Munich. L'usine BMW Group de Munich s'apprête à franchir une étape décisive dans son processus de transformation : la production en série de la BMW i3, deuxième modèle de la gamme Neue Klasse, y débutera en août. Cela marque le coup d'envoi du déploiement de la Neue Klasse au sein du réseau de production mondial du BMW Group.

« Nous nous sommes préparés de manière rigoureuse. Avec la BMW iFACTORY, nous avons mis en place un cadre stratégique cohérent pour notre production », explique Milan Nedeljković, membre du directoire de BMW AG en charge de la production. « Nous avons ouvert la voie aux prochains lancements dans toutes nos usines et avons investi massivement dans les technologies, la numérisation et l’IA. »

L'usine BMW Group de Munich a fait l'objet d'une modernisation en profondeur ces dernières années. Il en résulte une usine qui fonctionne désormais de manière encore plus efficace, flexible et numérique, et qui est parfaitement positionnée pour répondre aux exigences de la mobilité électrique et de la Neue Klasse.

Mais ce n’est pas tout : à partir de 2027, l’usine de Munich produira exclusivement des véhicules 100 % électriques, ce qui lui permettra de gagner encore en efficacité. Cette évolution s’appuie sur une planification proactive, une étroite collaboration avec les équipes de développement et les fournisseurs, ainsi que sur des technologies de production modernes mises en œuvre dans les nouvelles installations. « Nous avons considérablement réduit les coûts de production au cours des dernières années. Avec le lancement de la production de la BMW i3, nous réduirons encore de 10 % les coûts de production globaux de l'usine de Munich, les ramenant ainsi en dessous du niveau de la génération actuelle de véhicules », déclare Peter Weber, directeur de l'usine BMW Group de Munich. Outre des processus de production optimisés et une automatisation et une numérisation ciblées, la nouvelle architecture des véhicules de la Neue Klasse garantit également l'efficacité.

L'usine de Munich investit environ 650 millions d'euros dans la transformation de son site de production entièrement électrique.

Une production haute performance sur un site historique

Depuis plus de 100 ans, l'usine de Munich n'a cessé de se réinventer, passant d'un site situé en périphérie à celui d'aujourd'hui, en plein cœur de la ville. L'usine a fait l'objet d'un vaste programme de réaménagement pour la Neue Klasse, tout en maintenant une production pouvant atteindre 1 000 véhicules par jour durant cette période. Un nouvel atelier de carrosserie et une chaîne d’assemblage ultramoderne, comprenant de nouvelles zones logistiques, ont été mis en place sur une superficie représentant environ un tiers de l’empreinte de l’usine. Les technologies existantes ont également fait l’objet d’importantes mises à jour.

Peter Weber, directeur de l’usine, souligne les réalisations du personnel : « Les collaborateurs de l’usine ont joué un rôle essentiel dans la réussite de cette transformation. Grâce à leur haut niveau d’expertise, leur enthousiasme et leur immense dévouement, nos employés ont démontré qu’une production industrielle de classe mondiale est possible même dans les conditions les plus difficiles. La BMW i3 n’est qu’un début : plusieurs modèles de la Neue Klasse seront fabriqués à Munich à l’avenir, notamment la BMW i3 Touring. »

Une vision pour toutes les technologies : la BMW iFACTORY

La BMW iFACTORY met l'accent sur l'efficacité, la durabilité et la numérisation. Dans ce cadre, les usines de l'entreprise à travers le monde mettent en œuvre des solutions adaptées à chaque site, renforçant ainsi la résilience de l'entreprise ainsi que sa capacité à livrer de manière fiable à tout moment et partout dans le monde. Cette vision a désormais été mise en œuvre de manière cohérente pour toutes les technologies au sein de l'usine BMW Group de Munich.

« Nous avons repensé l'ensemble de la chaîne de valeur, du fournisseur au véhicule fini destiné au client. Nous avons examiné chaque processus en détail et procédé à des optimisations. Notre usine est désormais encore plus efficace, plus flexible et encore plus numérisée que jamais. Nous assurons ainsi la viabilité future de l'usine », ajoute Peter Weber.

Dans l'atelier de presse, des tôles d'acier et d'aluminium sont transformées chaque jour en dizaines de milliers de composants sur des lignes de presse automatisées. L'uniformisation des normes relatives aux presses et aux outils à l'échelle du réseau de production mondial se traduit par des gains d'efficacité à plusieurs niveaux : l'installation et l'intégration des systèmes sont standardisées, les outils destinés aux presses peuvent être échangés au sein du réseau, et les employés peuvent travailler sur différents sites et s'entraider. Un système de caméras assisté par IA facilite le contrôle qualité avant qu'un système de transport souterrain n'achemine les pièces vers l'atelier de carrosserie. La production a considérablement augmenté par rapport aux structures précédentes. Les chutes d'acier et d'aluminium sont collectées, triées, puis utilisées pour fabriquer de nouvelles bobines d'acier ou d'aluminium.

L'usine de Munich a mis en place un nouvel atelier de carrosserie pour la Neue Klasse, doté de systèmes planifiés et réalisés à l'aide d'un jumeau virtuel. Au total, 800 nouveaux robots industriels se chargent ici des processus d'assemblage ; la réduction du nombre de processus d'assemblage à cinq diminue la complexité des processus. Avec un taux d'automatisation d'environ 98 %, les robots effectuent la majorité des processus standardisés. L'inspection automatisée de surface (ASI) contribue à l'assurance qualité.

Dans l'atelier de peinture de l'usine de Munich, des systèmes numériques assistés par l'IA contrôlent les processus qualité centraux. L'inspection automatisée des surfaces (ASI) utilise des caméras et l'intelligence artificielle pour détecter les écarts les plus faibles sur la surface et les consigner sous forme numérique. Le traitement automatisé des surfaces (ASP) traite les variations détectées directement pendant le processus de production. Pour purifier l'air évacué, l'atelier de peinture utilise le procédé eRTO, un système électrique économe en énergie. Celui-ci est complété par la récupération de chaleur et d'énergie ainsi que par des cycles d'économie d'eau.

Ce qui était autrefois le site de fabrication des moteurs de l'usine BMW Group de Munich est devenu une nouvelle zone d'assemblage pour la Neue Klasse. La zone d'assemblage est conçue pour des processus numériques de bout en bout : les véhicules, les systèmes et les outils sont interconnectés, et le suivi numérique en temps réel ainsi que les contrôles qualité automatisés en ligne assistent les employés dans le processus de la chaîne de montage. Dès l'assemblage, la BMW i3 transmet numériquement l'état de jusqu'à 20 000 caractéristiques au système de production. Des postes de travail ergonomiques, des systèmes réglables en hauteur et des processus simplifiés allègent la charge de travail des employés, tandis qu'une formation ciblée les accompagne dans les nouveaux domaines numériques.

Dans le cadre de cette transformation, la logistique de l'usine BMW Group de Munich s'est clairement concentrée sur l'efficacité et l'intégration directe à la production. Le service logistique de l'usine de Munich traite environ 2,5 millions de pièces chaque jour ; à l'avenir, environ 70 % de ces pièces seront livrées directement aux postes d'assemblage. Cela permettra de réduire les distances de transport internes, de gagner de l'espace et d'accélérer l'approvisionnement des chaînes de production. Ceci est rendu possible par une structure de bâtiment à plusieurs étages spécialement conçus pour l'emplacement urbain de l'usine. La livraison s'effectue au rez-de-chaussée, puis un système de convoyage achemine les pièces aux niveaux appropriés, où elles sont distribuées directement aux postes d'assemblage. Cela permet d'appliquer systématiquement le principe de la livraison directe, même dans une usine à plusieurs étages. Parallèlement, le niveau d'automatisation de la logistique a été considérablement accru. À l'avenir, les systèmes d'approvisionnement automatisés, les robots de transport intelligents et les systèmes de transport sans conducteur prendront en charge environ 60 % des tâches d'approvisionnement. Un poste de contrôle logistique numérique gère tous les processus de manière centralisée, garantissant ainsi la transparence et une optimisation basée sur les données.

