Munich / Paris. The BMW Group and Mistral AI are partnering to advance the use of AI in crash simulation. The aim is to improve quality, accuracy and speed in complex engineering tasks. The collaboration marks a first step towards scaling domain-specific AI across further areas of vehicle development and the BMW Group value chain.

Munich. The BMW Group is further simplifying public charging of its electric vehicles and setting a new standard for convenience and user-friendliness.

Since March 16^th, customers in Germany have been able to charge their all-electric BMW or MINI directly at public DC charging points using Plug & Charge - without the need for a prior charging contract.

The credit card on file with BMW or MINI is used for this: After logging in with the corresponding customer ID in the vehicle, it automatically authenticates itself at the charging station when plugged in and the charging process starts immediately.

An additional app, charging card or manual steps at the charging station are therefore no longer necessary.

The new function can be set up in just a few steps via the Plug & Charge menu in the customer's my BMW or MINI app.

Billing is transparent and based on the provider's current ad hoc charging price - this price is also displayed in the vehicle and the app for supported charging stations.

The costs are paid directly via the stored credit card, so that drivers retain full cost control and transparency at all times.

The new offer is available to all Plug & Charge-capable BMW and MINI vehicles and, for the first time, also opens up Plug & Charge to customer groups without an existing charging contract - including tourists or fleet- and company-car drivers who only temporarily log into their vehicle with their BMW or MINI account.

The service launches with Mer Germany across over 1,400 charging points in Germany and Austria, enabled by Hubject's Plug&Charge ecosystem and payment facilitation. Further charging point operators and additional markets will gradually follow in the course of 2026.

With this offer, the BMW Group is emphasising its claim to make electric mobility not only sustainable, but also as simple and suitable for everyday use as possible.

Munich. The high-voltage battery is a vital component of every electric vehicle. With the high-voltage batteries for the sixth generation (Gen6) of BMW eDrive, the BMW Group has made a big step in technology, delivering major improvements in energy density, charging speed and range. In readiness for series production, the BMW Group is currently building five assembly sites across three continents: in Irlbach-Straßkirchen (Lower Bavaria), Debrecen (Hungary), Shenyang (China), San Luis Potosí (Mexico) and Woodruff (USA). Before the series launch, production processes will be developed and tested at the BMW Group’s pilot plants for high-voltage batteries in Parsdorf and Hallbergmoos, and at the Research and Innovation Centre (FIZ) in Munich. As a data scientist andIT project manager, Patrick Zimmermann is responsible for implementing the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and data analytics in the high-voltage battery production of the BMW Group. His role is to weave all relevant software strands together.

Patrick, what do you do as a data scientist and IT project manager in high-voltage battery production?

Patrick Zimmermann (PZ): I coordinate an interdisciplinary team that oversees the entire data processing chain: from data provision at the manufacturing facilities to edge applications that transfer our production data to the cloud and to analytics platforms.

What kind of expertise do you need for that?

PZ: First and foremost, the job requires a solid understanding of the technologies used to manufacture our high-voltage batteries. For this latest generation, which uses the new cylindrical round cells, we’ve developed a completely new production process. Of course, strong IT knowledge is also essential – with a clear focus on the software architectures behind the data analytics and artificial intelligence. Understanding the individual software modules and interfaces is crucial for choosing the right solutions for our production from the wide range of technologies and applications available.

This means you always have your finger on the pulse and can anticipate IT trends?

PZ: Data analytics and AI for production are evolving at a tremendous pace right now. That's why it’s important to keep an eye on new approaches and evaluate whether they’re suitable for BMW. Or whether they could even replace existing solutions – perhaps by offering lower costs or enhanced features. Not every analysis or AI solution that performs well in a particular industry or use case can be directly applied to battery production.

Production of Gen6 high-voltage batteries is groundbreaking for the BMW Group. What, in your opinion, makes this project unique?

PZ: One unique aspect is the end-to-end responsibility – from data provision and data transfer to the cloud, all the way through to selective and even continuous analyses. We process both numerical data and visual representations from the equipment. Throughout the process, we maintain a consistent zero-defect approach to producing our high-voltage batteries. Highly intelligent, AI-supported quality checks are integrated into the production process to help us achieve this. We rely on OPC UA interface technology for plant connectivity. This enables us to model standardised digital twins directly at our plants, eliminating the need for additional data processing. Data is transferred to the BMW Group's clouds, using the same data structure across all production sites. This allows us to roll out standardised analysis dashboards worldwide and, for example, implement process optimisations more rapidly. We’ve already established this IT architecture at our high-voltage battery pilot plants. We have now been able to transfer our analysis dashboards to the first series production plants with minimal effort.

Entire new plants and assembly halls are being built for production of the new Gen6 high-voltage batteries. Is this beneficial for the IT structure?

PZ: Absolutely! Building several plants for Gen6 high-voltage batteries on greenfield sites gives us a whole new level of design freedom. This allows for much bigger leaps in IT, compared to integrating new solutions into existing plants – a so-called brownfield. I, for one, find it really exciting to help shape the Industrial Internet of Things and data analytics on such a large scale right from the start.

Munich / Hanover. The BMW Group showcased current fields of application for the Catena-X data ecosystem at the Hannover Messe on Wednesday. Working together with partners and suppliers, the company has modelled a complete data chain for the first time using real-world CO₂ data from the manufacture of the iconic kidney grille on the BMW iX. The company also demonstrated the benefits of data-driven quality work.

“We – the BMW Group and our partners – will use the radical new collaboration approach embodied by Catena-X to improve our value creation processes within the context of sustainability, supply security and quality – and at the same time reduce costs,” announced Oliver Ganser, Vice President Digitalisation of the Purchasing and Supplier Network at the BMW Group and Chairman of the Board of Catena-X e.V., at the Hannover Messe. “The more national and international companies come on board, the greater the added value for all concerned,” added Ganser.

Catena-X makes its debut in production.
At BMW Group Plant Landshut, the company is piloting data-based energy consumption measurement in the manufacture of a whole component for the first time. “Together with our partners, we are using the Catena-X data ecosystem to calculate the product carbon footprint (PCF) of the kidney grille on the BMW iX,” explained Sabrina Schrangl, Project Lead Catena-X BMW Group Component Manufacturing. The iconic kidney grille on the BMW iX serves as an optimum application example here due to its complexity.

The PCF is calculated based on the Catena-X rulebook and covers all “grade-to-gate” emissions generated during the product’s manufacture – starting with the extraction of the raw materials, through the emissions generated in the supply chain to the manufacturing processes at the production facility. Here, the partners use the Catena-X-certified CO₂ application from Siemens AG, which enables data exchange (based on the Catena-X calculation logic) and connectivity between Plant Landshut and high-performance plastics supplier Covestro AG.

Catena-X enables improved quality at the BMW Group by using a data-driven instead of hardware-based approach.
By introducing a shared “language” for all companies in the automotive value chain, the data ecosystem enables smooth exchange of data. Catena-X members can use this data in their quality assurance processes to carry out an early-warning analysis based on field data. At present, the BMW Group exchanges data with Robert Bosch GmbH on the particle sensor and steering gear, among other things. In this way, patterns and anomalies can be identified up to four months earlier, often before an error or fault occurs. In the future, we will look to replace alternative cooperation channels with Catena-X in order to enable rapid, resource-efficient implementation in the area of quality assurance.

Munich. Digitisation is delivering an integrated user experience characterised by individuality and emotionalisation in the interior of current BMW models. The My Modes allow the driver to tailor the atmosphere in the interior entirely to their personal mood and the driving experience they want. With the BMW iX Flow featuring E Ink being presented on the occasion of CES 2022, the Munich-based premium car manufacturer is offering the prospect of a future technology that uses digitisation to also adapt the exterior of a vehicle to different situations and individual wishes. The surface of the BMW iX Flow featuring E Ink can vary its shade at the driver's prompting.

Frank Weber, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Development: "Digital experiences won't just be limited to displays in the future. There will be more and more melding of the real and virtual. With the BMW iX Flow, we are bringing the car body to life."

The fluid colour changes are made possible by a specially developed body wrap that is tailored precisely to the contours of the all-electric Sports Activity Vehicle from BMW. When stimulated by electrical signals, the electrophoretic technology brings different colour pigments to the surface, causing the body skin to take on the desired colouration. Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of BMW Group Design: "The BMW iX Flow is an advanced research and design project and a great example of the forward thinking that BMW is known for."

The innovative E Ink technology opens completely new ways of changing the vehicle's appearance in line with the driver's aesthetic preferences, the environmental conditions or even functional requirements. The technology thus offers unprecedented potential for personalisation in the area of exterior design. The BMW iX Flow featuring E Ink demonstrates this potential to impressive effect. Against this background, the BMW Group is driving the development of the technology so that a new form of personalisation can be experienced both on the outside and in the inside of future production vehicles.

Already today, the colour chosen for a car is an expression of the driver's personality. The choice of exterior paints available for current BMW models covers a wide colour spectrum. In this way, the longing for a wildly expressive, extravagant, or sporty appearance on the outside can be taken into account as well as the desire for an understated, subtle or elegant appearance. New variants are added each year that reflect the characteristics of the model in question and that allow the brand to keep setting trends in the area of exterior design.

