plug-in-hybrid and fully electric – all on the same production line. The third-generation MINI Countryman will be available with a petrol, diesel or fully electric powertrain, with the high-voltage batteries for the MINI Countryman Electric also being made in Leipzig. It will reach dealerships on 17 February 2024.

Investments and recruitment to increase production volume

The BMW Group has invested some €500 million in Leipzig to increase production volume for new models. Since 2018 the bodyshop, paintshop, assembly and logistics have undergone extensive additions and upgrades, taking production capacity up from 250,000 units previously, to as much as 350,000 units a year at present.

To adapt the production system to MINI-specific requirements, the BMW Group invested around €200 million. Initially approx. 100 MINI Countryman cars a day will roll off the production lines, rising to 500 during the course of next year – in addition to the almost 1,000 BMW cars already coming out of the factory every day. This will not only secure existing jobs but also create up to 900 new ones in vehicle production alone.

Electromobility and MINI production drive development

Another important milestone in the development and extension of Plant Leipzig is its transition to electromobility. “Leipzig remains electric,” says a cheerful Petra Peterhänsel, Plant Director. “With the BMW i3 and i8, we were at the vanguard of e-mobility at the BMW Group, and from 2024, we will be producing our next fully electric car: the MINI Countryman Electric. We will manufacture the high-voltage batteries for it in-house as well.”

Starting next year BMW Group Plant Leipzig will run the entire production process for the current fifth generation of high-voltage batteries. This consists of three stages: cell coating, module production and battery assembly. The five cell coating lines, three module production lines and the first high-voltage battery assembly lines are all in the process of going into operation, with a second high-voltage battery assembly line scheduled for launch in 2024.

Capacity for e-component production has also been increasing, since 2021, making Plant Leipzig an important a supplier across the BMW production network. The parts are used in fully electric vehicles such as the BMW iX1, BMW i4, BMW i5 and BMW iX. E-component production in Leipzig currently employs over 800 people, and there are plans to develop it further, with investments totalling more than €800 million.

Sustainable materials and production 

The MINI Countryman Electric is a major step in the MINI brand’s transition to full electrification by 2030 and combines an electrified go-kart feel with a reduced environmental footprint. In developing the new model, the MINI brand’s responsible attitude was very much in the focus with regard to materials and production: chrome no longer features anywhere in the interior or exterior, and the light-metal alloy wheels are cast from up to 70 percent secondary aluminium. The permanently electrically excited synchronous motors are highly efficient and made entirely without rare earth minerals.

The interior is made purely from innovative, high-quality materials that are easy on the environment. The dashboard, door facias, floor covering and foot mats, for example, are made of recycled textiles. A high-quality alternative to conventional materials such as plastics, recycled textiles reduce CO₂ emissions along the value chain and require less water to manufacture.

Innovative painting method for contrast roof 

One of the striking design features of the MINI exterior is the contrast roof, which can be ordered in a different colour from the rest of the body. In the MINI Countryman it will be painted using a new, resource-friendly method known as overspray-free painting. Currently being readied for series operation, overspray-free painting does away with the excess paint – or overspray – generated by conventional painting methods and makes surfaces with more than one colour easier to produce, as they no longer require the laborious process of masking. Overspray-free painting also helps save CO₂ emissions, as exhaust air from the cabin requires less cleansing. Plus it requires considerably less conditioned air, i.e. air that is brought to a set temperature and humidity. As a result, less energy is needed to temper air and treat exhaust.

Another sustainable innovation operating at Plant Leipzig is the burner technology used to dry the paint on contrast roofs. Last year Leipzig became the first car plant in the world to pilot the new technology, which can run on not only natural gas but also hydrogen. The flexible burners can burn hydrogen (H2), natural gas (methane – CH4) or a mixture of the two and can even switch between them without having to halt operations. After successful tests, Plant Leipzig has now installed five hydrogen-capable bivalent burners for series operations, which are now being used for the contrast roof of the MINI Countryman. Plans are in place to convert further burners in the paintshop to bivalent operations.

Plant Leipzig – Built for sustainability

At Plant Leipzig, the focus has always been very much on efficient processes and a long-term strategy for energy generation and consumption, ever since planning began. “Sustainability is in the DNA of BMW Group Plant Leipzig. There’s one example that everyone can see: our four wind turbines, which generate electricity for the plant,” Petra Peterhänsel explained. They were erected in 2013 and deliver 10 MW (generating approx.  25 GWh/year). The second milestone came in 2017, when the battery storage farm went on stream. Equipped with up to 700 second-life high-voltage batteries from BMW i3 vehicles, it offers interim electricity storage for energy from the wind turbines and elsewhere, helping to optimise local energy management and stabilise the grid.

“Our vision at Plant Leipzig is to decarbonise production as far as possible by replacing fossil fuels with green hydrogen,” said Petra Peterhänsel, explaining the long-term focus of the facility. This will require sufficient green hydrogen from a grid. A regional hydrogen grid is currently in planning, with Plant Leipzig set to benefit.