L'usine de Munich se distingue par son unité de fabrication de sièges intégrée. Véritable « usine dans l'usine », celle-ci joue un rôle central en matière d'assurance qualité et d'expertise au sein du réseau de production. Les sièges destinés à toutes les versions des modèles produits à Munich y sont fabriqués, puis livrés directement à la chaîne d'assemblage des véhicules selon le principe du « zéro stock ». Cette unité de fabrication de sièges intégrée est considérée comme la référence en matière d'assurance qualité au sein du groupe BMW. Des processus modernes, largement automatisés, garantissent un contrôle qualité sans faille. Celui-ci est complété par des contrôles de fin de ligne entièrement automatisés, y compris pour les composants liés à la sécurité. L'atelier de fabrication de sièges renforce également de manière systématique l'expertise interne du BMW Group. Il sert de centre de compétences et de pôle d'innovation, teste de nouveaux matériaux, technologies et concepts de fabrication, et soutient l'évaluation des coûts, de la qualité et des processus de production – avec un impact bien au-delà du site de Munich.

Réseau mondial, création de valeur régionale : batteries haute tension et motorisation électrique

Avec la nouvelle usine d'assemblage de batteries haute tension située à Irlbach-Straßkirchen (Basse-Bavière, Allemagne), à environ 90 minutes de route, BMW Group renforce considérablement la création de valeur en Bavière. Conformément à l'approche « local pour local », Irlbach-Straßkirchen fournira des batteries haute tension de 6e génération à l'usine de Munich ainsi qu'à d'autres sites allemands. Ces batteries y seront installées sur la BMW i3. La fabrication des batteries haute tension allie une approche rigoureuse « zéro défaut » aux dernières technologies de production, développées dans des usines pilotes bavaroises. Grâce à des contrôles qualité en ligne continus, à des jumeaux numériques et à l’utilisation systématique de l’intelligence artificielle, BMW Group établit de nouvelles normes dans la production de batteries.

Le moteur électrique Gen6 destiné à la BMW i3 est produit à l’usine BMW Group de Steyr en Autriche – un site qui fabrique des groupes motopropulseurs depuis plus de 40 ans. Avec le premier moteur électrique de sa gamme, l’usine renforce son rôle de référence en matière d’ouverture technologique. Tous les composants essentiels du groupe motopropulseur électrique hautement intégré – du rotor et du stator à l'onduleur et à la transmission – sont produits sur place. De nouvelles lignes de production et des salles d'assemblage ultramodernes ont été mises en place à cet effet. La fonderie d'aluminium de l'usine du BMW Group à Landshut fournit le boîtier du moteur électrique à l'usine de Steyr.

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

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

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

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

Unified IT and data model in the production system

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

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

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

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

Humanoid robotics complements existing automation

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

Center of Competence for Physical AI in Production consolidates expertise

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

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

First pilot project with humanoid robots in Europe

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Additional quotes for use:

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

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

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

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

Felix Haeckel, Team Lead CoC Physical AI for Production:

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

Arnaud Robert, President of Hexagon Robotics:

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

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

Planning got underway in 2001, expecting 850,000 visitors per year. Today, BMW Welt welcomes more than 2 million visitors annually. This number includes customers from all over Germany who come to collect their vehicles – more than 280,000 to date.

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

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

If you have any questions, please contact:

BMW Group Corporate Communications

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

Simone Bauer-Linster, Communications BMW Welt

Telephone: +49 151 601 414 52

Email: Simone.Bauer-Linster@bmw.de

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

E-Mail: presse@bmwgroup.com

The BMW Group

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

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

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

www.bmwgroup.com

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Hams Hall, UK. BMW Group’s Hams Hall plant, located in the UK, has reached a major milestone: For exactly 25 years, the plant near Birmingham has produced highly efficient internal combustion engines for a variety of BMW Group vehicle models. More than 7.6 million engines have shipped from Hams Hall since 2001. The facility supplies numerous production sites worldwide with highly efficient petrol engines for the BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands, including drive trains for plug-in hybrid models – making the plant an integral part of the BMW Group’s technology-open approach. Today, Plant Hams Hall produces three- and four-cylinder petrol engines, as well as the high performance V8 and V12 units.

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

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

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

Energy consumption per engine produced reduced by over 61 percent 

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

SpOTTO robotic dog scans and monitors manufacturing equipment

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

Fully connected digital twin: Big data on three levels

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

A history of continuous growth

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

Selected historic milestones:

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

The BMW Group’s drive train production network

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

+++ From regional development powerhouse to the BMW Group's highest-volume vehicle plant in Europe – Record production in 2025: Plant hits 40-year high with 356,901 vehicles +++

+++ 8.7 million vehicles since start of production in 1986 +++
+++ Plant Director Armin Ebner: “Continuous efforts to increase competitiveness are the key to our success” +++

Regensburg. Plant Regensburg achieved a new production record of 356,901 vehicles in 2025, making it the BMW Group’s highest-volume car plant in Europe. Since the plant opened in 1986, 8.7 million vehicles have rolled off its production line. “With this record production, we not only reached a new all-time high in the plant’s 40-year history but also – as in the previous year – helped the BMW Group’s German plants build more than one million vehicles again in 2025,” says Plant Director Armin Ebner. “For 40 years, the plant has been a central development powerhouse for the eastern Bavarian region.”

Continuous efforts to increase competitiveness as key success factor 

“Continuous and consistent efforts to increase our competitiveness remain the key to our success. Every single day in Regensburg, we demonstrate that competitive production is possible in Germany,” adds Ebner. By implementing efficiency measures within its production system, BMW Group Plant Regensburg has lowered costs by more than a quarter since 2019.

“Digitalisation is an important lever for this,” says Ebner. Examples include the use of artificial intelligence in automated surface processing in the paint shop and for quality controls during vehicle assembly, or a cloud-based traffic control system for supplying parts. Since early 2025, new vehicles have also been able to navigate autonomously, without a driver, from the assembly line to the loading area.

More than 150,000 electrified models in 2025

More than 150,000 of the vehicles manufactured in Regensburg in 2025 were electrified – that is, either fully-electric vehicles or plug-in hybrids. The BMW X1 was the highest-volume model, with over 266,000 vehicles produced, while the BMW X2 accounted for more than 90,000 vehicles.

Over 55,000 vehicles remained in the company’s domestic market of Germany. More than half of the cars produced in Regensburg in 2025 went to customers in other European countries. More than 100,000 vehicles were shipped overseas.

Ebner is optimistic about the plant’s anniversary year: “With our attractive BMW X1 and BMW X2 models, we are producing exactly what our customers want, while continuing to operate three shifts around the clock.” Every 57 seconds, a new vehicle rolls off the assembly line. This currently adds up to more than 1,400 vehicles per workday, which are then delivered to customers around the world. Different types of drive train are flexibly manufactured on a single production line – from models with internal combustion engines to plug-in hybrids and fully-electric vehicles.

BMW Group Plant Regensburg – powering jobs across the region

As part of the settlement agreement with the City of Regensburg in the 1980s, BMW pledged to produce 400 vehicles per day and create 3,500 jobs. With the ramp-up and expansion of the plant in subsequent years, both employee numbers and production capacity increased: In 1991, the plant exceeded the 100,000-vehicle threshold for the first time, with around 128,000 cars manufactured. By 1999, it was building about 750 vehicles daily and more than 200,000 annually. In 2005, annual production surpassed 300,000 vehicles for the first time – with a daily output of around 1,000 units. Having assembled its one-millionth vehicle back in 1995, Plant Regensburg is set to produce its nine-millionth vehicle this year.

Employee numbers have also continued to climb: In 1988, the plant employed around 3,300 people. By 1991, that number had risen to about 7,300. Today, the BMW Group’s core staff at its Regensburg and Wackersdorf locations in eastern Bavaria comprises around 9,000 employees, including approximately 380 apprentices.

This makes the plant a significant economic factor and employer across the region. Ebner: “Our employees’ commitment, their innovation mindset and their forward-looking decisions have shaped BMW Group Plant Regensburg into what it is today: a driving force and economic engine for the entire region.”