New technologies will provide a whole new level of decision-making freedom in the future. "This gives the driver the freedom to express different facets of their personality or even their enjoyment of change outwardly, and to redefine this each time they sit into their car," says Stella Clarke, Head of Project for the BMW iX Flow featuring E Ink. "Similar to fashion or the status ads on social media channels, the vehicle then becomes an expression of different moods and circumstances in daily life."

How a variable exterior colour can increase efficiency.

A variable exterior colour can also contribute to wellness in the interior and to the efficiency of the vehicle. This is done by taking account of the different abilities of light and dark colours when it comes to reflecting sunlight and the associated absorption of thermal energy. A white surface reflects a lot more sunlight than a black one. By implication, heating of the vehicle and passenger compartment as a result of strong sunlight and high outside temperatures can be reduced by changing the exterior to a light colour. In cooler weather, a dark outer skin will help the vehicle to absorb noticeably more warmth from the sun.

In both cases, selective colour changes can help to cut the amount of cooling and heating required from the vehicle's air conditioning. This reduces the amount of energy the vehicle electrical system needs and with it also the vehicle's fuel or electricity consumption. In an all-electric car, changing the colour in line with the weather can therefore also help to increase the range. In the interior, the technology could, for example, prevent the dashboard from heating up too much.

E Ink technology itself is extremely energy efficient. Unlike displays or projectors, the electrophoretic technology needs absolutely no energy to keep the chosen colour state constant. Current only flows during the short colour changing phase.

Millions of paint capsules in a custom wrap.

Electrophoretic colouring is based on a technology developed by E Ink that is most well-known from the displays used in eReaders. The surface coating of the BMW iX Flow featuring E Ink contains many millions of microcapsules, with a diameter equivalent to the thickness of a human hair. Each of these microcapsules contains negatively charged white pigments and positively charged black pigments. Depending on the chosen setting, stimulation by means of an electrical field causes either the white or the black pigments to collect at the surface of the microcapsule, giving the car body the desired shade.

Achieving this effect on a vehicle body involves the application of many precisely fitted ePaper segments. Generative design processes are implemented to ensure the segments reflect the characteristic contours of the vehicle and the resulting variations in light and shadow. The generative design algorithms enable the necessary formability and flexibility required to tailor the ePaper exactly to the design lines of the vehicle.

Laser cutting technologies guarantee high precision in generating each segment. After the segments are applied and the power supply for stimulating the electrical field is connected, the entire body is warmed and sealed to guarantee optimum and uniform colour reproduction during every colour change.

Munich. The BMW Group is stepping up its activities in the field of sustainability, becoming the first automotive manufacturer worldwide to equip its cars with tyres using certified sustainable natural rubber and rayon, a wood-based material used to strengthen the tyres. The company will source 22-inch tyres in the first instance exclusively from Pirelli and, from August of this year, will use them in the BMW X5 xDrive45e Plug-in-Hybrid (fuel consumption combined: 1.7-1.2 l/100km (WLTP), 2.1-1.6 l/100 km (NEDC); power consumption combined: 27.7-24.3 kWh/100 km (WLTP), 25.2-23.5 kWh/100 km (NEDC); CO2 emissions combined: 39-27 g/km (WLTP), 47-37 g/km (NEDC)). Certification of the rubber plantations and the complex supply chain for natural rubber and rayon takes place in accordance with the strict standards of the independent Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

“As a premium manufacturer, we aspire to lead the way in sustainability and take responsibility,” said Dr Andreas Wendt, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Purchasing and Supplier Network. “We have been committed to improving cultivation of natural rubber and increasing transparency in the supplier network since 2015. The use of tyres made of certified natural rubber is a pioneering achievement for our industry. In this way, we are helping preserve biodiversity and forests to counteract climate change.”

Natural rubber is the basic material for many products we use in our daily lives, such as boots and mattresses. About six million small farmers worldwide are responsible for over 80% of the world’s natural rubber cultivation. In the so-called rubber belt across the tropical regions, they run farms of between one and two hectares in size under a wide variety of different conditions. Agreeing uniform social and environmental growing conditions with these millions of small individual farms is therefore a major challenge.

By far the largest share of natural rubber grown worldwide goes into tyre production. Natural rubber’s high elasticity and sturdiness currently make it irreplaceable for tyre production.

Small label, big impact

As an independent organisation, FSC has developed an internationally recognised and demanding certification standard in recent years that is used worldwide for environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the forests. The organisation, whose well-known logo is already established in the wood and paper industry, also applies this standard to products made of natural rubber.

The new 22-inch P ZERO ∗ tyre has now become the world's first tyre to receive the coveted FSC label. To earn this certification, Pirelli adapted its US plant in Rome, Georgia, to produce tyres using FSC-certified natural rubber and rayon. From there, the tyres are delivered to BMW Group Plant Spartanburg, around 370 km away, and mounted on the BMW X5 Plug-in Hybrid. The star ∗ in the name indicates that the new tyre meets the BMW Group’s strict performance requirements, including particularly low rolling resistance and noise level.

Giovanni Tronchetti Provera, Pirelli’s Senior Vice President for Sustainability and Future Mobility, said: “Before even reaching the road, sustainable mobility begins with raw materials. With the world’s first FSC-certified tyre, Pirelli once again demonstrates its commitment to pursuing increasingly challenging goals in terms of sustainability, a testament to the constant work on innovative materials and increasingly cutting-edge production processes. We continue to invest in sustainable growth for our planet, aware that this is also essential for the future of our businesses.”

Jeremy Harrison, Chief Markets Officer, FSC International, added: “The new FSC-certified Pirelli Tyre is a significant milestone in the drive to deliver economic, social, and environmental benefits across the natural rubber value chain. This is a major step forward in the journey towards a more sustainable natural rubber value chain, thereby helping to mitigate deforestation and support the fight against climate change.”

Long-standing commitment to greater transparency and sustainability in the natural rubber supplier network

The use of the first tyres containing certified sustainable natural rubber and rayon at the BMW Group is the result of the company’s extensive commitment in this area. In 2019, the BMW Group joined forces with well-known tyre manufacturers, NGOs, rubber producers and consumers to create the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR). Small farmers are also represented in this initiative. The GPSNR is committed to improving social and environmental conditions for cultivation of natural rubber and pushing for more sustainability. It also implements measures to stop deforestation and make supply chains more transparent. The GPSNR currently has almost 100 members, who are responsible for about 50 percent of the global natural rubber market.

Through its activities in the GPSNR and close cooperation with its suppliers, the BMW Group is constantly working to further improve sustainability in the natural rubber supply chain. The BMW Group is stepping up these activities and plans to steadily expand its sourcing of tyres made from sustainably grown natural rubber.

The BMW Group has been working with the FSC organisation for many years (Licence code FSC-N002012). The company decided to use FSC-certified wood in the BMW i3, which was first launched onto the market in 2013. The BMW iX for release later this year will also feature FSC-certified wood. In 2017, the BMW Group and FSC advocated for further development of FSC standards for cultivation of natural rubber in Thailand.

Sustainability an integral part of all purchasing activities

Independently of these measures, the BMW Group has contractually obligated all its direct suppliers to respect human rights, comply with expanded environmental and social standards and to introduce management systems to promote occupational safety and protect the environment since 2014. This also includes protecting forests and biodiversity. These requirements must also be contractually passed on to subcontractors. BMW Group Purchasing does not rely on contractual obligations alone for this but is also implementing a large number of additional measures in a transparent process. A risk filter is used to evaluate potential supplier locations worldwide even before the call for bids. The next step is to require possible suppliers to outline their sustainability activities in a detailed questionnaire. External partners also work with internal appraisers to review selected locations. Throughout the contract period, external partners work with internal appraisers to verify compliance with sustainability requirements through questionnaires and audits. In this way, BMW Group Purchasing is able to monitor thousands of locations every year.

Sustainable mobility with the BMW X5 xDrive45e

The BMW Group has completed full lifecycle CO₂ certification for the BMW X5 xDrive45e – from raw material procurement, through the supply chain, production and use phase, all the way to recycling. If charged during the use phase with the average European electricity mix, this gives it an advantage of around 40 percent over the BMW X5 xDrive40i. If charged with green power, the advantage is around 70 percent. The electric range amounts to 77-88 kilometres (WLTP).

Munich.

The future of driving pleasure is electric, locally emission-free – and characterised by a typically BMW sporting flair expressed not only in dynamic talent, but also through an emotionally rich aural experience. BMW IconicSounds Electric brings an unmistakable sound portfolio to BMW models powered by a fully electric or plug-in hybrid drive system. The collaboration between composer and curator Hans Zimmer and Renzo Vitale, Creative Director Sound at the BMW Group, has produced a distinctive driving sound which customers will soon be able to experience in a version developed specially for electric BMW M cars. “Every BMW has its own character, which is reflected in the sound it makes,” says film music creator and Academy Award winner Zimmer. “So for the electrically driven BMW M models we have developed a driving sound which accentuates their emotional driving experience particularly vividly and ensures their performance can be felt with even greater intensity.”