Munich/Parsdorf. A tiny piece of the future began rolling off the production line in Parsdorf today: 95 millimetres tall, cylinder-shaped, with a diameter of 46 millimetres. These are the new battery cell samples – like those that will be used in the models of the Neue Klasse from 2025 onwards – being produced at the new Cell Manufacturing Competence Centre (CMCC) in Parsdorf. The BMW Group is thus positioning itself to ramp up electromobility efficiently and showcasing its leading role in battery cell technology.

“With the Cell Manufacturing Competence Centre, we are strengthening Germany’s capacity for innovation,” explained Milan Nedeljković, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Production. “In this way, we are making an important contribution to the quantum leap in technology in the Neue Klasse.”

“Production of battery cell samples in Parsdorf marks the next logical step in our battery cell strategy,” said Frank Weber, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Development. “The Cell Manufacturing Competence Centre is the perfect complement to our existing Battery Cell Competence Centre in the north of Munich. Development takes place there, then we scale the best product towards a series process in Parsdorf. Thanks to cross-divisional collaboration, we are able to link product and process in a unique way.”

The CMCC in Parsdorf will enable the BMW Group to span the whole cell value creation process. With this know-how, the company is setting benchmarks for production, quality, performance, costs and environmental standards, which it is implementing in close cooperation with its partners for standard production of battery cells. At its battery cell competence centres in Munich and Parsdorf, the BMW Group is systematically pursuing future milestones, such as the ramp-up of the sixth generation of BMW electric drive trains and development of all-solid-state batteries (ASSB). About 80 employees work at the 15,000-square-metre Cell Manufacturing Competence Centre, which has benefited from a total investment of around 170 million euros. The German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy are supporting the project within the framework of the European funding process IPCEI (Important Projects of Common European Interest).

Recycling at the CMCC: Keeping materials in the loop

Raw materials are among the significant cost factors for cell production. Efficient and responsible use of raw and carrier material is therefore necessary and makes sense from both an environmental and economic perspective. At the new CMCC, experience will be gained from all processes and the lessons learned analysed to further optimise the use of resources. Residual materials from the production process will be collected at the CMCC, sorted and fed back into the cell production cycle. In addition to working on the cell manufacturing process, BMW Group experts are also focusing on reusing materials and components from the whole battery after its initial use in the vehicle.

At the Battery Cell Competence Centre (BCCC) in Munich, the first battery cells made from 100% recycled and/or secondary (battery-grade) cathode material have been manufactured and tested using state-of-the-art characterisation methods. Our cell suppliers are already delivering battery cells containing secondary raw materials (e.g. nickel) from various used-battery sources (incl. production waste). The long-term aim of the BMW Group is to reuse all raw materials in recyclable high-voltage batteries.

How the cell is created: Production steps for sample manufacturing at the CMCC

Cell manufacturing begins with electrode production. Here the base material, comprising, for example, graphite for the anode and nickel oxides for the cathode, with binders and solvents, is metered and mixed in a precisely measured ratio. This creates the so-called “slurry” – which means wafer-thin metal foils are coated and then compressed after drying. In technical jargon, this is referred to as “calendering”. The highest level of precision is required: The foil is just a few micrometres thick – in other words, thinner than the threads of a spider web, while the coating is in the micrometre range. During cell assembly, the coated foils, referred to as calendered electrodes, are wound into so-called “jelly rolls” using the separator and inserted into the cell housing. The cells are filled with electrolyte, then charged for the first time and finally checked for functionality and quality.

CMCC Parsdorf: Buildings with a focus on the environment

The CMCC in Parsdorf is built to high environmental standards. An immission control approval procedure has been carried out for the technical installations used in battery cell production – ensuring that the company complies with all requirements and guidelines. The CMCC will also operate fossil-free, relying on electricity produced using renewable energy, including from photovoltaic systems on the roof of the building. The building will also be supplied with regenerative heat produced using state-of-the-art groundwater and air heat pumps.

Sixth-generation BMW battery technology: New cell format and enhanced cell chemistry

The battery cell is responsible for electric vehicles’ core properties: range, driving performance and charging time. With the new BMW round cell specially designed for the electric architecture of the Neue Klasse models, it will be possible to significantly increase the range of the top model by up to 30 percent (according to WLTP).

The new BMW round cells come with a standard diameter of 46 millimetres and two different heights of 95 millimetres and 120 millimetres. Compared to the prismatic cells of the fifth BMW battery cell generation, the nickel content of the sixth-generation BMW round cells will be higher on the cathode side, while the cobalt content will be reduced. On the anode side, the silicon content will be increased. As a result, the cell’s volumetric energy density will improve by more than 20 percent.

Battery, drive train and charging technology in the Neue Klasse will have a higher voltage of 800 volts. Among other things, this will optimise how energy is supplied to direct current high-power charging stations, which can achieve a much higher charging capacity with a current of up to 500 amperes – thus reducing the time it takes to charge from ten to 80 percent by up to 30 percent.