40 years of BMW Group Plant Regensburg – overview of milestones:

1983      Decision, contract signing for establishment of Regensburg site

1984      Groundbreaking with Minister-President Franz-Josef Strauß;
              construction of production halls begins

1985     Topping-out ceremony

1986     Start of production for BMW 3 Series (E30); around 1,300 employees

1987      Paint shop commissioned;
first networked computers in assembly usher in the computer age

1988     Around 3,300 employees

1990      Body shop commissioned

1991      Annual production: around 128,000 vehicles, surpassing the 100,000 mark;
around 7,300 employees

1995      Production milestone: 1,000,000 vehicles manufactured in Regensburg

1997      Press shop completed

1999      Annual production exceeds 200,000 vehicles for the first time;
              more than 8,700 employees

2001      Groundbreaking for plant expansion: paint shop and body shop

2005      Annual production exceeds 300,000 vehicles for the first time

2007      Groundbreaking for press shop expansion

2010      Assembly/finish refurbishment

2013      New press system commissioned

2014      Completion of automated small parts warehouse

2015      EFQM Excellence Award; BMW X1 series launch

2017      West expansion of assembly commissioned

2018     Start of BMW X2 series production

2025      Additional body shop commissioned in Neutraubling

2026      Around 9,000 employees, including approx. 380 apprentices

40 years of BMW Group Plant Regensburg – vehicle models produced:

*Updated: Dec. 2025

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

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

Email: presse@bmw.de

BMW Group Plants Regensburg and Wackersdorf
BMW Group Plant Regensburg has been in operation for more than four decades. After construction of the production halls was completed in 1984, series production of the BMW 3 Series (E30) began in autumn 1986. As part of the settlement agreement with the City of Regensburg, BMW pledged at that time to produce 400 vehicles per day and create 3,500 jobs.

Today, Plant Regensburg is one of more than 30 BMW Group production locations worldwide. More than 1,400 BMW X1 and BMW X2 model vehicles roll off the assembly line each day, destined for customers around the globe. Different types of drive train are flexibly manufactured on a single production line – from models with internal combustion engines to plug-in hybrids and fully-electric vehicles.

Within the framework of the BMW iFACTORY, the BMW Group is also setting standards at its Regensburg location in the fields of digitalisation, circularity and competitiveness – as confirmed by recent awards. For example, in 2025, the plant was named “FACTORY OF THE YEAR” in the category “Excellent Large-Series Assembly”. In addition, the BMW X1 from Regensburg was once again voted Best in Class in “Best Cars 2025”. It is already possible to experience, in virtual form, what the factory will look like in the coming years. Production of the “Neue Klasse” – BMW’s next model generation – is set to ramp up in Regensburg in the second half of this decade.

BMW Group Plant Wackersdorf is home to cockpit production and parts supply for overseas plants, and also serves as the door and flap production centre for Rolls-Royce. With its battery testing centre, the site also makes a significant contribution to electromobility.

The BMW Group's core staff at its Regensburg and Wackersdorf locations in eastern Bavaria comprises around 9,000 employees, including approximately 380 apprentices.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Overview of BMW Group production in Germany

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

Munich/Parsdorf. With the publication of its Environmental Impact Statement 2024, all BMW Group operations in Parsdorf are now part of the European environmental register, EMAS. In addition to the BMW Group Cell Manufacturing Competence Centre (CMCC) and test-parts logistics, the pilot plant for high-voltage batteries in Parsdorf has been included in the environmental impact statement and EMAS registration for the first time. EMAS stands for the “Eco-Management and Audit Scheme”, which claims to be the most stringent environmental management system in the world. “We are very pleased with the EMAS registration of all our operations in Parsdorf, which underlines that our processes operate at a very high level – both economically and environmentally,” says Hansjörg Schilp, director of the CMCC and pilot plant for high-voltage batteries in Parsdorf. “The entire team has done an outstanding job.”

EMAS: Strict requirements and high environmental standards

To be listed in the EMAS Register, companies must fulfil strict requirements and adhere to rigorous environmental standards. EMAS is a globally recognised framework that enables organisations to manage and continuously improve their environmental impact. A key element of the EMAS environmental management system is the international environmental management standard ISO 14001. EMAS also focuses on measurable improvements, transparency and legal certainty. Auditing aims to support companies in continuously improving their environmental performance – for example, by using energy and material more efficiently and reducing emissions, wastewater and waste from their sites. Beyond these direct environmental impacts, EMAS also addresses and evaluates indirect aspects, including the sustainability of products, procurement and supply chains, contractor practices and the environmental impact of employees commuting to work. (Source: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/wirtschaft-konsum/wirtschaft-umwelt/umwelt-energiemanagement/emas-umweltmanagement-guetesiegel-der-europaeischen#systematisches-umweltmanagement-mit-emas)

Efficient operations and concepts for the circular economy

The validated environmental impact statement and the resulting inclusion in the EMAS Register by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) for Munich and Upper Bavaria underscore the rigorous environmental standards upheld by the BMW Group in Parsdorf. Battery cell production at the CMCC, one of the three Parsdorf facilities, is powered entirely by electricity from 100% renewable energy sources. Hot water for process ventilation is generated using waste heat recovered from various primary processes, and all three Parsdorf facilities utilise heat pumps in their operations. “On our pilot lines for battery cells and high-voltage batteries, we are focusing on reducing the use of critical raw materials and energy, avoiding solvents and developing innovative circular economy approaches,” explains Schilp. Raw materials represent a significant cost factor for battery cells and high-voltage batteries. Efficient and responsible use of these resources is therefore necessary and also makes economic sense. The BMW Group is gaining valuable insights in this area in Parsdorf. Residual materials from the production process are collected and, wherever technically feasible, reintegrated into the value-creation cycle at the BMW Group’s Competence Centres through direct recycling. This innovative procedure enables residual materials from battery cell production, as well as whole battery cells, to be mechanically dismantled into their components.

Transparent reporting: Environmental impact statement now online

The environmental impact statement for the BMW Group’s Parsdorf  operations (CMCC, pilot plant for high-voltage batteries and test-parts logistics) has been independently reviewed by TÜV SÜD Umweltgutachter GmbH and is now available online at: www.bmwgroup-werke.com/produktionskompetenz/de.html

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

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

Parsdorf pioneers: How the BMW Group builds Gen6 high-voltage batteries

Parsdorf is also home to the BMW Group’s largest pilot plant for Gen6 high-voltage batteries, where production processes are developed and tested before large-scale production begins at the series plants in Debrecen (Hungary), Irlbach-Straßkirchen (Lower Bavaria), Shenyang (China), San Luis Potosí (Mexico) and Woodruff (USA). More than 350 employees have been building initial high-voltage battery prototypes here since 2023. In the meantime, these batteries have also been delivered to the vehicle plant in Debrecen, Hungary, where they were installed in test vehicles for the Neue Klasse. For series production, the BMW Group sources battery cells for its high-voltage batteries from leading cell manufacturers, who produce the cells to the company's specifications. The highest technical standards apply. Upon receipt of goods, additional measurements – such as voltage checks – are carried out. Next comes cell clustering, where the battery cells are connected to coolers. This step ensures optimal insulation and cooling of the cells. The cell clusters and cell contact system are then laser-cleaned and welded with pinpoint precision. The in-line inspection continuously monitors each weld seam in real time. An innovative foaming process follows, ensuring that all elements are protected as a mechanical unit. The foam thus guarantees the safety, stability and durability of the high-voltage battery. The housing is then closed, sealed and riveted. In the final assembly step, the Energy Master – the central control unit – is installed onto the high-voltage battery. A permanently elastic sealing adhesive is applied to ensure a reliable seal. Finally, each high-voltage battery undergoes a 100% end-of-line inspection to ensure quality, safety and function.

+++ Faster, more efficient transition from gas to alternative energy sources possible +++ Pilot project will save around 480 tons of CO2e per year +++

Regensburg. As it transitions from natural gas to renewable energy, the BMW Group is gradually electrifying its paint shops as part of its efforts to decarbonise vehicle production. A recently concluded pilot project at Plant Regensburg demonstrates how this transition can be simplified and accelerated. The key lies in the installation of a thermal oil system. Using thermal oil as a heat transfer medium enables heat generation to be decoupled from the rest of the system’s components. This allows the energy supply to the coating lines to be adapted flexibly at any time.

“One advantage of switching to thermal oil is the flexibility to choose the energy source for heat generation in our paint shops. For example, thermal oil can be heated using electricity, geothermal energy, solar thermal energy – or even a hydrogen-powered heating system. The ability to change fuels quickly at any time makes our paint shops more resilient. If an energy source becomes scarce or unavailable, we can respond at short notice,” explains Samuel Flieger, project manager for technical planning in the Regensburg paint shop.

This means paint shops can already be set up to run on renewable energy – even if gas-free heating is not yet an option. The power grid is not currently equipped at all locations to handle the high energy demands of a fully electrified paint shop, largely due to its extremely energy-intensive drying processes. A thermal oil-based system can also be operated with gas as an interim solution.