Hans Zimmer had previously been involved in the development of an inspiring ready-to-drive sound for electrically powered BMWs which instils a sense of excitement at the prospect of electric driving when the Start/Stop button is pressed. The latest chapter in this collaboration covers drive sounds for the BMW iX and BMW i4, including a differentiated sound for the M-specification version of the BMW i4.

While the hush of electric driving offers an unprecedented level of comfort, the driving experience loses a degree of emotionality. This is where BMW IconicSounds Electric steps in to put smiles on the faces of customers keen to experience Sheer Driving Pleasure with all the senses. In the future, electric driving pleasure will be enhanced by acoustic feedback to every movement of the accelerator. Like the on-board driving modes selectable at the touch of a button, the driving sound also takes its cues from the driving situation at hand and the driver’s personal preferences. In the basic setting, BMW IconicSounds Electric employs a strikingly transparent timbre with spherical components to convey the basic character of an electrically driven BMW brand model. An immersive and pleasant atmosphere is created initially in the BMW i4 in COMFORT mode. But when the driver steps on the accelerator, the direct relationship between how the car is being driven and the sounds it makes is immediately revealed: the sound experience deepens as load and speed increase. In SPORT mode, in particular, the car’s aural spectrum is more dominant and powerful, the sound providing a constant commentary on the driving situation. Drive system processes are registered within milliseconds and acceleration, load changes or recuperation given a suitable acoustic accompaniment. Only when the vehicle is travelling in ECO PRO mode is the acoustic feedback reduced to nothing. Here, the silence of the drive system underscores the driver’s decision to adopt an ultra-efficient driving style.

In the version developed specifically for electrified BMW M models, the drive sound of the BMW i4 is charged with extra energy. Added to which, the differentiation between COMFORT and SPORT mode is especially strong. Overall, the drive system note displays a less harmonious but engagingly rousing and technical sonic profile. Acceleration sparks a rich intensification of the soundtrack’s development, authentically reflecting the car’s performance character. “When you press the pedal of an M car, you suddenly get goosebumps all over your body,” says sound designer Renzo Vitale. “We translated this feeling into a drive sound that expresses a fusion of superior power and flowing energy.”

Hans Zimmer and Renzo Vitale had already co-developed the driving sound for the BMW Vision M NEXT revealed in 2019 and the BMW Concept i4 presented the following year. Numerous learnings from this creative process have now been channelled into the design of the sound for future series-produced vehicles.

The new drive sounds developed as part of the collaboration with Hans Zimmer are expected to feature in the BMW i4 and BMW iX over the course of 2022. IconicSounds Electric comes as standard in the BMW iX and can be specified as an option for the BMW i4. In cars with earlier build dates, the new sounds can be imported retrospectively via Remote Software Upgrade, should the customer wish. The new spectrum includes one ready-to-drive sound and one stop sound, plus a driving sound which will be made available in the relevant version for BMW models and BMW M cars with electrified drive system.

Munich.

The future of driving pleasure is electric, locally emission-free – and characterised by a typically BMW sporting flair expressed not only in dynamic talent, but also through an emotionally rich aural experience. BMW IconicSounds Electric brings an unmistakable sound portfolio to BMW models powered by a fully electric or plug-in hybrid drive system. The collaboration between composer and curator Hans Zimmer and Renzo Vitale, Creative Director Sound at the BMW Group, has produced a distinctive driving sound which customers will soon be able to experience in a version developed specially for electric BMW M cars. “Every BMW has its own character, which is reflected in the sound it makes,” says film music creator and Academy Award winner Zimmer. “So for the electrically driven BMW M models we have developed a driving sound which accentuates their emotional driving experience particularly vividly and ensures their performance can be felt with even greater intensity.”

Hans Zimmer had previously been involved in the development of an inspiring ready-to-drive sound for electrically powered BMWs which instils a sense of excitement at the prospect of electric driving when the Start/Stop button is pressed. The latest chapter in this collaboration covers drive sounds for the BMW iX and BMW i4, including a differentiated sound for the M-specification version of the BMW i4.

While the hush of electric driving offers an unprecedented level of comfort, the driving experience loses a degree of emotionality. This is where BMW IconicSounds Electric steps in to put smiles on the faces of customers keen to experience Sheer Driving Pleasure with all the senses. In the future, electric driving pleasure will be enhanced by acoustic feedback to every movement of the accelerator. Like the on-board driving modes selectable at the touch of a button, the driving sound also takes its cues from the driving situation at hand and the driver’s personal preferences. In the basic setting, BMW IconicSounds Electric employs a strikingly transparent timbre with spherical components to convey the basic character of an electrically driven BMW brand model. An immersive and pleasant atmosphere is created initially in the BMW i4 in COMFORT mode. But when the driver steps on the accelerator, the direct relationship between how the car is being driven and the sounds it makes is immediately revealed: the sound experience deepens as load and speed increase. In SPORT mode, in particular, the car’s aural spectrum is more dominant and powerful, the sound providing a constant commentary on the driving situation. Drive system processes are registered within milliseconds and acceleration, load changes or recuperation given a suitable acoustic accompaniment. Only when the vehicle is travelling in ECO PRO mode is the acoustic feedback reduced to nothing. Here, the silence of the drive system underscores the driver’s decision to adopt an ultra-efficient driving style.

In the version developed specifically for electrified BMW M models, the drive sound of the BMW i4 is charged with extra energy. Added to which, the differentiation between COMFORT and SPORT mode is especially strong. Overall, the drive system note displays a less harmonious but engagingly rousing and technical sonic profile. Acceleration sparks a rich intensification of the soundtrack’s development, authentically reflecting the car’s performance character. “When you press the pedal of an M car, you suddenly get goosebumps all over your body,” says sound designer Renzo Vitale. “We translated this feeling into a drive sound that expresses a fusion of superior power and flowing energy.”

Hans Zimmer and Renzo Vitale had already co-developed the driving sound for the BMW Vision M NEXT revealed in 2019 and the BMW Concept i4 presented the following year. Numerous learnings from this creative process have now been channelled into the design of the sound for future series-produced vehicles.

The new drive sounds developed as part of the collaboration with Hans Zimmer are expected to feature in the BMW i4 and BMW iX over the course of 2022. IconicSounds Electric comes as standard in the BMW iX and can be specified as an option for the BMW i4. In cars with earlier build dates, the new sounds can be imported retrospectively via Remote Software Upgrade, should the customer wish. The new spectrum includes one ready-to-drive sound and one stop sound, plus a driving sound which will be made available in the relevant version for BMW models and BMW M cars with electrified drive system.

Munich. The BMW Group is accelerating its development for the battery technology of the future, thereby supporting the ramp-up of a European cell and battery value chain. In this context, Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, today received a grant decision from the Federal Minister of Economics and Energy, Peter Altmaier, as well as from the Bavarian Minister of State for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, Hubert Aiwanger, in support of the BMW Group's battery projects within the framework of the battery IPCEI (Important Project of Common European Intertest).

For the BMW Group, it is clear that high-performance and sustainable energy storage systems are the key success factor for the individual mobility of the future. The development of highly innovative and sustainable battery cells is therefore one key element of a high-performance European cell and battery value chain.

This aspiration is reflected in the Neue Klasse, which the BMW Group first presented at its annual conference in March. This new generation of vehicles, which will be launched by the middle of this decade, will be uncompromisingly electric, digital, circular – and clearly focused on all-electric drivetrains.

For the Neue Klasse, the BMW Group is developing the next generation of its battery technology – combined with a clear aspiration: "With the Neue Klasse, we will make a big leap in technology in electric drive," said Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, in Munich on Monday. "We want to significantly increase the energy density of the cells and reduce the costs of material use and production at the same time. We will also significantly reduce the use of primary material to ensure a truly 'green' battery."

With the Neue Klasse, the BMW Group aims at the level of state-of-the-art internal combustion engines in terms of range and manufacturing costs. For example, electric mobility "engineered by BMW" is intended to appeal to and convince new groups of buyers worldwide. For this sixth generation of BMW e-drive technology, the company evaluates correspondingly different cell formats, cell chemistry and also cell modules in the current development phase. A key goal is to create truly green, low-carbon and recyclable batteries.

Solid-state battery for serial use – demonstrator vehicle well before 2025

However, the BMW Group is already planning further into the future beyond this next generation: By the end of the decade, the energy density of battery cells is expected to increase by at least a mid-double-digit percentage range – from an already high level today.

Frank Weber, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Development: "The greenest electric car in the world will be a BMW – sustainable from the initial idea to recycling after its use phase. We are developing the battery cell of the future: it will be powerful, safe, cost-effective, and recyclable - from material selection to recyclability after the use in the vehicle. All of this will be created in a European value chain." Weber continues: "We are doing intensive research on solid-state battery technology. By the end of the decade, we will be implementing an automotive-compatible solid-state battery for series production. We plan to show a first demonstrator vehicle featuring this technology well before 2025."