Reducing the carbon footprint of battery cell production by up to 60 percent

The BMW Group is particularly focused on keeping the carbon footprint and resource consumption of production as low as possible, starting in the supply chain. For standard production of battery cells, the cell manufacturers commissioned will use cobalt, lithium and nickel containing secondary material. Together with the commitment by its cell suppliers to use only green power from renewable energies in production, the BMW Group will reduce the carbon footprint from battery cell production by up to 60 percent, compared to the current generation of battery cells.

Dingolfing. The green spaces and flowering meadows at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing are alive with crawling, buzzing and flying creatures. In addition to the many bird species, butterflies and grasshoppers, bees and dragonflies also feel at home here. The site in Lower Bavaria is constantly working to preserve and increase biodiversity on the plant grounds. Measures range from creating flowering meadows, biotopes and greened roofs, to establishing bee colonies and carefully managing the site’s green spaces. External biologists support the plant’s own sustainability specialists with their professional expertise.

“We see ourselves as a partner for the region that takes environmental and social responsibility,” confirms Plant Director Christoph Schröder. “This is one of the reasons why we are not only making our plant more and more green in the broader sense – by improving energy savings and resource efficiency in vehicle production – but also in the literal sense, by promoting biological diversity around our production halls and office buildings.”

Growing number of greened roofs and green spaces

In spring 2020, Plant 02.10 became the first production building at the BMW Group site in Dingolfing to install a greened roof. Rooftop greening has since been significantly expanded from the 4,000-square-metre roof that was freshly sown at that time. By the end of 2023, a total of around 31,000 square metres of roof surfaces will be greened – an area the size of about five soccer fields. The extensive, near-natural greened roofs provide food and a place of refuge for wild bees, butterflies and beetles, among others. Planted with herbaceous and flowering sedum plants, these industrial greened roofs not only create a habitat for insects, but also have a positive effect on the indoor climate in the halls below them. In summer, evaporation produces a cooling effect; during the colder months, greened roofs help with heat insulation. The roof structure also serves as a retention tank: Rainwater is absorbed and released with a delay, which means fewer infiltration systems are required across the grounds. Greened roofs can store an average of 40 litres of water per square metre. 

BMW Group Plant Dingolfing is also turning more and more of its green spaces into flowerbeds, as well as creating biotopes and planting fruit trees. “Only recently, for example, green spaces around Plant 02.20 were upgraded by creating an orchard and a biotope area,” explains Irene Auburger, responsible for biodiversity issues at the site. There are currently over 100 fruit trees across the site that were planted within the past two to three years. There are also a large number of other native tree species, including oaks, beech trees and maples, as well as wild cherries and hawthorns. The grounds of Vehicle Plant 02.40 alone are home to more than 1,000 trees. Green spaces are now also mowed less frequently to expand the ecological habitats. Switching to low-maintenance grass means that most areas are now only mowed twice a year. The grass is also mowed in two sections to ensure the insects always have somewhere to live.

Mini-forest at the heart of the plant

“Our goal is to increase the ratio of flowering and green spaces at the plant as much as possible. For instance, in the near future, we will be planting autochthonous, i.e. native, wild hedges, to make our site even more biodiverse,” says Auburger. "We also plan to create a tiny forest at Plant 02.40. This very densely-planted, fast-growing mini-forest will quickly form a resilient ecosystem – a piece of wilderness right in the middle of the plant, so to speak, where insects, birds and small mammals can live. Only native trees will be planted in this tiny forest as well.”

New homes for even more plant bees

Expanding near-natural areas also enriches the bees' pollen-gathering area. The hard-working honey producers have made the site their home since 2019. The bee-keeping project was the idea of apiarist and BMW Group employee Stefan Fleischmann, who still takes care of the insects’ well-being and also handles breeding. “We are currently in the process of establishing new bee colonies – and would love to make the plant home to a million bees,” says the bee-keeper. The number of beehives in the Dingolfing plant cluster network has now increased to over 20.

In the future, the plant’s bees won’t just "do their work" at Vehicle Plant 02.40, but also at Plant 02.20 and Plant 02.70 – the Dynamics Centre – where two to four new bee colonies will be established. Nevertheless, Vehicle Plant 02.40 will still house most of the bees. Two new beehives, as the wooden structures in which honey bees make their home are called, are located near the administration building, while the rest live in a new “bee wagon” on the west side of the grounds. Fleischmann expanded and converted the wagon himself. Two large flaps on each of the longer sides form entrances and exits for the bees. "It helps me stay dry while I’m working with the bees and also protects the colonies," says the bee-keeping expert. The wagon can accommodate up to 30 colonies. Depending on the time of year, each colony has between 5,000 and 50,000 bees. “As pollinators, bees are of tremendous ecological importance. That’s why it is important to us to protect and support these insects," says Auburger.

Reduced lighting

By gradually reducing its light emissions, the site is also helping protect insects and birds – and thus preserving biodiversity. At Plant 02.91 in Wallersdorf, night-time lighting has already been reduced by about 30 percent during operating hours and by as much as 90 percent outside of operating hours. As little lighting is used as possible and only where absolutely necessary. This ensures that insects and birds are no longer disturbed in their natural behaviour by excessive light during dark hours.