Testing successfully concluded in Regensburg

The Regensburg pilot project team took advantage of the production downtime over the New Year period to install the thermal oil technology. Within just a few days, they replaced the gas-powered drying equipment used for one of the three top coat lines with an electrically heated thermal oil system – complete with an innovative electric-powered eRTO exhaust air unit.

The key innovation lies in using the new electric heating unit to transfer heat to the thermal oil, instead of directly heating the air around the car bodies in the drying chamber after paint application. The heated oil circulates in a closed loop and, in a second step, heats the air in the drying chamber via heat exchangers. The circulating thermal oil reaches temperatures of several hundred degrees Celsius. Unlike water, it remains stable even at these high temperatures.

Retrofitting boosts energy efficiency

Wherever waste heat is generated, it is recovered and reused as process heat. This reduces the temperature of the exhaust air released through the hall's roof. As a result of these retrofitting measures, the drying equipment’s total energy consumption has been reduced by approximately 40 percent. Switching to thermal oil heating, combined with the system's improved energy efficiency, will reduce the carbon footprint of BMW Group Plant Regensburg’s paint shop by approximately 480 tons of CO₂e per year.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Christian Dürrschmidt, Communications Regensburg
Cell phone: +49 151 6060 5194,
Email: Christian.Duerrschmidt@bmw.de
 
Saskia Graser, head of Communications Regensburg and Wackersdorf
Cell phone: +49 151 6060 2014,
Email: Saskia.Graser@bmw.de
 
Media website: https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en
Email: presse@bmw.de

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Comprehensive improvements to electric engine
The electric engine has undergone significant further development for Gen6: The rotor, stator and power converter have all been holistically designed for the Gen6 technology’s new 800-volt architecture, maximising performance capabilities and the efficiency of the drive system. Improvements in geometry and cooling, along with reduced friction, optimise the two-stage spur gearbox. Customer-friendly acoustics have also been further refined. In the e-drive's electric “brain” – the power converter – 800-volt technology and silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor technology are now being used to boost efficiency. Fully integrated into the electric engine housing, the power converter converts direct current from the high-voltage battery into alternating current for the electric engine.

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


If you have any questions, please contact:

Corporate Communications
Christian Marxt
Press spokesperson, Production Network, Drive Trains and High-Voltage Batteries
Cell phone: +49-151-601-79158
Email: Christian.Marxt@bmwgroup.com

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

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

 +++ Milestone vehicle is a BMW 330e* Plug-in Hybrid destined for the UK market +++ Technology openness continues to deliver results: 1.5-millionth BMW Group BEV delivered +++ Head of Production Nedeljković: “Electrification of our production is progressing systematically. All plants worldwide are enabled for electromobility.”

Munich. The three-millionth electrified vehicle rolled off the assembly line today at the BMW Group’s main plant in Munich – a BMW 330e* Touring in Portimao Blue, destined for the UK market. In 2024, one in four vehicles sold by the company was already either fully electric or a plug-in hybrid. At BMW Group plants, vehicles with electrified drive trains and internal combustion engines are produced alongside one another on the same production line.

“With its highly flexible production, the BMW Group is able to respond to customer requirements in line with market trends and demand,” explains Milan Nedeljković, member of the Board of Management responsible for Production. “All plants in our global production network are enabled for electromobility, paving the way for continued growth in this segment.”

Start of BEV series production with BMW i3 in Leipzig in 2013

The company launched series production of fully electric vehicles with the BMW i3, back in 2013. The electric city car was manufactured for nearly ten years at Plant Leipzig, alongside the BMW Group’s first plug-in hybrid, the BMW i8. At that time, due to its unique vehicle architecture, the BMW i3 was still being built in Leipzig in a dedicated area for electric cars, in parallel with production of vehicles with conventional drive trains.

Since then, the BMW Group has integrated electric cars into production at all its plants worldwide. Many of the plants initially assembled plug-in hybrid models on a single line, mixed in with their diesel and petrol counterparts, on a flexible basis. Electromobility accounts for a steadily growing share of production volumes, surpassing 25 percent in 2024, with around three-quarters of those vehicles fully electric. A total of one and a half million BEVs from the BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands have already been delivered.

Global production network enabled for e-mobility

With the start of MINI Cooper SE production in Oxford in 2019, the BEV range was extended to the BMW Group’s second brand. The rollout continued from 2020 with the latest generation of e-drives. The BMW iX3 was built in China, while the BMW iX and i4 ramped up in Dingolfing and Munich in 2021. Within a year, all BMW Group plants in Germany had been enabled for production of fully electric vehicles. The company remains committed to systematically integrating electrified vehicles into existing production.

In China, electrification has already been introduced at all plant sites. In the US, Plant Spartanburg is preparing for production of fully electric vehicles from 2026, while Plant San Luis Potosí in Mexico will add BEV models for the Neue Klasse to its production portfolio in 2027. Both facilities already produce plug-in hybrid models. The plant in Rosslyn, South Africa, has been manufacturing plug-in hybrids since 2024. The BMW Group’s sites for local production in Brazil, India and Thailand also already build electrified vehicles.

Competence Centre for E-Drive Production 

Production of electric powertrain components is expanding beyond Germany. Since the launch of the BMW i3, battery modules, high-voltage batteries and electric motors have been produced in Dingolfing. As part of the electrification of the production network, the Competence Centre for E-Drive Production was established at the site. By 2022, it had already reached an annual capacity of over 500,000 e-drives. Other locations gradually ramped up capacity to support the rapid growth in e-mobility. As a result, alongside Dingolfing, fifth-generation high-voltage batteries are now also assembled and installed in vehicles in Regensburg, Leipzig and Spartanburg. The expertise gained since then is now being applied to the sixth generation of e-drives, which will be introduced towards the end of this year with the NEUE KLASSE at the new plant in Debrecen, Hungary.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Preparations for next model generation

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

“FACTORY OF THE YEAR” award recognises outstanding performance

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

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

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

Email: presse@bmw.de

BMW Group Plants Regensburg and Wackersdorf

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BMW Group Strategy for Reduced Logistics Emissions

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

Additional use of H₂ combustion engine trucks within the HyCET project

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

Hydrogen vehicles also used in intralogistics in Leipzig

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

Use of flexible hydrogen burners in the paintshop

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

First hydrogen-powered BMW production model in 2028

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

Munich. BMW Group Plant Munich is gearing up to launch the NEUE KLASSE in summer 2026. During ongoing series operation, three new production halls are currently being built for the body shop, assembly and associated production logistics. “For the production start of the NEUE KLASSE, we will have a state-of-the-art plant in Munich that is characterised by flexibility, innovation and, above all, efficiency,” says Plant Director Peter Weber.

Starting in 2027, the plant in Munich will exclusively produce fully-electric vehicles, further enhancing efficiency boost. Forward planning, close cooperation with development teams and suppliers, and the integration of modern production technology within new structures will all play a key role. “With the NEUE KLASSE, we will significantly reduce manufacturing costs at the Munich Plant,” says Weber. In addition to optimised production processes and targeted automation, the NEUE KLASSE’s new vehicle architecture will also leverage further efficiencies. Focusing on a single drive train variant reduces production steps and the number of parts – for example, for wiring harnesses, which previously varied according to engine type and can be complex to install.

Unusual process: Pre-series production at pilot plant
The timeline for the ramp-up in Munich is carefully synchronised – in part due to the plant’s refurbishment. The first pre-series vehicles will be built at the pilot plant of the BMW Group Research and Innovation Centre (FIZ), with support from Plant Munich’s production team, before the end of the year. “Alongside the pilot plant at the FIZ, we are also using virtual simulations to ensure a smooth ramp-up,” says Weber, describing the unusual situation in the decisive year ahead of the launch. He adds that Plant Munich’s experienced launch team is also working closely with colleagues at the new plant in Debrecen, Hungary, where the first NEUE KLASSE model will enter production late this year.

International production network: Cooperation, flexibility and innovative processes
BMW Group plants are capable of producing different model variants and drive train types on a single line. Since the ramp-up of electromobility is not linear and will progress at varying speeds, the company has relied on “flex-plants”, which can manufacture vehicles with both internal combustion engines and electric drive trains. “In this way, we can ensure our delivery capabilities in different market situations and maintain good capacity utilisation at our locations,” explains Milan Nedeljković, member of the Board of Management responsible for Production.