The BMW Group has had extensive in-house expertise in the complete value chain of electric drive for years and has optimized its battery cell technology from generation to generation. Cell chemistry has also been consistently further developed: for example, the proportion of cobalt in cathode material in the transition from Gen3 from the BMW i3 to Gen5, which was introduced in 2020 with the BMW iX3, was significantly reduced from 33 percent to 10 percent – at the same time, the nickel content rose to around 80 percent. In order to minimize the consumption of primary resources, up to 50 percent recycled nickel is already used in the high-voltage battery pack of the new BMW iX.

Electric offensive in full swing

Thanks to intelligent vehicle architectures and a highly flexible production network, the BMW Group will have around a dozen all-electric models on the road as early as 2023. In addition to the BMW i3, MINI Cooper SE and BMW iX3, which are already on the market, two key innovation drivers, the BMW i4 and the BMW iX will be put on the road this year– the BMW i4 even three months earlier than originally planned.

In the coming years, all-electric versions of the high-volume BMW 5 Series and the BMW X1 will follow. In addition, there will be an all-electric BMW 7 Series as well as the successor to the MINI Countryman and other models. As early as 2023, the BMW Group will have at least one all-electric model on the road in around 90 percent of its current market segments.

By 2025, the BMW Group will increase sales of all-electric models by an average of significantly more than 50 percent per year – more than ten times more than in 2020. In total, the company will have delivered around two million all-electric vehicles to customers by the end of 2025.

Based on current market expectations, the BMW Group is planning that by 2030 at least 50 percent of its global sales will consist of all-electric vehicles. In total, the company will bring about ten million all-electric vehicles onto the road over the approximately next ten years. This also means that the BMW Group is strategically on target of achieving the EU's ambitious CO2 reduction targets in 2025 and 2030.

The BMW Group commitment to IPCEI.

Within the framework of the two battery IPCEI (Important Projects of Common European Interest), the BMW Group is developing highly innovative, sustainable, function-optimized and cost-effective battery cells as a key element of a European cell and battery value chain.

The Federal Ministry of Economics and the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, support the project within the framework of the European funding process IPCEI.

Federal Minister Altmaier: "With the joint European projects, we have successfully built up the battery value chain in Germany and Europe and secured sustainable jobs. We support BMW in two concrete projects in the field of battery technology. Both projects are central to the further expansion of electromobility in Germany."

Bavaria's Minister of Economic Affairs Hubert Aiwanger: "The development of battery cells is an ideal fit for Bavaria's automotive industry and tech-industry as a whole. Bavaria is supporting this IPCEI project from BMW with co-financing in order to secure added value in a central high-tech field with great future potential. Because electromobility is becoming increasingly important, we have to produce the battery cells needed here in Germany, preferably in Bavaria. Our aim must be to participate economically in this climate-friendly technology and to make Europe more independent of suppliers from third countries."

Following the development of a next generation of lithium-ion cells as well as an innovative battery module and battery system concept in the first IPCEI, the focus of BMW's work in the second IPCEI is on the development of the next generation of lithium-ion cells, the development and optimization of process technologies as well as the construction of a prototype production plant for innovative battery modules and systems.

The BMW Group is also focusing on the recycling and the recyclability of battery materials, with the main aim of achieving a fully cyclable battery. 

Through the research and validation of future technologies such as solid-state batteries (so-called "All-Solid-State-Battery", ASSB), the company not only strengthens its own competence, but also the industrial location Germany. The BMW Group sees ASSB technology as a game changer in the automotive field.

Following the holistic approach of a closed innovation and development cycle, BMW will develop innovative products from the areas of battery cell as well as battery modules and systems with a focus on improved functionality and a significantly improved cost structure. The recycling and the usability of the batteries after their automotive use are also taken into account.

The BMW Group is more involved in the research, development and industrialization of battery value chains in Germany than any other vehicle manufacturer. The research results achieved by the BMW Group and the partners involved in the IPCEI project strengthen the development of an integrated European battery value chain. In addition, various concepts for solid-state batteries are being researched together with European R&D partners and the most promising prototype is being implemented. In doing so, the company is paving the way for successful battery cell development and production in Europe. 

Munich. At today’s BMW Group Annual Conference the upcoming BMW i4 was revealed. “With its sporty looks, best in class driving dynamics and zero local emissions, the BMW i4 is a true BMW. It makes the heart of the BMW brand now beat fully electric,” said Pieter Nota, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Customer, Brands, Sales.

The BMW i4 is a fully electric 4 door Gran Coupé and will enter the market during the course of 2021, including a BMW M Performance model. Its refined balance of BMW typical sportiness, comfort and sustainable performance are unique in its segment.

The BMW i4 model line will be available in different versions covering ranges of up to 590km (WLTP) and up to 300 miles* (EPA). With a power output of up to 390kW / 530HP the BMW i4 can accelerate from zero to 100km/h in around 4 seconds.

First pictures, sketches, footage and video can be found attached to this media information.

Full details on the BMW i4 will be released over the next weeks.

_{* preliminary manufacturer estimate, not official EPA values.}

Munich/Shenyang. The first fully-electric BMW iX3 has left the production line at the BMW Brilliance Automotive joint venture (BBA) in Shenyang, China. The workforce at the BBA Plant Dadong in Shenyang already celebrated the successful start of production on 29 September 2020.

Franz Decker, head of BBA's Technology and Production division, said during the event: “Today, we begin production of the BMW iX3, the first pure electric model from our core BMW brand. With a production system like this, specialised for high quality, we are able to deliver what customers worldwide demand from premium vehicles.”

Leading production expertise guarantees premium quality

As well as intelligent manufacturing and state-of-the-art technologies, the BBA production facility in Shenyang is also distinguished by its comprehensive quality management system. A special "zero defect concept" ensures that the globally high market requirements for electric mobility are met.

BBA conducts rigorous testing of everything from the battery to the finished car to guarantee the vehicle safety of the BMW iX3. 128 mechanical tests and 994 software functionality tests ensure the high quality of high-voltage batteries throughout the entire lifecycle. 140 functional tests check every aspect of the vehicle during acceleration, in particular road conditions and on rocky roads. As a result, the BMW iX3 is well-suited for all types of roads and meets the high demands of different driving conditions.

BBA produces the fully-electric BMW iX3 on the same line as the BMW X3 with combustion engine to ensure a high level of efficiency and flexibility in production.

During the entire BMW iX3 project, the BMW Group's research and production, purchasing and production divisions worked closely with BBA.

Munich. The BMW Group is consistently driving its electrification strategy forward and presents new plug-in hybrid models for an especially popular and dynamically growing vehicle category. In the new BMW X1 xDrive25e and the new BMW X2 xDrive25e, the intelligently controlled interaction between a fuel combustion engine and an electric motor as well as locally emissions-free travel can be experienced in the Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) and Sports Activity Coupe (SAC) premium segment starting in 2020. A highly efficient electric drive and a latest-generation lithium-ion battery enable an electrically powered range of up to 57 kilometres* in the two new plug-in hybrid models. With an average fuel consumption of 2.1 to 1.9 litres per 100 kilometres* and CO2 emissions between 48 and 43 grams per kilometre* for the BMW X1 xDrive25e and 2.1 to 1.9 litres per 100 kilometres* and between 47 and 43 grams per kilometre* for the BMW X2 xDrive25e, both models set a benchmark within their competitive fields. Combined power consumption of the BMW X1 xDrive25e is 14.3 to 13.8 kWh per 100 kilometres*, the corresponding values of the BMW X2 xDrive25e are 14.2 to 13.7 kWh per 100 kilometres*. The hybrid specific all-wheel drive with its fast and precise distribution of power between the front and rear wheels delivers a high level of driving pleasure and thrilling agility.

The two plug-in models are an extension to the wide range of BMW models in the premium compact segment of SAV and SAC vehicles. In addition to numerous variants featuring extremely efficient petrol and diesel engines, models with electrified drive will be on offer for the first time. Thus, the portfolio will include in addition to economical entry models with a 3-cylinder combustion engine also the new plug-in hybrid models and the BMW X2 M35i (combined fuel consumption: 7.1 – 6.8 l/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 163 – 154 g/km*), the extremely athletic top model with a maximum output of 225 kW/306 hp. With the extension of its range in the premium compact segment the BMW Group’s model offensive is gaining further momentum in the area of plug-in hybrid models. The current selection comprises the MINI Cooper SE Countryman, the BMW 225xe Active Tourer, BMW 3 Series and BMW 5 Series models and plug-in hybrid luxury sedans of the BMW 7 Series. In future, four BMW X models with plug-in hybrid drive will also be available. As a pioneer in electric mobility BMW intends to have more than one million vehicles with electrified drive on the road by the end of 2021. By 2021, 25 percent of the vehicles sold by the BMW Group in Europe will feature an electric drive. By 2025 this figure is scheduled to reach 33 percent and 50 percent by 2030. The BMW Group plans to extend their portfolio by additional 25 electrified vehicles by 2023.