Further information

BMW Group Plant Dingolfing documents its wide-ranging activities in the field of environmental and climate protection in its current environmental statement. The report, which has been validated by the German Technical Inspection Association (TÜV), is available under the following link on the BMW Group Dingolfing webpage:

https://www.bmwgroup-werke.com/dingolfing/en/sustainability/cleanproduction.html

Captions

Photo 01: Almost 32,000 m2 of the factory roofs of the BMW Group Plant in Dingolfing will be greened by end of 2023.

Photo 03: The new mobile bee truck in the 02.40 plant provides shelter for several bee colonies at the same time.

Photo 04: Planned increase to over 1 million bees at the site.

Photo 05: Biotopes in plants 02.40, 02.20 and 02.70 serve as green compensation areas and habitat for insects and small mammals.

Photo 06: Biotopes at the site promote biodiversity.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Julian Friedrich, BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, head of Communications

Telephone: 49 8731 76 22020, Email: Julian.Friedrich@bmw.de  

Bianca Hölzl, BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, Communications

Telephone: +49 8731 76 25434, Email: Bianca.Hoelzl@bmw.de.

Media website: https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en www.bmw-werk-dingolfing.de

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmwgroupwerkdingolfing/

Email: presse@bmw.de

BMW Group Plant Dingolfing

Plant Dingolfing is the BMW Group’s largest European production site.

Over 1,500 BMW 4 Series, 5 Series, 6 Series, 7 Series and 8 Series cars, as well as the fully-electric BMW iX, come off its production lines every day. Around 282,000 vehicles were built at the plant in 2022.

More than 18,000 people currently work at the site and 850 apprentices are being trained in 15 occupations. This makes the BMW Group site in Dingolfing not only the region's biggest employer by far, but also one of the country's largest industrial production sites and vocational training facilities.

In addition to cars, vehicle components such as pressed parts and chassis and drive systems are also produced in Dingolfing. Component plant 02.20 is also home to the company-wide Competence Centre for E-Drive Production, which supplies the BMW Group’s vehicle plants worldwide with electric motors and high-voltage batteries for production of plug-in hybrids and pure electric models.

The car bodies for all Rolls-Royce models are also built at the site. The so-called Dynamics Centre, a large storage and transshipment facility at the heart of the BMW Group’s aftersales logistics, provides the global BMW and MINI retailer organisation with original parts and equipment.

Dingolfing. The new BMW 5 Series, including the all-new fully-electric BMW i5, celebrated the official start of production today at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, in the presence of Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder. The site in Lower Bavaria, which is celebrating 50 years of BMW automotive production in 2023, has now ramped up its third fully-electric model in two years, following the BMW iX and BMW i7. Pure battery-electric vehicles’ share of total production at the BMW Group’s largest European manufacturing location is projected to increase to over 40 percent next year.

Milan Nedeljković, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Production, explained in Dingolfing today: “The BMW i5 and our plant in Dingolfing are perfect examples of how the BMW Group is transforming itself for e-mobility and developing our plants on the road to the BMW iFACTORY. E-mobility is the new normal at our plants worldwide. Between 2021 and 2024, we will have integrated a total of 15 fully-electric vehicles into our production network.”

To achieve this, the BMW Group is relying on flexible architectures and offering most of its models to customers around the world with different drive train variants. The BMW 5 Series – like the BMW 7 Series and BMW X1 before it – will be available with a fully-electric drive train or internal combustion engine, or as a plug-in hybrid. This requires a high degree of flexibility, but allows the company to utilise its plants’ capacity efficiently and adjust its offering to customer demand. Nedeljković: “We are following the market. Customer requirements determine what the actual drive train mix looks like.” This has been made possible by extensive investments in the production network. The BMW Group has invested more than one billion euros in integrating the BMW iX, BMW 7 Series and BMW 5 Series at the Dingolfing vehicle plant.

As Dingolfing's core model, BMW 5 Series injects new impetus

Over the next few years, Plant Director Christoph Schröder expects the launch of the new BMW 5 Series to boost the plant’s production numbers: “The BMW 5 Series has traditionally been Dingolfing’s core model and will provide valuable impetus for volumes again this time.” In 2022, more than 280,000 vehicles came off the assembly line at Plant Dingolfing. Over the coming year, with the start of production for the BMW 5 Series Touring and the eighth-generation BMW M5 models, Schröder expects that number to climb to well over 300,000 vehicles. Stefan Danner, Deputy Chairman of the Dingolfing Works Council, adds: “Along with the successful transition to e-mobility, the BMW 5 Series is central to long-term capacity utilisation at our plant, as well as securing jobs.”