By the end of the decade, the BMW Group expects a significant increase in the market shares of fully-electric vehicles. For this reason, the plants in Debrecen and, later, Munich will be the first facilities dedicated exclusively to fully-electric vehicles, enhancing electrification capacities throughout the network.

The German plants lead the way on e-mobility in the BMW Group’s production network: Alongside traditional drive technologies, each of them builds at least one fully-electric model for the global market. Even in a volatile environment, the BMW Group continues to grow its domestic locations, manufacturing over a million vehicles there last year – accounting for a quarter of Germany's total automotive production.

At the same time, the company’s production also depends on a balanced global distribution of value creation. “The strategic and flexible structure of our production network strengthens our resilience and makes us more competitive,” adds Nedeljković.

Focus on employees: Developing skills for e-mobility
The shift towards electrified vehicles also brings changes to employee roles and required skills. With the flexible ramp-up of e-mobility at BMW Group plants, employees can gradually be prepared for new job content.

“Despite technical and structural innovations, our focus is always on people. We take pride in our employees’ expertise and experience, and their dedication to continuous improvement. It is thanks to their commitment that we are able to consistently deliver premium-quality vehicles,” emphasises Weber. Additional expertise will be developed and retained at the company through extensive further training and workforce flexibility. Last year alone, nearly 25,000 employees completed e-mobility training. Plant Munich is currently holding its third industrial electrician qualification course, conducted in cooperation with the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK).

In recent years, around 5,500 jobs have been created across the BMW Group production network for the current and upcoming generation of e-drives. More than three quarters of these positions were filled through internal reorganisation. 

Spartanburg, Caroline du Sud. — BMW Manufacturing est le premier exportateur automobile en termes de valeur aux États-Unis en 2024, selon les données publiées ce mois-ci par le département du Commerce des États-Unis. L'usine de Spartanburg a exporté près de 225 000 Sports Activity Vehicles (SAV) et Sports Activity Coupes (SAC) BMW l'année dernière, pour une valeur d'exportation de plus de 10 milliards de dollars. De plus, depuis 2014, l'usine de Caroline du Sud a exporté plus de 2,7 millions de véhicules BMW, soit environ 63 % de sa production totale, pour une valeur d'exportation de plus de 104 milliards de dollars.

« L'usine de Spartanburg est un site important de notre réseau de production depuis plus de 30 ans et est aujourd'hui la plus grande usine BMW Group au monde », explique Milan Nedeljković, membre du conseil d'administration de BMW AG en charge de la Production. « La forte part d'exportation de notre usine souligne l'importance du libre-échange pour les États-Unis. Cela profite non seulement à notre usine, mais également au solide réseau de fournisseurs de la région. »

« Lorsque la première BMW est sortie de la chaîne de montage en 1994, c'était le début d'un grand héritage pour l'usine de Spartanburg aux États-Unis. Nos collaborateurs dévoués ont assemblé près de sept millions de véhicules BMW et, grâce à notre succès à l'exportation, des millions de clients du monde entier peuvent profiter de la technologie innovante et de la qualité premium de nos véhicules X », a déclaré Robert Engelhorn, président et CEO de BMW Manufacturing. « Notre réussite en tant que premier exportateur automobile du pays démontre le partenariat de confiance de BMW avec cet État et notre engagement continu envers les États-Unis. »

« La position de la Caroline du Sud en tant que bastion de l'industrie automobile américaine est directement liée au succès de BMW dans notre État. Les modèles BMW assemblés à l'usine de Spartanburg font l'objet d'une demande mondiale et sont expédiés vers les marchés du monde entier », a déclaré le gouverneur de la Caroline du Sud, Henry McMaster. « Nous sommes fiers d'avoir une entreprise aussi attachée à la prospérité de sa communauté, à la réussite de ses employés et à l'innovation de son secteur ici même en Caroline du Sud. Nous sommes impatients de célébrer de nombreux autres jalons avec BMW dans les années à venir. »

Les BMW assemblées dans l'usine de Caroline du Sud ont été exportées principalement par le port de Charleston (Caroline du Sud), ainsi que par quatre autres ports de la côte Est. Les principaux marchés d'exportation de l’usine de Spartanburg étaient l'Allemagne, la Corée du Sud, la Chine, le Canada et la Grande-Bretagne.

En 2024, à l'usine BMW de Spartanburg.

L'équipe de BMW Manufacturing a assemblé 396 117 modèles SAV et SAC. Sur ce total, plus de 57 000 étaient des hybrides rechargeables (PHEV), soit plus de 14 % du volume total de l'usine. Près de 50 % de toutes les BMW vendues aux États-Unis ont été assemblées à l'usine de Spartanburg.

Parmi les autres faits marquants pour l'usine en 2024 :

• Succès du lancement de la quatrième génération de la BMW X3, l'une des BMW les plus vendues en Amérique.
• À l'occasion du 30e anniversaire de l'usine de Spartanburg, BMW a ouvert son premier atelier de presse en Amérique du Nord. L'atelier de presse ultramoderne produit des pièces pour la BMW X3, y compris des éléments rapportés tels que les quatre portes, les ailes, le hayon et l’extérieur de la carrosserie du véhicule.
• L'agrandissement du hall d'assemblage des X3/X4 s'est poursuivi, alors que l'usine de Spartanburg se prépare à assembler des véhicules entièrement électriques. La construction est terminée et la plupart des outils et équipements ont été installés. Le premier véhicule électrique sera construit fin 2026 et, d'ici 2030, BMW Group assemblera au moins six modèles entièrement électriques aux États-Unis.
• Travaux à l’usine de Woodruff, la nouvelle usine d'assemblage de batteries haute tension de BMW – qui a représenté un investissement de 700 millions de dollars : l'outillage et l'équipement sont en cours d'installation et tous les travaux seront pratiquement achevés d'ici la fin du mois de mars 2025. Les collaborateurs de l'usine de plus de 90 000 m² assembleront les batteries de sixième génération pour alimenter les véhicules électriques produits à l'usine de Spartanburg.
• La construction d'une extension de l'atelier de carrosserie principal a été achevée et plus de 300 robots supplémentaires ont été installés.
• La construction d'un nouvel empileur de carrosserie de huit étages, destiné à l'entreposage des véhicules a été achevée.

Depuis 1992, BMW Group a investi plus de 14,8 milliards de dollars dans ses activités en Caroline du Sud. BMW Manufacturing est la plus grande usine du groupe BMW au monde, assemblant plus de 1 500 véhicules par jour. Près de 57 % de ses véhicules sont expédiés vers environ 120 marchés mondiaux, faisant de BMW le plus grand exportateur automobile en valeur aux États-Unis depuis plus de dix ans. En 2024, près de 50 % des véhicules BMW vendus aux États-Unis provenaient de l'usine de Spartanburg. Elle emploie plus de 11 000 personnes.

+++ More than a third of BMWs produced in Regensburg are electrified this year +++ Plant Director Armin Ebner: “Regensburg meets growth forecast for EV production” – Annual production 2024 in total: well over 330,000 units +++                                                                      

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Martina Hatzel, Communications Production Network

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

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

Email: presse@bmw.de

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

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

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

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

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

Steyr. Just ten months after the start of system installation, the first electric engine was now shipped from BMW Group Plant Steyr to Debrecen, Hungary. At BMW Group Plant Debrecen, the e-engine will be used in Neue Klasse test vehicles.

“Our plant in Steyr has been delivering the first sixth-generation electric engines to the development department in Munich since September. We also recently began sending our e-engines directly to BMW Group Plant Debrecen, where they are being installed in test vehicles,” explains Klaus von Moltke, SVP Engine Production at BMW AG and Managing Director of BMW Group Plant Steyr.

Plant Steyr already launched production of the first next-generation electric motors three months ago. Helmut Hochsteiner, VP of Electric Engine Production at BMW Group Plant Steyr, adds: “Over the coming months, we will continue to validate and optimise the complex production process for the new electric motors,” The supply of Plant Debrecen with electric engines from Steyr marks the next important milestone towards the start of series production – both Neue Klasse and its electric motors from Austria.

Further information on the production of test vehicles at BMW Group Plant Debrecen can be found in the BMW Group PressClub.

This is BMW Group Plant Steyr

The BMW Group's largest engine plant worldwide is located in Steyr in Upper Austria, where 4,700 employees produce over one million petrol and diesel engines each year. Steyr is also home to a major development centre for the research and development of new drive trains. In June 2022, the company announced that it would begin production of e-drives in 2025. BMW Motoren GmbH in Steyr is currently one of Austria's top industrial companies in terms of revenues and exports.