The plug-in hybrid system of the new BMW X1 xDrive 25e and the new BMW X2 xDrive25e consists of a 1.5 litre 3-cylinder petrol engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology and an electric drive specially developed for this model. It is taken from the eDrive technology modular system of the BMW Group. The petrol engine mobilises a peak output of 92 kW/125 hp and a maximum torque of 220 Newton metres. It transfers its power to a 6-speed Steptronic transmission and drives the front wheels. The electric motor generates an output of 70 kW/95 hp and delivers 165 Nm of torque to the rear wheels via a single-speed transmission. This makes for a hybrid specific all-wheel drive, which gives both models a unique level of agility in their competitive fields delivering hallmark SAV and SAC driving pleasure. The highly responsive power delivery of the electric motor, which delivers its full torque spontaneously from standstill, enables the driver to react extremely quickly to changing driving conditions. In addition, the position of the electric motor above the rear axle contributes to the harmoniously balanced axle load distribution of the new BMW X1 xDrive25e and the new BMW X2 xDrive25e. In conjunction with the intelligently controlled interaction between the two power units, it provides maximum driving stability, ride comfort and dynamic response.

Together the combustion engine and electric motor produce a system output of 162 kW/220 hp. The maximum system torque of both drive units is 385 Nm. The new BMW X1 xDrive25e accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds. The new BMW X2 xDrive25e does the 0 to 100 km/h sprint in 6.8 seconds. In addition, the electric boost provided by the drive system ensures additional safety reserves and intense sporty flair when overtaking on country roads, for example. The top speed of the new BMW X1 xDrive25e is 193 km/h. Maximum speed of the new BMW X2 xDrive25e is 195 km/h.

With the very latest high-voltage battery cell technology, the new BMW X1 xDrive25e and the new BMW X2 xDrive25e possess generous reserves of electrical energy enabling the driver to conduct the main share of everyday travel locally emissions-free with the electric motor alone. The latest-generation lithium-ion battery has a gross energy content of 10 kWh. This allows for an electrically powered range of between 54 and 57 kilometres* in the BMW X1 xDrive25e (between 55 and 57 kilometres* in the new BMW X2 xDrive25e). The high-voltage battery can be charged at conventional household sockets using the standard-equipment charging cable. An empty battery can be fully charged in around five hours in this way. It only takes 3.8 hours for the battery to reach 80 percent of its total capacity. Using a BMW i Wallbox, the relevant charging operation from 0 to 100 percent takes less than 3.2 hours. 80 percent of total capacity is already reached after 2.4 hours. The charging socket is located under a separate flap on the front left side wall of the car.

The driver can use the eDrive button on the centre console to influence the drive system’s operating mode. In the AUTO eDRIVE standard setting, the intelligent drive system ensures optimum interaction between the two power units in all driving situations. Navigation data is also used to manage the plug-in hybrid system to increase both efficiency as well as driving pleasure. When navigation guidance is activated, the anticipatory energy management can also take into account the route profile for controlling the drive system. The MAX eDrive mode can be activated for maximum use of the electric drive. In this mode, the new BMW X1 xDrive25e and the new BMW X2 xDrive25e reach a top speed of 135 km/h. In addition there is also the SAVE BATTERY mode. It enables the driver to maintain the charging state of the high-voltage battery while driving or to increase it by means of recuperation. In this way battery capacity can be saved for later use when driving in purely electric mode in the city for example. The driving experience switch can be used independent of the drive mode. In the new BMW X1 xDrive25e and the new BMW X2 xDrive25e, the driver can use this to activate the COMFORT, SPORT and ECO PRO modes in order to influence the drive and suspension functions as well as to operate the electrically powered comfort systems.

Due to a long electric range and low CO2 emissions, the new BMW X1 xDrive25e and the new BMW X2 xDrive25e (depending on equipment) meet the criteria which have been stipulated for the classification as an electric vehicle in Germany and the associated preferential treatment in public road traffic. In addition, it also qualifies for reduced company car taxation in Germany. Only half the gross list price is used as a basis when calculating the monetary benefit from private use of the company car.

The new BMW X1 xDrive25e and the new BMW X2 xDrive25e feature acoustic pedestrian protection as standard. When driving electrically at speeds of up to 30 km/h, an unmistakable sound designed specifically for electrified BMW models is generated to alert other road users to the approaching car without impairing the acoustic comfort of the vehicle occupants. In addition, the standard equipment of the two compact BMW X models with plug-in hybrid drive also includes 17-inch light alloy wheels, 2-zone automatic air conditioning as well as auxiliary air conditioning. The interior can be pre-conditioned remotely via BMW Connected using a smartphone. The new BMW X1 xDrive25e is available as Advantage, Sport Line, xLine and M Sport models. For the new BMW X2 xDrive25e customers can choose from the following models: Advantage, Advantage Plus, M Sport and M Sport X. In addition to the respective equipment packages, virtually all options of the conventionally powered BMW X1 or BMW X2 are available for the plug-in hybrid models.

The positioning of the high-voltage battery underneath the rear seats not only leads to a very low centre of gravity, which optimises the agility of the BMW X1 xDrive25 and the new BMW X2 xDrive25e, but also to a slightly reduced transport capacity compared to the conventionally powered compact model variants. The luggage compartment volume is fully available in primary use. In the new BMW X1 xDrive25e luggage compartment capacity is 450 litres. With a standard split of 40: 20: 40, the folding backrests enable this to be increased to 1,470 litres. A trailer tow hitch with detachable ballhead is optionally available for the new BMW X1 xDrive25e. The maximum trailer load is 750 kilograms.

Munich. The heart of the BMW brand beats in the premium segment of the mid-range category. Along with the BMW 4 Series Coupé, BMW 4 Series Convertible and BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé models, it is the BMW 3 Series that brings out the qualities that are key to hallmark brand driving pleasure in a particularly concentrated form. Now BMW is transferring the brand's characteristic core features to the age of electric mobility – the central purpose in developing the BMW i4. The BMW Group's first purely electrically powered model for the premium mid-range combines driving dynamics, sporty and elegant design, premium quality and the spacious comfort and functionality of a four-door Gran Coupé with locally emissions-free mobility. This heralds a new era of driving pleasure.

The future of electric mobility will be shaped by fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology, for which the BMW iX3 – to be produced from 2020 onwards – will act as a pioneer, followed by the BMW iNEXT and the BMW i4. With fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology, which also includes the latest innovations in the field of battery cells, the BMW i4 sets new standards in sporty performance, achieving a range of some 600 kilometres.

The development of the BMW i4 is part of a comprehensive product offensive by the BMW Group in the field of models with electrified drive. The company currently has the biggest range of all-electric and plug-in hybrid models within the competitive field. By 2023, the BMW Group will have 25 models with electrified drive in its program. With a model portfolio that includes efficient combustion engines as well as modern plug-in hybrid and purely electric drive, the BMW Group as a globally operating company is taking into account the varying requirements and preferences of its customers in different regions of the world. Irrespective of the type of drive selected, all current and future models feature hallmark brand driving pleasure as part of their specific characteristics.

Fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology for optimised dynamics, efficiency and range.

The drive technology of the BMW i4 sets new standards in terms of power density, efficiency and range in locally emissions-free driving. The electric motor, power electronics, charging unit and high-voltage battery have been entirely newly developed. Together they form the BMW eDrive technology of the fifth generation, with which the BMW Group has made further significant advancements in the field of electrified drive. From 2020 onwards, fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology will be introduced first in the BMW iX3 and then in the BMW iNEXT and BMW i4. The electric motor developed for the BMW i4 delivers a maximum output of around 390 kW/530 hp, reaching the level of a V8 engine in current BMW models fitted with a combustion engine. Its spontaneous power delivery gives the BMW i4 outstanding performance characteristics and exceptionally high efficiency.

The fifth generation of BMW eDrive also includes a newly designed high-voltage battery featuring the latest battery cell technology. The design of the high-voltage battery developed for the BMW i4 is characterised by its extremely flat design and optimised energy density. With a weight of some 550 kilograms, it has an energy content of around 80 kWh. This gives the BMW i4 a range of approximately 600 kilometres.

Gran Coupé with characteristic design and performance features.

The all-electric BMW i4 will be produced from 2021 onwards and subsequently launched on the global automotive markets. The new model will be manufactured at the company's main plant in Munich, where other vehicles produced include the BMW 3 Series Sedan with conventional combustion engine and plug-in hybrid drive, the BMW 3 Series Touring with conventional drive and from summer 2020 also with plug-in hybrid drive, the BMW 4 Series Coupé and the BMW M4 Coupé. In addition to the sporty, elegant design that is typical of a 4-door coupé of the brand, the BMW i4 is characterised by impressive performance features. The BMW i brand's first Gran Coupé accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in around 4.0 seconds, achieving a top speed of more than 200 km/h.

A flexible vehicle architecture, the flat, low-positioned high-voltage battery and the compact drive technology create a high degree of freedom in realising a model-specific design. The BMW i4 combines the characteristic proportions of a 4-door coupé with the typical design features of a BMW i model. Dynamically stretched lines and a precise surface design go hand in hand with aerodynamically optimised exterior features as well as sustainability accentuations that are specific to BMW i. High entry and exit comfort for the rear passengers and a spacious, variable interior ensure high suitability for both day-to-day trips and long-distance travel. As such, the BMW i4 can be clearly identified as a BMW Gran Coupé – and equally clearly as an electrically powered vehicle.