50 years of BMW cars from Dingolfing

Of the roughly 12 million BMW vehicles built at the location to date, a total of eight million, i.e. two thirds, are BMW 5 Series models. This is closely tied to the history of Plant Dingolfing. Exactly 50 years ago, back in September 1973, the very first BMW car rolled off the production line at the new vehicle plant – a first-generation tangerine-coloured BMW 520i. Since then, the plant in Lower Bavaria has become one of the most prominent locations in the automotive industry – and an engine for economic development in the region. The annual wage bill for the more than 18,000 BMW employees in Dingolfing is over one billion euros, and the plant contracts with around 1,000 suppliers from Lower Bavaria. In addition to investing in the Dingolfing vehicle plant, the BMW Group has also channelled more than one billion euros into production of electric powertrain components at the location since 2015.

The vision of the BMW iFACTORY

As with the decision to build Plant Dingolfing during the oil crisis of the early 1970s, the entrepreneurial vision of the BMW Group is still very much in evidence at the site today. Thanks to extensive investment, Plant Dingolfing is extremely well equipped for the future – and the transition to the BMW iFACTORY is tangible. The best example of this development in the areas of "lean" and "digital" is winning the renowned Automotive Lean Production Award in 2022. The Technology Assembly was recognised for the rollout of intelligent camera systems for quality monitoring (AIQX), for example, as well as smart logistics solutions and the IT platform IPS-i for identification and localisation of objects. Last year, the plant also piloted Automated Driving In-Plant (AFW), deploying the new BMW 7 Series along routes between the assembly hall and the finish area. This is being rolled out on a larger scale with the launch of the new BMW 5 Series.

In the field of sustainability – the “green” aspect of the BMW iFACTORY – the site has stepped up its activities in different areas in recent years: from promoting biodiversity on plant grounds, to preventing and recycling waste so only around 600 grams of waste for disposal remain per vehicle produced, up to and including decarbonisation measures. In addition to sourcing green power, the location has also signed a far-reaching contract for the supply of locally-produced heat from regional biomass for heating purposes. This will meet around half the plant’s process hot water requirements from the middle of the decade onwards, reducing its CO₂ emissions by 10-15% as a result.

Important decisions for the future

Nedeljković sees the recent investments in the transformation of Dingolfing and the other Bavarian plants as a firm commitment on the part of the BMW Group to Bavaria as a manufacturing location: “Nine out of ten BMW vehicles produced are sold to customers outside of Germany these days. Despite this, we still have more than half our employees here, especially in Bavaria – and, for all the internationalisation needed to achieve globally balanced growth, Bavaria remains an important pillar of the BMW Group and its production network.”

+++ Landmark vehicle is fully-electric BMW iX1 in Alpine White +++ Plant Director Carsten Regent: “BMW Group in Regensburg builds highly attractive electric vehicles for premium compact class – BMW iX1 is very popular with customers around the world”

Regensburg. Today’s production landmark marks another milestone in the nearly 40-year history of the BMW Group’s Regensburg location, as the one-millionth BMW X1 rolled off the Regensburg assembly line late in the morning. The milestone vehicle is a BMW iX1 battery electric vehicle (BEV) in Alpine White. The BMW X1 is BMW’s smallest Sports Activity Vehicle – and became the first fully-electric model produced at the BMW Group location in Regensburg in November 2022.

“The BMW iX1 is proof that we can build highly attractive electric vehicles for the premium compact class at our plant in Regensburg. This a very popular car with customers around the world,” says Plant Director Carsten Regent. “To meet different market requirements worldwide, we rely as a company on technological diversity. Specifically, here in Regensburg, we have the flexibility to produce different types of drive train for the BMW X1 on a single production line – models with a combustion engine and plug-in hybrid systems, as well as with a pure electric drive train.”

In this year’s readers’ choice for the trade journal auto, motor und sport’s “Best Cars 2023”, the pure electric BMW iX1 xDrive30* from Regensburg came out on top, with 8.4 percent of votes. It won best-in-class in the compact SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) segment, closely followed by the conventionally-powered variant of the compact Sports Activity Vehicle (8.3 percent), which is also built at the site.

From the end of this year, BMW Group Plant Regensburg will also produce a second BMW BEV, the fully-electric BMW iX2, in Upper Palatinate for the high-volume compact class. “Electromobility is a growth driver for our plant. We are currently operating at full capacity and hope this trend will continue,” says Regent.

As previously announced in March, the BMW Group will invest more than 350 million euros in vehicle production in Regensburg by the end of the year, creating permanent jobs for around 500 new employees. “We are still recruiting production staff for our plant. In November, we will add an additional night shift and transition to three-shift operation. We are already working extra shifts on certain Saturdays,” confirms Davide Vitolo, head of Human Resources at BMW Group Plant Regensburg.