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

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

Innovative direct recycling recovers valuable raw materials

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

Optimal location for new Competence Centre in Bavaria

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

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

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

Circular economy at the BMW Group

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

Munich, Dingolfing, Leipzig. BMW Group fait systématiquement évoluer la digitalisation et l'automatisation de ses processus de production dans le cadre de BMW iFACTORY. Depuis 2022, l'entreprise teste la conduite automatisée en usine (AFW) pour les nouveaux véhicules dans sa plus grande usine européenne à Dingolfing. Après l'obtention de la certification CE, le projet pilote passe maintenant à l'exploitation en série.
En plus de Dingolfing, Leipzig est également en train d'être habilitée à mettre en œuvre le projet AFW en série. D'autres sites du réseau de production de BMW Group devraient suivre par étapes.

« La conduite automatisée en usine optimise notre processus de production et apporte des gains d'efficacité significatifs à notre logistique », explique Milan Nedeljković, membre du conseil d'administration de BMW AG en charge de la production. « C'est pourquoi nous allons rapidement déployer cette technologie dans l'ensemble de notre réseau de production. »

Outre les BMW série 5 et série 7 à Dingolfing, cette technologie est désormais également utilisée pour le MINI Countryman et d'autres modèles BMW à Leipzig. À Dingolfing, les nouveaux véhicules se déplacent de manière totalement autonome - sans conducteur - sur un parcours de plus d'un kilomètre, depuis les deux halls d'assemblage jusqu'à l'aire de finition de l'usine, en passant par le « parcours d'essai court ». Cela est possible grâce à des capteurs installés le long du parcours - créant ainsi la plus grande infrastructure LIDAR d'Europe - et en s'appuyant sur un modèle d'environnement généré en externe et un planificateur de mouvement externe. Quelles que soient les options d'équipement du véhicule, ce système contrôle ses mouvements automatisés en utilisant une architecture en cloud de pointe. Certaines parties de la technologie ont été fournies par la société suisse Embotech AG, avec laquelle le BMW Group a déjà coopéré dans les premières étapes par l'intermédiaire de son unité de venture client, le BMW START-UP Garage.

L'usine de Leipzig prévoit d'introduire la conduite automatisée pour environ 90 % des modèles BMW et MINI qui y sont construits, les usines de Ratisbonne et d'Oxford devant suivre en 2025. Le nouveau site de Debrecen, en Hongrie, mettra également en œuvre cette technologie dès le lancement officiel de la production en série.

À l'avenir, BMW Group prévoit d'étendre l'utilisation de la conduite automatisée en usine à d'autres domaines de la production, tels que la conduite dans la zone d'essai et dans les zones de distribution extérieures. Les experts en production et en développement travaillent également en étroite collaboration pour développer la technologie en interne. Un autre facteur clé de l'expansion de la technologie est l'utilisation croissante de la technologie embarquée, qui soutiendra les capteurs externes à long terme.

« Au cours des dix prochaines années, nous enregistrerons plusieurs millions de kilomètres d'essai avec la conduite automatisée en usine rien que dans notre réseau de production », déclare Nedeljković. « De cette manière, BMW Group établit une fois de plus une nouvelle référence en matière d'automatisation et de numérisation de ses processus de production - tout en ouvrant la voie à de futures applications dans le domaine de la conduite autonome. »

+++ Use of hydrogen in intralogistics – components delivered to all production areas by hydrogen-powered tugger trains and forklift trucks +++ Gradual transition from electric to hydrogen propulsion by 2030 +++

Regensburg. BMW Group Plant Regensburg plans to utilise hydrogen for its production logistics going forward. Starting in 2026, hydrogen-powered tugger trains and forklift trucks will be deployed for all transport and logistics tasks. This includes operations in the press shop, body shop and assembly, ensuring that the necessary components and individual parts are delivered to the correct locations for installation.

The project aims to capitalise on the benefits of hydrogen propulsion. “The gradual transition from electric to hydrogen propulsion brings us another step closer to the BMW iFACTORY, our digital and sustainable factory of the future,” says Armin Ebner, head of BMW Group Plant Regensburg.

“Switching production logistics from electricity to hydrogen will diversify our plant’s energy mix – while optimising logistics processes and saving valuable space,” explains Project Manager Katharina Radtke. “The advantage of hydrogen is that refuelling is very fast – just like with conventional fuels. The filling stations required for this will be installed directly within the different production areas and do not take up much space.”

The entire logistics fleet at the Regensburg plant is currently being equipped with electric drive trains. The batteries used in the industrial trucks need to be changed twice per shift. Battery replacement, which is performed manually using a crane, takes about 15 minutes and requires space.

To ensure the wide-scale supply of hydrogen in the future, BMW Group plant Regensburg will install a two-kilometre-long pipeline network, with six decentralised filling stations, between now and early 2026. These stations will supply the logistics fleet in the various production areas with hydrogen, delivered in special trailers that can also be used for interim storage. “Once the conversion is completed, our annual hydrogen consumption will be around 150 tonnes,” says Radtke.

The logistics fleet at BMW Group Plant Regensburg currently comprises about 230 tugger train haulers and forklift trucks. The transition will be completed in stages by 2030.


BMW Group Corporate Communications

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

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

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

Email: presse@bmw.de


BMW Group Plants Regensburg and Wackersdorf

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

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

BMW Innovation Park Wackersdorf also belongs to the Regensburg site. The 55-hectare campus built in the 1980s was originally intended as a nuclear reprocessing facility. The BMW Group has located its cockpit production there, as well as its parts supply for overseas plants. In addition to BMW as the largest employer, several other companies are also based at Innovation Park Wackersdorf. A total of around 2,500 employees work there.
The BMW Group core staff at the Regensburg and Wackersdorf locations in eastern Bavaria is made up of around 9,250 employees, including more than 300 apprentices.


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

Oxford. Aujourd'hui, l'usine MINI d'Oxford célèbre le début de la production de la MINI Cooper Cabrio pour la première fois depuis 2015. Le modèle rejoint la MINI Cooper 3 portes et la MINI Cooper 5 portes, et fait de l'usine MINI d'Oxford le berceau de la famille Cooper.

Dévoilée le mois dernier, la quatrième génération de la MINI Cooper Cabrio offre un tout nouveau design intérieur et extérieur, ainsi qu'une expérience digitale à la pointe de la technologie.

« Nous sommes ravis du début de la production de la MINI Cooper Cabrio, qui est de nouveau produite à l'usine d'Oxford, le berceau de la marque MINI. Unique dans son segment, la MINI Cooper Cabrio combine un plaisir de conduire inégalé, caractéristique de la marque, à une liberté sans limite. Son design iconique associé à une technologie moderne et à une connectivité de premier ordre offre, à nos clients, une expérience au grand air riche en émotions », déclare Stefan Richmann, directeur de MINI.

Trois sites de production de BMW Group au Royaume-Uni contribuent à la production de la MINI Cooper Cabrio. BMW Group Plant Swindon produit les pièces embouties et les sous-ensembles de la carrosserie, tandis que les moteurs à essence quatre cylindres sont fabriqués à BMW Group Plant Hams Hall, dans le North Warwickshire. Enfin, toutes ces pièces sont acheminées à l'usine MINI d'Oxford où ont lieu la production de la carrosserie, la peinture et l'assemblage final.

Après la naissance de la marque MINI en 2001, la première MINI décapotable a été dévoilée en 2004 et est restée une icône de la famille MINI depuis lors. Avec 160 000 exemplaires produits à l'usine MINI d'Oxford de 2004 à 2008, cette première génération était connue pour son style « rétro » et ses arceaux de sécurité chromés emblématiques situés derrière les sièges arrière. La deuxième génération, dévoilée en 2009 et produite à 165 000 exemplaires à l'usine MINI d'Oxford jusqu'en 2015, a conservé l'emblématique coffre à charnière rabattable tout en bénéficiant du nouveau langage stylistique de la MINI 3 portes de l'époque.

La production du modèle a été brièvement confiée à VDL Nedcar pour la troisième génération, laissant la place au MINI Clubman à l'usine MINI d'Oxford. Plus de 150 000 modèles décapotables ont été produits aux Pays-Bas jusqu'à l'arrêt de la production de cette génération en 2023.