Modular, flexible drive and battery storage technology.

The electric drive component of the BMW i4, its charging unit and high-voltage battery are all developed in-house by the BMW Group. Production is carried out in-house or according to BMW Group specifications. Here, the experience gained from development of the previous generations of BMW eDrive technology is consistently tapped into with the aim of optimising all components on an ongoing basis.

The BMW Group's comprehensive expertise in the field of electrified drive systems forms the basis for a scalable modular system whose components can be integrated into different vehicle concepts with great flexibility. Fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology comprises a highly integrated drive system in which the electric motor, transmission and power electronics are accommodated in a single housing. This drive system is compatible with all vehicle concepts and will be available for different models in a range of output levels. The highly integrated design of the system allows a significant increase in power density as well as a reduction in weight and manufacturing effort. Production of future-generation electric motors will no longer require materials categorised as rare earths.

The next generation charging unit is characterised by a uniform package suitable for all future vehicle architectures. It can be used in plug-in hybrid models as well as in purely electrically powered vehicles and is designed for a charging capacity of up to 150 kW. This allows the high-voltage battery of the BMW i4 to be charged to around 80 per cent of its full energy content in around 35 minutes. This results in a charging time of around six minutes for a range of 100 kilometres.

In the field of high-voltage batteries, too, the advancements introduced with the fifth generation of BMW eDrive technology are based on the BMW Group's in-depth expertise and years of experience. The company has an exceptionally high level of know-how both in the field of battery cell technology and in the manufacture of model-specific high-voltage batteries. This lays the foundation for continuous optimisation of the batteries – both in future plug-in hybrid models and in purely electrically powered vehicles. The BMW Group has been manufacturing modules and model-specific high-voltage batteries for vehicles with electrified drive systems since 2013. An independently developed modular system with a flexible arrangement of the modules enables integration of batteries developed in-house into various vehicle concepts. Consistent ongoing development work is dedicated to optimising the basic characteristics of the battery cells as well as the structure of the modules and their arrangement in the respective model-specific storage unit. For example, the batteries used in the BMW i4 and other future electric vehicles have a higher number of cells per module, a reduced number of components, a more compact design and increased flexibility with regard to their geometry.

With the establishment of the Battery Cell Competence Centre in Munich, the BMW Group has further expanded its research and development expertise in this area, which is crucial to the future of electromobility. The focus is on fundamental research in areas where there is an impact on customer-related factors such as energy density, accessible peak output, service life, safety, charging characteristics, response at different temperatures and manufacturing costs. At the new Battery Cell Competence Centre, research is being conducted in particular into the potential for further optimisation of cell chemistry and cell design. The selection and composition of materials for the anode, cathode, electrolyte and separator as well as the format of the battery cells made of these materials will have a key impact on the quality of high-voltage batteries used in future models with electrified propulsion.

Munich. The feeling of an M car is unmistakable – and now it can be tailored even more closely to the individual. BMW M GmbH is unveiling a new display and control system for the configuration of the powertrain, chassis and driver assistance systems on its high-performance sports cars. As well as additional scope for adapting the vehicle settings both to the situation at hand and to personal preferences using the Setup button, drivers will also enjoy the services of the new M Mode (activated at the touch of a button). The Setup button can be used to adjust the vehicle settings, while M Mode allows the displays and driver assistance systems to be tuned to the driver’s requirements. This extra individualisation and even more intuitive operation will be included for the first time in the new BMW M8 Coupe and BMW M8 Competition Coupe (fuel consumption combined: 10.6 – 10.5 l/100 km [26.7 – 26.9 mpg imp]; CO2 emissions combined: 242 – 238 g/km; provisional figures), and the new BMW M8 Convertible and BMW M8 Competition Convertible (fuel consumption combined: 10.8 – 10.6 l/100 km [26.2 – 26.7 mpg imp]; CO2 emissions combined: 246 – 241 g/km; provisional figures). With the help of these new features, drivers of BMW’s high-performance models for the luxury segment can enjoy their exceptional range of abilities – from supreme long-distance comfort to alluring track dynamics – in even greater depth.

The control system developed for BMW M models traditionally enables their powertrain and chassis technology to be configured in a wide variety of ways according to personal tastes and needs. Indeed, the driver can activate various settings for the engine, suspension and steering independently of one another. In models specified with the M xDrive all-wheel-drive system, the distribution of power between the front and rear wheels can also be tweaked. And now the new BMW M8 Coupe and new BMW M8 Convertible offer the ability to configure the braking system as required, too.

New Setup button enables intuitive operation with direct access to all powertrain and chassis systems.

The new Setup button on the centre console of the new BMW M8 Coupe and new BMW M8 Convertible enables direct access to all available setup options for five vehicle parameters. Pressing the button brings up a Setup menu in the Control Display, which offers an overview of the vehicle settings currently engaged. The driver can then activate their desired mode for the engine, suspension, steering, brakes and M xDrive – in a single step in each case – via the touchscreen or the iDrive Controller.

The engine characteristics can be adjusted by means of the EFFICIENT, SPORT and SPORT PLUS settings, while the COMFORT, SPORT and SPORT PLUS chassis options give access to the three profiles for the electronically controlled dampers. The driver can also choose between COMFORT and SPORT for both the M-specific electromechanical steering and the new braking system. When DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) is deactivated, the 4WD, 4WD SPORT and 2WD (for pure rear-wheel drive) settings for the M xDrive all-wheel-drive system also come into play. Two individually composed variants of this setup can be stored permanently with the driver’s preferred settings for the engine sound, gearshift characteristics, driving stability control and Auto Start Stop function. The overall vehicle configuration can then be called up instantly at any time by pressing one of the two M buttons on the steering wheel.

Premiere in the BMW M8: integrated braking system with precise pedal feel and M-specific configurability.

The M-specific version of a new braking technology paves the way for the configuration of braking characteristics, a feature available for the first time in the new BMW M8. The new system brings together the brake activation, brake booster and braking control functions within a compact module. The integrated braking system reduces weight by around two kilograms and employs a vacuum-free brake booster to enhance the car’s overall efficiency. The brake pressure required is triggered by an electric actuator, which allows it to be generated more dynamically and also ensures significantly faster and more precise interventions from the driving stability control system.

The integrated braking system also does an excellent job of allowing vehicle deceleration to be geared precisely to the driver’s requirements and of generating sublime pedal feel in any situation. Braking feedback to the driver is unimpaired by wet road surfaces, significant lateral acceleration or high brake temperatures, and this ensures precise metering of braking power at all times. The version of the new braking system developed for BMW M models also presents the driver with two pedal feel settings.

COMFORT and SPORT modes alter the amount of pressure on the brake pedal required to slow the car. This allows the driver to choose between a comfort-oriented perception of the braking process and a particularly direct, instantaneous response to applications of the pedal. The new BMW M8 teams this innovative system with both the standard M compound brakes and optional M carbon-ceramic brakes.

Pure driving pleasure through innovation: the M Mode button.

In addition to the new configuration options opened up by the Setup button, the new BMW M8 also allows the gearshift characteristics of the eight-speed Steptronic transmission to be adjusted using the Drivelogic button on the selector lever and the engine sound to be varied via a separate button on the centre console. M Dynamic Mode – which raises the intervention thresholds for the driving stability control and allows controlled drifts – and DSC Off mode can also be initiated at the touch of a button.

A fresh addition to the new flagship models from BMW M GmbH is the M Mode button on the centre console. This can be used to alter the responses of the driver assistance systems and the screens in the all-digital instrument cluster and Head-Up Display. M Mode allows the driver to activate ROAD and SPORT modes, while the new BMW M8 Competition Coupe and BMW M8 Competition Convertible also come with a TRACK setting. These options enhance the hallmark M driving experience according to the situation at hand. Changing the settings alters the information presented to the driver on the screens, while the safety-enhancing interventions by the driver assistance systems – such as active braking or steering inputs – are reduced to a bare minimum or deactivated altogether.

In the default ROAD setting, all the standard and optional driver assistance systems are fully activated. A simple press of the M Mode button engages the SPORT setting, in which the active driver assistance systems (in the configuration set by the driver) now only transmit alerts on speed limits and overtaking restrictions. This mode disables all interventions in the braking and steering systems, aside from those made by the Collision Warning with braking function and the Evasion Assistant.

In SPORT mode, the driver benefits from M View in both the instrument cluster and the Head-Up Display. Here, only relevant information for sporty driving – i.e. an M-specific engine speed dial and the shift lights (which indicate the ideal time to change gear), a digital speed display and the gear currently engaged – is displayed in the cockpit. Information on coolant temperature, charge pressure, tyre condition, and longitudinal and lateral acceleration can be viewed in the right- and left-hand areas of the instrument cluster. The Head-Up Display read-out is concentrated around the engine revs and shift lights, navigation instructions and distance warnings, the gear selected and the vehicle speed, plus the speed limits and overtaking restrictions detected by the Speed Limit Info system. Pressing the M Mode button again returns the driver to the default ROAD mode.