A total of up to 1,000 units of the BMW 1 Series, BMW X1 and BMW X2 models are currently coming off the production line at Plant Regensburg every workday, destined for customers all over the world. BMW Group Plant Regensburg recently became the automotive industry's first plant worldwide to use an end-to-end digitalised and automated process for inspection, processing and marking of painted vehicle surfaces in standard production that relies on robots controlled by AI (artificial intelligence). This represents another step towards the digital and intelligently connected BMW iFACTORY for the facility in Upper Palatinate. The entire plant was already digitally measured in 3D in 2022 as part of a pilot project. The resulting “digital twin” of BMW Group Plant Regensburg enables highly efficient planning of future plant structures and production facilities.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Saskia Graser

BMW Group Corporate and Governmental Affairs
Acting head of Communications Regensburg and Wackersdorf
Cell phone: +49 151 6040 3232
Email: Saskia.Graser@bmw.de
Media website: https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en
Email: presse@bmw.de

BMW Group Plants Regensburg and Wackersdorf

The BMW Group has viewed itself for decades as the benchmark for production technology and operational excellence in vehicle construction – including at its locations in Regensburg and Wackersdorf.
The BMW Group vehicle plant in Regensburg has been in operation since 1986 and is one of more than 30 BMW Group production locations worldwide. A total of up to 1,000 vehicles of the BMW 1 Series, BMW X1 and BMW X2 models come off the production line at Plant Regensburg every workday – destined for customers all over the world. Different types of drive trains are flexibly manufactured on a single production line – from vehicles with internal combustion engines to plug-in hybrids, to fully-electric models.

High-voltage batteries for the electric models built in Regensburg are also produced locally, in direct proximity to the vehicle plant. They are assembled at the electric component production facility, which opened in 2021 at the Leibnizstrasse location.
BMW Innovation Park Wackersdorf also belongs to the Regensburg site. The 55-hectare campus built in the 1980s was originally intended as a nuclear reprocessing facility. The BMW Group has located its cockpit production there, as well as its parts supply for overseas plants. BMW is largest employer, with other companies also based at Innovation Park Wackersdorf. A total of around 2,500 employees work there.

The BMW Group core staff at the Regensburg and Wackersdorf locations in eastern Bavaria is made up of around 9,000 employees, including more than 300 apprentices.

www.bmwgroup-werke.com/regensburg/de.html

Munich. BMW Group Plant Munich has had two busy days, and that despite the fact that not a single car has been built! To mark the 100^th anniversary of the Munich parent plant, the BMW Group invited all employees from the Munich site to the anniversary celebrations along with their friends and family. Over the course of Saturday and Sunday, around 70,000 people came and enjoyed an exciting stage program, spectacular driving events and special insights into production.

“Together we can make history! In the past, it is you who have always kept our home plant firmly on the road to success and it is you who will now lead it into the future together,” said Milan Nedeljković, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Production. Plant Munich is currently undergoing major renovations for the start of production for the Neue Klasse in 2026, including the construction of three new buildings for the body shop and assembly complete with logistics areas. The head of Production made sure to emphasize: “We are quite literally leaving no stone unturned here, and yet you are keeping the plant up and running smoothly. This ambidexterity is exactly what makes the plant so special.”

Clocking up hours worked for charity donations

 Ilka Horstmeier, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, People and Real Estate, also took the time to highlight the great dedication of the BMW workforce as she thanked the more than one thousand volunteers from all BMW locations across Munich who ensured the anniversary went off without a hitch and with such a great atmosphere. The hours the employees put in across both days were not remunerated but were instead donated in cash to five Munich charities.

“The dedication shown by our employees is extraordinary. After all, we not only celebrated our plant anniversary, but also gave a helping hand to many Munich residents in need, raising a total of 150,000 euros for social causes. This reaffirms that we are a responsible employer that also takes responsibility for society. That’s just the BMW way,” added Horstmeier. Representatives from the Münchner Tafel, the Arche, Verein Zivilcourage für Alle, Horizont e.V. and the crisis intervention team at ASB München all accepted the donation vouchers in person from Ilka Horstmeier, Plant Manager Peter Weber and Martin Kimmich, Chairman of the General Works Council.

To symbolize the structural and technological transformation of Plant Munich, the Member of the Board for Production, Plant Manager and Works Council Chair filled a time capsule that will be integrated into the construction area of the new body shop. Construction of the new hall is set to begin imminently. “Despite the new work underway, we will continue to produce more than 900 premium quality BMWs every day at Plant Munich. We all have to show great flexibility and commitment to achieve this, but we see this challenge as an opportunity to shape a successful future for our plant. And there’s no doubt in my mind that, with such a motivated and highly qualified team, the plant’s transformation to e-mobility and the iFACTORY can only succeed,” said plant manager Peter Weber.

By employees for employees

 BMW employees not only handled most of the organization of the BMW anniversary celebrations themselves, but they also designed a diverse program over more than 25 different stations. Whether blues, rock, pop, cabaret or classical music – talent from various BMW locations performed on the two event stages. Plant Munich employees also gave tours of the production halls, presented their workplaces, introduced innovations, and informed guests about ongoing structural changes at the plant.

A former Plant Munich employee treated guests to another highlight: comedian and composer Willy Astor, who in his youth completed his training as a toolmaker at the plant, took to the BMW anniversary stage to delight visitors with his latest show.

Also popular were the shows from the “RedBull Driftbrothers”, the children’s motorcycle course and the driving sessions from the BMW Driving Academy. Plus, guests were able to tuck into a variety of culinary delights at around 30 food trucks as well as in the plant’s very own restaurant.