L'usine MINI d'Oxford a célébré son 110^ème anniversaire en 2023, l'année même où l'usine a produit plus de 20 % de toutes les voitures fabriquées au Royaume-Uni. L'usine MINI d'Oxford, l'une des plus anciennes usines automobiles au monde, est en production continue depuis 1913.

Dingolfing/Regensburg. BMW Group Plants Dingolfing and Regensburg will obtain electricity generated from renewable energy directly from their own roofs. Dingolfing’s rooftop PV system, with a capacity of 11.1 MWp, will be one of the most powerful in Germany. To achieve this objective, the premium automotive manufacturer is renting roof space at its two plant sites in Eastern Bavaria to Sunrock Holding Deutschland GmbH, which will generate electricity using photovoltaics and make it available to the plants under direct supply contracts from 2025 onwards.

Nicole Haft-Zboril, head of BMW Group Real Estate Management, underlined that: “With this project, we are not only creating one of Germany's biggest rooftop photovoltaic systems – we are also promoting the generation of renewable energy directly on site at BMW Group plant locations.”

In Dingolfing, photovoltaic modules cover more than 100,000 square metres of hall roof space, with an additional area of over 25,000 square metres installed in Regensburg. Together, the systems are designed to achieve an output of 14 MWp. The annual renewable electricity output is estimated at 11.3 GWh for Dingolfing and 2.9 GWh for Regensburg, which corresponds to the annual electricity needs of several thousand single-family homes.

Georg Brenninkmeijer, managing director of Sunrock Germany, said: “It is such an honour for us to collaborate with a renowned automotive company like BMW. In a sector with high energy demands, like many other industries, it is crucial to develop localised solutions to ensure a sustainable energy supply. We are delighted to start installing the PV systems in Dingolfing and Regensburg soon, which will supply the two BMW Group plants with locally produced green solar power in the future.”

The planned photovoltaic systems are scheduled to be commissioned and start supplying electricity in Regensburg as early as spring 2025, with Dingolfing targeting autumn of next year. Work will get underway at both locations in the coming months. In Dingolfing, the modules will be installed on the roof of one of the central aftersales logistics halls – the Plant 02.70 “Dynamics Centre” – while Regensburg will utilise the roof area of one of its logistics halls.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Julian Friedrich, BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, head of Communications

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

Saskia Graser, BMW Group Plant Regensburg, head of Communications

Telephone: +49 941 770 2014, Email: Saskia.Graser@bmw.de

Steyr. L'usine BMW Group de Steyr passe entièrement au chauffage urbain : dans le cadre de ses activités régulières, l'usine de moteurs autrichienne n'utilise plus de gaz naturel, mais dépend maintenant de la chaleur d'une centrale à biomasse située à proximité. Après un geste symbolique, Milan Nedeljković, membre du conseil d'administration chargé de la production chez BMW AG, et Arnold Schwarzenegger ont mis en marche la nouvelle alimentation électrique. Le changement de source d'énergie marque une nouvelle étape dans les efforts de BMW Group pour réduire son empreinte carbone.

Milan Nedeljković, membre du conseil d'administration de BMW AG responsable de la production : « Nous optimisons l'empreinte carbone de toutes nos installations de production dans le monde, en utilisant des technologies innovantes et le potentiel de la région à générer de l'énergie à partir de sources sans combustibles fossiles. Aujourd'hui, nous franchissons une nouvelle étape ici à Steyr. »

Réductions constantes de la consommation d'énergie

L'usine BMW Group de Steyr consomme environ 250 gigawattheures d'énergie par an, soit suffisamment pour alimenter environ 59 000 foyers. Ces dernières années, la consommation d'énergie n'a cessé de baisser : « Depuis 2006, nous avons réussi à réduire de près de moitié la quantité d'énergie que nous consommons par moteur », explique le directeur de l'usine, Klaus von Moltke.

L'approvisionnement en chaleur joue un rôle particulièrement important à cet égard : « La centrale a été connectée pour la première fois au réseau de chauffage urbain en 2012. Dès lors, il y a eu de multiples extensions », a poursuivi Klaus von Moltke. La transition vers le chauffage purement urbain devait être achevée à la fin de l'année 2024-2025, mais elle est finalement réalisée deux mois et demi plus tôt.

D'où provient la chaleur : chauffage urbain régional à partir de copeaux de bois

Ce changement n'aurait pas été possible sans un partenaire solide dans la région : l'usine BMW Group de Steyr tire désormais sa chaleur de la centrale à biomasse de Fernwärme Steyr, située à un peu moins d'un kilomètre. Il est géré par les deux fournisseurs d'énergie de l'État, Energie AG Oberösterreich Erzeugung GmbH et EVN Wärme GmbH, dans leur filiale commune, Bioenergie Steyr GmbH. Pour fournir l'énergie thermique dont l'usine de Steyr a besoin, une centrale de production de chaleur supplémentaire équipée d'une chaudière à biomasse de 10 mégawatts est en cours de construction sur le site. L'usine de Steyr s'approvisionnera donc en chaleur à partir de ressources renouvelables : des copeaux de bois provenant des forêts environnantes.

Klaus von Moltke a résumé la situation en ces termes : « En passant à 100 % de chaleur issue de la biomasse régénérative, nous franchissons aujourd'hui une étape majeure. Notre usine produit désormais à la fois son électricité et sa chaleur pour ses opérations régulières à partir d'énergies renouvelables. »

La transition énergétique symbolique d'aujourd'hui a eu lieu sur scène sous les yeux de plus d'un millier d'employés en présence d' Arnold Schwarzenegger qui a appelé toutes les personnes présentes à agir pour lutter contre le changement climatique. Il a ensuite coupé l'alimentation en gaz de l'usine. Milan Nedeljković, membre du conseil d'administration chargé de la production chez BMW AG, a ensuite symboliquement lancé l'extension finale de l'approvisionnement en chauffage urbain.

Arnold Schwarzenegger a ensuite rejoint Klaus von Moltke et Milan Nedeljcović pour visiter le centre de formation et d'enseignement, l'assemblage des moteurs et la chaîne de production de moteurs électriques récemment ouverte par le BMW Group de Steyr, tout en discutant avec les employés.

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

The new paint shop in Debrecen is designed to paint 30 vehicle bodies per hour in a fully automated painting process. This capacity may be increased to accommodate up to 60 vehicles per hour at a later date. The installation will be enabled using BMW X1 bodies. The cutting-edge system was developed and planned by leveraging existing expertise within the production network. With a footprint of 33,000 square metres, the three-story paint shop building provides ample workspace for modern production.

Power-to-heat significantly reduces carbon footprint

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

Heat Grid achieves another ten percent energy savings

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

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

Exhaust purification in innovative eRTO process

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

Fully automated dry separation

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

Comprehensive digitalisation

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

Dingolfing. Depuis la mise en service des premières lignes de production il y a dix ans, l'usine de composants 02.20 de BMW Group à Dingolfing a fabriqué plus de 1,5 million de moteurs électriques, un million de batteries haute tension et dix millions de modules de batterie. Le site de Basse-Bavière continue d'ouvrir la voie à l'essor de l'électromobilité. Aujourd'hui, la part des véhicules électrifiés dans les ventes totales du groupe BMW est la plus élevée de tous les constructeurs automobiles allemands. « Notre usine 02.20 à Dingolfing joue un rôle crucial à cet égard », explique Stefan Kasperowski, vice-président de la production de batteries haute tension dans les usines bavaroises. « Nous fournissons aux usines automobiles du BMW Group un approvisionnement fiable et flexible en composants e-drive pour nos véhicules électrifiés. »

Un site de technologie de pointe avec une longue histoire

L'usine 02.20, en activité depuis plus d'un demi-siècle, est un excellent exemple de transformation réussie. Pendant de nombreuses années, elle a abrité l'entrepôt central de pièces détachées du BMW Group. Ce n'est qu'au début des années 2010 que la logistique après-vente a été délocalisée pour faire place à l'électromobilité. Au départ, environ 200 employés produisaient des moteurs électriques et des batteries haute tension pour les premiers véhicules hybrides rechargeables du groupe BMW et, plus tard, pour ses modèles entièrement électriques. La cinquième génération actuelle de moteurs électriques et de batteries haute tension a commencé à sortir des chaînes de production en 2020. Depuis 2015, BMW Group a investi plus d'un milliard d'euros dans la transformation de l'usine 02.20 en son « cœur » et en son centre de compétences pour la production de moteurs électriques, en mettant en place une quinzaine de lignes de production pour les modules de batterie, les moteurs électriques et les batteries haute tension. Au fil du temps, le nombre d'employés de BMW Group a progressivement augmenté et les volumes de production se sont accrus. Aujourd'hui, plus de 2 500 personnes travaillent à la production de moteurs électriques à l'usine 02.20. La majorité de ces employés travaillaient auparavant dans d'autres secteurs de la production automobile.