An extended press of the M Mode button engages TRACK mode, which is available in the Competition models and designed exclusively for use on race circuits. The decision to activate this mode must be confirmed using the iDrive Controller. In this setting, all the comfort and safety functions of the driver assistance systems are deactivated. In addition, the audio system and Control Display are both switched off in order to focus the driver’s attention even more intently on the road ahead. TRACK mode allows drivers of the new BMW M8 Competition Coupe and new BMW M8 Competition Convertible to experience an ultra-pure, racing-car-inspired distillation of M feeling. Added to which, the instrument cluster and Head-Up Display also include M View, although TRACK mode blanks out the road sign detection and distance information. Pressing the M Mode button again takes the car out of the TRACK setting and back into ROAD mode.

Munich/Regensburg. The World Economic Forum (WEF) has today named BMW Group Plant Regensburg a ‘Lighthouse of the Fourth Industrial Revolution’, acknowledging its pioneering role in the digitalisation of industrial production. The honour was bestowed after an in-depth selection process which saw the WEF examine around 1,000 production facilities in various industry sectors. A total of seven plants have today joined the circle of ‘Factories of the Future’.

The BMW Group Production System is closely based on the Strategy NUMBER ONE > NEXT. The wide-ranging technological opportunities raised by the digital transformation in particular are being integrated into production to positive effect. According to the WEF, especially by using the custom BMW Group Intranet-of-Things platform, the Regensburg Plant cut the time to deploy all new applications by 80% leading to a significant reduction in logistics costs.

Manfred Erlacher, Plant Director at BMW Group Plant Regensburg: “The creativity and experience of our associates are the key drivers of effective innovations and consequently of our production system as well. Once a smart solution is successfully implemented, it soon spreads to other areas of production and other BMW Group sites.”

It is these solutions that make the increasing complexity of production manageable at all: high-performance production systems are enabling the BMW Group’s 30 production and assembly plants in 14 countries to deliver a global daily output of around 10,000 vehicles. These comprise more than 40 BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce model variants, a great many of them individually configured. The decision by the WEF to induct the Regensburg Plant into its community of ‘Lighthouses of the Fourth Industrial Revolution’ provides confirmation of the success of the many digital solutions in the BMW Group Production System.

The smooth integration of new, digital applications into production IT is supported first and foremost by the BMW Group Intranet-of-Things platform. This offers employees a wide range of digital tools and accessories which they can combine to create their own plug-and-play solutions. It’s an approach that keeps people firmly in the focus of value creation and offers them even more scope to shape their own workstations.

Dr. Christian Patron, Head of Innovation, Digitalisation and Data Analytics: “The recognition of Plant Regensburg as a Lighthouse motivates us to continue on our chosen pathway. Effective digital solutions and structural decisions provide us with clear strategic guidance and, along with the overarching BMW IoT platform, they are key factors in our success. The capacity of our associates to shape developments and integrate new solutions into production is fundamental to what we do.”

The digitalisation of the BMW Group Production System is largely taking place in the fields of innovative automation and assistance systems, additive manufacturing, smart data analytics and smart logistics.

To find out more, see our press releases:

BMW Group Harnesses Potential of Innovative Automation and Flexible Assistance Systems in Production:

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

A million printed components in just ten years: BMW Group makes increasing use of 3D printing:

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

Smart Data Analytics: BMW Group relies on intelligent use of production data for efficient processes and premium quality:

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

Connected, flexible, autonomous: BMW Group expands use of innovative technologies in production logistics:

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

A glimpse of the future: BMW Group uses virtual reality to design future production workstations:

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

Munich. The BMW Group is increasingly relying on innovations from the fields of digitalisation and Industry 4.0 in production logistics. This will ensure the company’s global production network continues to receive the parts it needs in a timely and reliable manner in the future. The focus is on applications such as logistics robots, autonomous transport systems at plants and digitalisation projects for an end-to-end supply chain. Staff can control logistics processes from mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets and use virtual reality applications to plan future logistics. Innovations coming out of many pilot projects are being implemented worldwide in logistics at BMW Group plants.

“Logistics is the heart of our production system. Our broad spectrum of ground-breaking projects helps us run increasingly complex logistics processes efficiently and transparently,” according to Jürgen Maidl, head of Logistics for the BMW Group production network. “We are taking advantage of the wide range of available technological innovations and working closely with universities and start-ups. We are already working with tomorrow’s Industry 4.0 technologies today.”

Around 1,800 suppliers at more than 4,000 locations deliver over 31 million parts to the 30 BMW Group production sites worldwide every day. Digitalisation and innovations help the company organise logistics more flexibly and more efficiently. At the same time, almost 10,000 vehicles coming off the production line daily must be delivered to customers around the globe. Digitally connected delivery, so-called Connected Distribution, ensures that these transport routes are also more transparent.

Connected Supply Chain: Full data transparency in the supply chain

The BMW Group supply chain relies on a global supply network and close cooperation with numerous logistics service providers. The Connected Supply Chain (CSC) programme significantly increases supply chain transparency. It updates the plants’ material controllers and logistics specialists on the goods’ location and delivery time every 15 minutes. This transparency enables them to respond immediately if delays appear likely and take appropriate steps early to avoid costly extra runs.

Autonomous transport systems both inside and outside

Autonomous transport systems such as tugger trains or Smart Transport Robots are increasingly used to transport goods within production halls.

To allow tugger trains to now also be used for the sophisticated process of supplying assembly lines, as part of a pilot project, BMW Group Plant Dingolfing has developed an automation kit, which enables conventional tugger trains of any brand already on hand to be upgraded to autonomous tugger trains. The capabilities of these driverless tugger trains go beyond automation of earlier solutions.

Another future technology is also being piloted alongside autonomous tugger trains at the Dingolfing plant. A Smart Watch supports logistics staff during the container change process and announces approaching tugger trains via a vibration alarm. The employee can also read which containers should be unloaded and send the tugger train on to its next destination by tapping the display.

The BMW Group is also pioneering the use of autonomous transport systems outdoors. As part of a pilot project, the BMW Group is using an autonomous outdoor transport robot for the first time at its Leipzig plant to bring truck trailers from where they are parked to the unloading and loading bay on their own. A mobile platform drives underneath the trailer, connects it and steers it through the plant. The so-called AutoTrailer, with a payload of up to 30 tons, navigates by laser, without additional guidelines or markings, through the plant’s outdoor areas. Sensors and cameras provide a 360° all-round view, which forms the basis of the safety concept.

The huge potential of this transport system is particularly evident at the BMW Group’s largest plant in Spartanburg, where about 1,200 of these trailer-shunting manoeuvres take place every day.

Back in 2015, the BMW Group joined forces with the Fraunhofer Institute IML to develop the first self-driving Smart Transport Robots (STR) for transporting roll containers through logistics areas within production halls. The second generation is now in operation at BMW Group Plant Regensburg. The flat robots carry roll containers weighing up to one ton and transport them autonomously to where the goods need to be. They calculate the ideal route independently and move freely through space. A built-in battery module from the BMW i3 powers the STR for a whole work shift.

Loading and unloading of goods containers:
Robots take over arduous tasks and relieve staff

After delivery to the plant, the goods are transported to the assembly line in containers and parts containers of various sizes. For the tiring job of reloading containers from pallets onto conveyor belts or into storage, employees will be assisted in the future by logistics robots specially developed for this purpose. Four different types of robots, referred to as "Bots" by logistics experts, are currently being tested or have already been integrated into series production.

The lightweight robots take on different jobs: they can take full plastic boxes from the pallet in the incoming goods area and place them on a conveyor system, they do unload tugger trains and place boxes loaded with goods on a shelf, they collect various small parts from appropriate supply racks and they stack empty containers on pallets before they re-enter circulation.

Using artificial intelligence, the robots can detect and process various different containers and determine the ideal grip point.

Smart devices support logistics staff in paperless logistics

Gloves with integrated scanners and displays, data glasses and smart watches are increasingly used to support logistics employees. The transition to paperless logistics, with digitally labelled containers and shelves, opens up new areas of application for mobile devices. Glove scanners read the electronic label and indicate the exact contents of the small load carrier on a small display that can be worn on the arm.

Virtual reality and artificial intelligence

The use of virtual reality already plays an important role in planning logistics spaces. In a virtual environment, planners can quickly and efficiently lay out future logistics areas completely and assess how much space is needed, for instance. Planning is based on 3D data representing the real structures of a logistics hall. For the past several years, the BMW Group has been capturing its plants in digital form with millimetre accuracy, using special 3D scanners and high-resolution cameras. This creates a three-dimensional image of the structures, so that manual recording on site is no longer needed. When planning future logistics areas, BMW Group experts can now combine existing data with a virtual "library" of shelves, lattice boxes, small load carriers and around 50 other widely-used operating resources.