“It’s just incredible what the workforce has put together for these two days,” says Martin Kimmich, Chairman of the BMW General Works Council. “This reflects the one-of-a-kind BMW team spirit as well as our colleagues’ keen interest in social responsibility. As an important employer for the city located right in the heart of Munich, we were delighted to provide an insight into the transformation of our main plant for the future.”

A good neighbor

As a production site right at the heart of the Bavarian state capital of Munich, the plant also plays an important role as a neighbor. Alongside supporting local associations and organizations in the north of Munich, the company places a great deal of value on maintaining personal dialogue with the plant’s immediate neighborhood. Around 80 neighbors accepted the invitation to attend the BMW anniversary celebrations and were given a guided tour of the plant site.

The “BMW Munich – Urban Production” architectural competition, which was successfully completed last year, also serves to promote good relations and a livable environment. The designs from the two winning firms take the plant’s unique location at the heart of the city into account and aim to make the entire complex visibly more accessible and open to the neighborhood. This vision for the future of the Munich production site lays the groundwork for the development of a big-picture plan beyond 2026.

Both the big-picture plan and the structural optimizations already planned to produce the Neue Klasse help align Plant Munich with the principles of the BMW iFactory for the future: “LEAN. GREEN. DIGITAL.” Together, they guarantee maximum flexibility, outstanding processes, and top integration potential over the coming decades for this special location – the BMW Group’s 100-year-old parent plant.

(Editorial note: The BMW anniversary celebrations were actually held in Plant Munich’s 101^st year. When planning started back in 2021, the organizational team were unable to predict whether an event for the originally planned date of fall 2022 would be possible due to potential Covid restrictions.)

Richmond Hill, ON.  Today BMW Group Canada and Electrify Canada announced an agreement to provide customers of the all-electric BMW i7 luxury sedan three years of complimentary charging across the Electrify Canada network for first owners, beginning from the date of vehicle purchase. Drivers will access charging, charging history, locate stations, or check the status of chargers through the Electrify Canada mobile app.

“As leaders in the luxury segment, we want to provide our flagship i7 customers with a premium charging experience,” said David George, President and CEO of BMW Group Canada. “This charging agreement with Electrify Canada gives i7 owners a fast and convenient way to charge their vehicles when out-of-home and helps make a further case to go electric.”

BMW’s flagship 7 Series has received an all-electric powertrain for the very first time in the i7 and has a range of up to 512 km, according to Natural Resources Canada. Customers who already took delivery of their i7 before program launch will receive three years of free charging from the start date of the program.

“We’re excited to continue our work with BMW and extend it to Canada to help even more of their customers feel confident taking their EVs wherever they need to go,” said Rob Barrosa, Vice President of Technology at Electrify Canada and Electrify America. “As more EVs like the BMW i7 come to market, fast-charging solutions from Electrify Canada and our ongoing work to expand charging access for customers, will be critical to increasing EV adoption.”

To learn more about the charging process, owners can visit the “What to expect when charging an electric vehicle” page on Electrify Canada’s website. In addition,customers can direct any questions or request guidance from Electrify Canada’s 24-hour Customer Contact Centre at 1-833-231-3226.

To learn more about the BMW i7, please visit: BMW Canada - The New i7.

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BMW Group in Canada

BMW Group Canada, based in Richmond Hill, Ontario, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BMW AG and is responsible for the distribution of BMW luxury performance automobiles, Sports Activity Vehicles, Motorcycles, and MINI.  BMW Group Financial Services Canada is a division of BMW Group Canada and offers retail financing and leasing programs and protection products on new and pre-owned BMW and MINI automobiles, as well as retail financing for new and pre-owned BMW Motorcycles. A total network of 50 BMW automobile retail centres, 21 BMW motorcycle retailers, and 31 MINI retailers represents the BMW Group across the country.

For more information, please contact:

Marc Belcourt

Director, Corporate Communications

BMW Group Canada

905-428-5078 / marc.belcourt@bmwgroup.ca                                             

Jean-Francois Taylor

Product and Technology Manager, Corporate Communications

BMW Group Canada

905-428-5366 / jean-francois.taylor@bmwgroup.ca

About Electrify Canada

Electrify Canada was established in July 2018.  Electrify Canada’s goal is to promote greater Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) adoption by building a transformative, open DC fast charging network that gives Canadians the speed and reliability to confidently make the switch to electric. Electrify Canada’s Electrify Home® offers home charging solutions for consumers with flexible installation options. Electrify Commercial® provides expert solutions for businesses looking to develop electric vehicle charging programs. For more information, visit: electrify-canada.ca. 

For Electrify Canada inquiries, contact:

Agathe Maillard, Zeno Group Canada

Phone: 647-898-7488

Email: agathe.maillard@zenogroup.com

Octavio Navarro, Technology & Product Communications

Phone: 571-325-7273

Email: Octavio.navarro@electrifyAmerica.com

+++ 50 years – 50 vehicles: Limited small series marks BMW M GmbH anniversary +++ Special model’s exclusive design accents come from BMW Group Plant Landshut’s custom paint shop +++

Landshut. To mark its 50th anniversary, BMW M GmbH, the BMW Group’s motorsports subsidiary, which was founded in 1972, has unveiled the most exclusive special model it has ever developed: the BMW 3.0 CSL (fuel consumption combined: 11.0 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 249 g/km WLTP; NEDC data: – ). The small series, strictly limited to just 50 models, is inspired by the historic BMW 3.0 CSL – the “Batmobile” – from the early 1970s and features custom paintwork expertise from BMW Group Plant Landshut. Around 20 exterior components for the unmistakeable design of the special model will be refined by paint finishing specialists from Landshut. Several of the carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) components are also manufactured in Landshut.

The Landshut plant is very familiar with special paint jobs like this. In addition to creating small-series and custom paintwork, more than 1,200 painted plastic outer panel sections come out of the plant in 40 standard and 200 custom colours every workday. That adds up to around 273,000 components per year. Now, Landshut’s custom paintwork expertise is also being showcased in the 50 BMW 3.0 CSLs, including in the front and rear side panels, the roof and rear spoilers, the front and rear bumpers, side-sills, bonnet, carbon-fibre roof and tailgate.

The bonnet and roof – both made of CFRP – are manufactured in an elaborate, highly specialised craft-scale process at BMW Group Plant Landshut. Thanks to the high percentage of carbon fibre, the BMW CSL 3.0 boasts a power to weight ratio of just 2.9 kilograms/hp – an excellent example of intelligent lightweight construction in a BMW M car that is in a class of its own.

It is also clear from the outside that the BMW 3.0 CSL combines the very best of five decades of motor racing expertise: Its paintwork, in the style of classic race cars, sports the brand-defining M stripes, known as the livery, in blue, dark blue and red, on an Alpine White solid base colour. The livery stripes along the body trace the curvature of its surfaces to great effect, reinforcing the Coupé’s powerful aesthetics.

It was precisely these livery stripes that presented the biggest challenge in painting the mounted parts, as Project Manager Dr Christian Koch explains: “The transitions between the M stripes, from one component to the next, had to be absolutely perfect. For example, the stripes on the side panel have to be at exactly the same height as on the door to make sure the optics are aligned. That takes a lot of painting know-how, individual experience and flair.” Unlike many other visually striking special editions, the stripes are not applied using film; they are painted. Close coordination with the specialists at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing is also required – since they apply the paint to the door, as well as to the vehicle body.

The Landshut custom paint shop has developed a special process for such demanding tasks: The livery design is projected onto each component using a laser projector, so it precisely aligns with the next body element. The meticulous process of masking the lines between different-coloured surfaces is carried out manually by specially trained experts following the laser projections. Up to eight customised contour films and up to seven layers of paint are required for each component.

In addition to adding the M stripes, it is also the job of the Landshut paint experts to position the "M Power" badge on the rear spoiler and the "50" on the roof. Even these details, which are so central to the appearance of the special model, are masked by hand. Unlike with the livery stripes, the Landshut experts do not expose any layers of paint, but, instead, reveal the visible carbon fibre. This creates slight indentations in the surface – so the high-tech material of the components can also be experienced haptically.

The individual exterior components of the BMW 3.0 CSL are assembled in an advanced craft workshop in Moosthenning, an external site operated by BMW Group Plant Dingolfing. After completing extensive final inspections, each of the 50 BMW M vehicles will finally travel to BMW Welt in Munich to be handed over to the customer.

“We are proud that the craftsmanship and innovative spirit of our highly specialised paint finishing experts has once again helped create such an exclusive special model as the BMW 3.0 CSL,” said Koch.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Saskia Graser
BMW Group Corporate and Governmental Affairs Communications Landshut
Telephone: +49 871 702 3232
Cell phone: +49 151 6040 3232
Email: Saskia.Graser@bmw.de

Media website: https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en
Email: presse@bmw.de

BMW Group Plant Landshut

At BMW Group Plant Landshut, around 3,600 employees produce light metal cast engine, suspension and body structure components, plastic components for the vehicle exterior, carbon body components, cockpit and equipment options, electric drive systems, special engines and drive shafts. Plant Landshut is the BMW Group’s largest component plant and supplies components to all BMW Group vehicle and engine plants worldwide – and therefore for virtually every BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicle, as well as for BMW Motorrad. BMW Group Plant Landshut stands for component production characterised by digitalisation and geared towards sustainability, and is committed to responsible use of resources.
With forward-looking technologies, BMW Group Plant Landshut assumes the role of innovation driver in the technological transformation of the automotive sector and its supplier industry. At the Lightweight Construction and Technology Centre (LuTZ) adjacent to the plant, specialists from a wide range of disciplines are brought into development processes for new vehicles in the early stages and help actively drive sustainable development of future vehicle models. BMW Group Plant Landshut is a socially responsible, innovative and attractive employer for the region of Landshut and Lower Bavaria.

www.bmw-werk-landshut.de