Connected Distribution:
Vehicle delivery transparency from plant to showroom
Like delivery of parts to plants, the transport of vehicles to the dealership is now also digitally and transparently traceable. The former Connected Distribution pilot project was fully integrated into series production this year. The system uses the same IT built into BMW Group vehicles to track the location of finished vehicles once they are ready to leave the plant. The vehicle transmits its current geolocation and status to the logistics centre via a mobile connection every time it is switched off.

Focus on sustainability: Natural gas, electric and future hydrogen trucks will reduce CO2 emissions

Logistics can help the BMW Group achieve its sustainability goals. The focus here is on continuous expansion of CO2-efficient modes of transport. More than 60 percent of all new vehicles now leave production plants by rail.
Nevertheless, it is still necessary to use trucks on certain in- and outbound logistics routes. To reduce emissions from these truck journeys, the BMW Group is already using natural gas and electric trucks in cooperation with logistics service providers. The aim is to reduce truck emissions by 40% by 2030 and to be completely emission-free by 2050.

Munich. Virtual reality is increasingly finding use in BMW Group production. A few months before production of the new BMW 3 Series ramped up in Munich, BMW Group planners have completely laid out individual workstations in a virtual world. This includes cockpit preassembly, for example, where the cockpit is put together before being installed in the vehicle. For the first time, building, systems, logistics and assembly planners, together with production employees, were able to assess the whole of the new production area in virtual reality and test new procedures in 3D.

Matthias Schindler, responsible for Virtual Planning and Implementation in Production at the BMW Group: “Virtual reality technology has enabled us to set up cockpit preassembly workstations quickly and efficiently. Time-consuming trial installations that replicate the workstation in its actual dimensions were no longer needed. And the fact that all the specialists involved – from logistics experts to systems planners to production employees – were easily able to exchange ideas in the early stages was an important added benefit for the team. We were more transparent, more flexible and faster overall.”

Production of the existing cockpit continued during preparations without any constraints, since planning only took up space in the virtual world. Being able to work with the same data and software also saved specialist departments and production staff a lot of time. Because it is so easy to use, experts were able to assess how much space the new system needed, for example, quickly and easily and incorporate production employees’ know-how in planning from the beginning. Following a brief introduction and without any specialised knowledge, the team of representatives from different specialist areas was able to launch the project immediately. The software handles complex calculations for real-time rendering of all objects in virtual-reality glasses and simulations.

The basis for this kind of planning is digitalised 3D factory data. For the past several years, the BMW Group has been capturing the real structures of its plants in digital form with millimetre accuracy, using special 3D scanners and high-resolution cameras. This creates a three-dimensional image of production in the form of a so-called cloud diagram. Time-consuming, digital reconstruction of real structures and manual recording on site are no longer needed. Whether planning future workplaces or entire assembly halls, BMW Group departments can now combine existing data with a virtual "library" of shelves, lattice boxes, small load carriers and around 50 other widely-used operating resources.

• Fourth generation of the BMW X family patriarch. New BMW X5 opens the next chapter in the success story of the Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) segment’s founder, of which more than 2.2 million units have been sold so far. New edition of the BMW X5 captures the imagination with clarity of design, comfortable, sporty and authoritative driving attributes and innovative equipment features. Production at BMW Plant Spartanburg (USA). Market launch in November 2018.
• Significantly larger than its predecessor: Length increased by 36 millimetres to 4,922 mm, width by 66 mm to 2,004 mm and height by 19 mm to 1,745 mm. Wheelbase extended by 42 mm to 2,975 millimetres.
• Exterior employs a robust and clear design language that is new to BMW X models. Powerfully sculpted surfaces, precise lines. Large BMW kidney grille with a one-piece surround, eye-catching character line and dynamic roofline, rear lights have a three-dimensional form.
• Interior exudes a classy and modern aura thanks to sophisticated materials, harmonious design and an innovative control concept.
• Neatly judged individualisation with BMW xLine and M Sport lines, plus model-specific features from BMW Individual.
• BMW Laserlight with Adaptive LED Headlights available as an option. Light sources have a striking design; lenses spread in a distinctive X shape; signature blue colour of BMW Laserlight.
• First BMW model to be available with 22-inch light-alloy wheels (optional). M light-alloy wheels in twin-spoke design and BMW Individual light-alloy wheels available from launch in this size.
• Market launch of the new BMW X5 with four engine variants: Newly developed V8 petrol engine with 340 kW/462 hp in the BMW X5 xDrive50i (not available in Europe), six-cylinder in-line petrol engine with 250 kW/340 hp in the BMW X5 xDrive40i (fuel consumption combined: 8.8 – 8.5 l/100 km [32.1 – 33.2 mpg imp]; CO ₂ emissions combined: 200 – 193 g/km)* and two six-cylinder in-line diesel engines with 294 kW/400 hp in the BMW X5 M50d (fuel consumption combined: 7.2 – 6.8 l/100 km [39.2 – 41.5 mpg imp]; CO ₂ emissions combined: 190 – 179 g/km)* and 195 kW/265 hp in the BMW X5 xDrive30d (fuel consumption combined: 6.8 – 6.0 l/100 km [41.5 – 47.1 mpg imp]; CO ₂ emissions combined: 179 – 158 g/km)*. All power units feature cutting-edge exhaust gas treatment technology, including a gasoline particulate filter or SCR catalyst, and meet the EU6d-TEMP standard. Eight-speed Steptronic transmission fitted as standard.
• BMW xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive with new, more efficient control system and rear-wheel bias as standard. Differential lock at rear axle provides noticeably enhanced agility, traction and directional stability when accelerating out of corners and in other dynamic driving situations.
• First BMW X model with optional Off-Road package. Two-axle air suspension, underguard at the front and rear, plus specific displays in the instrument cluster and Control Display. Choice of four driving modes available at the touch of a button. Ride height and the responses of BMW xDrive, DSC, the transmission and the accelerator are adjusted to give an optimum set-up for driving on sand, rock, gravel or snow.
• Dynamic Damper Control with electronically controlled dampers as standard. New chassis systems available for the first time in a BMW X model: two-axle air suspension offering ride height adjustment of up to 80 millimetres. Integral Active Steering, Adaptive M suspension Professional with active roll stabilisation.
• Debut appearance of the BMW Live Cockpit Professional display and control concept (fitted as standard). Further development of the iDrive operating system to include a fully digital instrument cluster and 12.3-inch Control Display. Clear graphics and flat menu structure designed for touch control ensure quick access to settings and functions. Situation-linked and customisable displays supply the driver with the right information at the right time.
• Increased ease of use through multimodal use of the touchscreen display, Controller, voice control and BMW gesture control.
• New generation of the BMW Head-Up Display with a larger projection surface (now 7 × 3.5 inch), optimised 3D graphics and additional display content.
• Optional third row of seats (expected to be available from 12/2018) offers two additional seats; comfortable entry and exit thanks to electrically forward-tilting second-row seats.
• Two-piece split tailgate, hands-free opening and closing of both sections with optional Comfort Access. Automatic boot cover can be lowered electrically into load compartment floor (expected to be available from 12/2018). Boot capacity can be increased from 650 litres to a maximum 1,860 litres.
• Standard leather trim in new variant Vernasca and optional BMW Individual Merino leather trim both available in a choice of four colours.
• New options provide the interior with exceptional creature comforts: Multifunction seats with massage function, four-zone automatic climate control, heated armrests, cooled/heated cupholders in the centre console, Panorama glass roof Sky Lounge with a 23 per cent larger glass surface, Ambient Air package for interior fragrancing, Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System (expected to be available from 12/2018), Rear-seat entertainment Professional system with 10.2-inch touchscreen display (expected to be available from 12/2018).
• First appearance of new glass applications (optional) for the newly designed transmission selector lever, the Controller, the start/stop button in the centre console and the audio system control knob.
• Telephony with wireless charging for compatible mobile phones. BMW Display Key shows vehicle status information and allows user to control vehicle functions.
• Updated ambient lighting (optional) with Welcome Light Carpet for the entry area to the car and Dynamic Interior Light with pulsating illumination in the instrument panel (when receiving incoming phone calls) and in the door panel and opener (when the door is opened with the engine running).
• Innovative suite of driver assistance systems takes another step towards automated driving: Driving Assistant Professional includes further developed Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go function, Steering and lane control assistant, Lane Change Warning and Lane Departure Warning, side collision protection, evasion aid, Crossing traffic warning, Priority warning and Wrong-way warning.
• Emergency Stop Assistant available for the first time; brakes the vehicle automatically if required, and steers it to the side of the road.
• Parking Assistant with automated longitudinal and lateral guidance. New Reversing Assistant takes over steering to manoeuvre the vehicle along a path recently negotiated forward – over a distance of up to 50 metres. Parking Assistant Plus also includes Surround View, Top View, Panorama View and Remote 3D View.
• Complete range of services from BMW ConnectedDrive. Full connectivity between the vehicle and the customer’s digital devices via the BMW Connected personal mobility assistant. BMW Digital Key allows users to access the vehicle and start the engine using their smartphone. Hazard warning provided by connectivity with other BMW vehicles. Software upgrades “over the air”. Integration of Microsoft Office 365 and Skype for Business.