Il y a dix ans, Markus Fallböhmer, actuel Senior Vice President Battery Production chez BMW Group, était responsable de la planification et de la production des systèmes de propulsion électrique à Dingolfing et Landshut. « La reconception et la transformation de l'usine 02.20 à ce rythme record ont été un véritable exploit », se souvient-il. « Nous avons géré les travaux de construction, la mise en service des systèmes et la production en série pratiquement simultanément. Cela nous a permis de répondre à la demande croissante de modèles électrifiés et de mettre en œuvre avec succès la transition vers l'e-mobilité. » Comme le souligne M. Fallböhmer, la haute qualité des composants électroniques, les méthodes de production économiques et la stabilité de l'approvisionnement des usines automobiles sont autant d'éléments cruciaux. Aujourd'hui, l'usine 02.20 fonctionne constamment à un niveau élevé, fournissant au réseau de production des composants pour l'électrification. « Dingolfing est le cœur de l'e-drive chez BMW Group », déclare Klaus von Moltke, Senior Vice President Engine Production chez BMW Group. « Environ 80 % de tous nos moteurs électriques sont actuellement produits à Dingolfing. Pour les batteries haute tension, le chiffre est d'environ 60 %.

Liens étroits entre l'usine de batteries et la production de véhicules

Pour continuer à répondre à la demande croissante de modèles électrifiés dans les années à venir, BMW Group a créé un réseau mondial pour la production de batteries e-drive, avec des sites supplémentaires à Leipzig, Ratisbonne, Spartanburg (États-Unis) et Shenyang (Chine) pour la génération actuelle de batteries haute tension. Pour la nouvelle sixième génération, qui sera utilisée à partir de 2025 dans les modèles de la Neue Klasse, des sites sont en cours d'installation dans le monde entier, aux États-Unis, au Mexique, en Chine et en Hongrie, ainsi qu'à Irlbach-Straßkirchen, en Basse-Bavière. Conformément au principe « local for local », ces sites sont situés aussi près que possible des usines de véhicules de BMW Group.

Le réseau de production bénéficie de l'expertise de Dingolfing

En tant que noyau de l'électrification au sein du BMW Group, l'usine 02.20 continuera à jouer un rôle clé à l'avenir, en soutenant le développement de nouvelles installations de différentes manières. Un développement complet des compétences pour la nouvelle usine de Debrecen est actuellement en cours. Certains employés seront également affectés à la nouvelle usine de batteries haute tension d'Irlbach-Straßkirchen. L'usine de moteurs du groupe BMW à Steyr, en Autriche, qui construira la prochaine génération de moteurs électriques pour la Neue Klasse, bénéficiera également de l'expertise de Dingolfing en matière de production de moteurs électriques, tandis que le boîtier sera fourni par l'usine de Landshut. Pour l'avenir, M. Kasperowski déclare : « La capacité du site de Dingolfing et les compétences de ses employés continueront d'être demandées ». M. Fallböhmer confirme : « Nous tirons des avantages considérables du fait d'avoir franchi avant les autres la courbe d'apprentissage de la production de composants électroniques. L'ensemble du réseau de production exploite désormais ces connaissances pour poursuivre le succès et soutenir la croissance de l'e-mobilité au sein du BMW Group. »

Munich. La Neue Klasse marquera le début d'une nouvelle ère de conduite entièrement électrique au sein de BMW Group, dont le succès reposera en grande partie sur la production de puissantes batteries haute tension. C'est pourquoi BMW Group étend considérablement son réseau de production pour la prochaine génération de batteries haute tension. « Nous mettons en place cinq sites sur trois continents pour produire nos batteries haute tension de sixième génération », explique Milan Nedeljković, membre du conseil d'administration chargé de la production chez BMW AG. Partout dans le monde, le principe du « local for local » s'appliquera : « La connexion étroite entre la production de batteries et la production de véhicules fait partie de notre stratégie », explique Markus Fallböhmer, vice-président principal de la production de batteries chez BMW AG. Cela permet au groupe BMW de renforcer la résilience de sa production ».

Les batteries et la production de véhicules sont étroitement liées

La Neue Klasse sera la première à intégrer les toutes nouvelles cellules de batterie cylindriques. Celles-ci représentent un saut technologique de la part de BMW Group, offrant une densité énergétique, des temps de charge et une autonomie nettement améliorés. Elles seront assemblées dans de nouvelles installations situées le plus près possible des usines de fabrication des véhicules, conformément au principe « local for local ». Des usines d'assemblage ultramodernes pour les batteries haute tension de sixième génération sont actuellement en construction à Irlbach-Strasskirchen (Basse-Bavière), Debrecen (Hongrie), Woodruff (près de l'usine de Spartanburg, aux États-Unis), Shenyang (Chine) et San Luis Potosí (Mexique). Grâce à l'approche « local for local », la production pourra se poursuivre même en cas d'événements imprévus, qu'ils soient d'ordre politique ou économique. En outre, les courtes distances entre les usines de batteries et les usines de véhicules réduiront l'empreinte carbone de la production automobile. Le groupe BMW modernise également ses sites existants, ce qui permet de garantir et de créer des emplois.

La Neue Klasse sera lancée à l'usine de Debrecen en 2025

Les premiers véhicules Neue Klasse seront produits dans la nouvelle usine de BMW Group à Debrecen, à partir de 2025. La fabrication des batteries haute tension et des véhicules sera lancée en parallèle. Le centre de formation de Debrecen étant ouvert depuis l'automne 2023 et le centre de communication étant en service depuis février 2024, un grand nombre d'employés sont déjà au travail dans leurs bureaux sur le site. L'équipe de production, quant à elle, se prépare à ses nouvelles fonctions sur différents sites du réseau de production de BMW Group. Cela permettra d'assurer un démarrage de la production de présérie et un lancement réussi de la série au cours du second semestre 2025. Actuellement, les derniers bâtiments sont en cours d'achèvement. Ils seront livrés aux technologies d'ici la fin de l'année.

Des batteries haute tension en Basse-Bavière 

Le groupe BMW va également fabriquer des batteries haute tension pour les modèles de la nouvelle classe en Allemagne, plus précisément à Irlbach-Straßkirchen, en Basse-Bavière. La nouvelle usine fournira des batteries haute tension de sixième génération aux constructeurs automobiles allemands. Le BMW Group a reçu l'autorisation de construire la nouvelle usine d'assemblage de batteries haute tension en avril 2024 et a érigé le premier pilier du hall de production à la fin du mois de juin 2024. Le bâtiment de production devrait être entouré d'une façade et d'un toit d'ici la fin de l'année. Les citoyens de Straßkirchen avaient déjà voté en faveur de l'implantation du groupe BMW dans leur région, à une nette majorité lors du référendum de septembre 2023.

La Chine produira la Neue Klasse à partir de 2026

À partir de 2026, les véhicules de la Neue Klasse seront également fabriqués par BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA) à Shenyang, en Chine. Ici aussi, les batteries haute tension de sixième génération nécessaires aux voitures seront fabriquées localement. Le hall de production a été achevé en novembre 2023 après une durée de construction de 21 mois seulement. L'installation des équipements et des machines est en cours depuis mars 2024. En prévision du lancement de la Neue Klasse, BMW Group a également mis en place son plus grand réseau de R&D en dehors de l'Allemagne, avec des installations à Pékin, Shanghai, Shenyang et Nanjing.

La Neue Klasse au Mexique à partir de 2027

À San Luis Potosí, au Mexique, des capacités de production supplémentaires sont mises en place pour la production en série de la Neue Klasse, qui débutera en 2027. La construction de la nouvelle usine d'assemblage de batteries haute tension a débuté en mai 2024 et comprendra plus de 80 000 mètres carrés d'espace de production une fois achevée. Mais l'intégration de l'assemblage des batteries n'est pas le seul changement à l'usine de San Luis Potosí : l'atelier de carrosserie devrait passer à plus de 90 000 mètres carrés au total, tandis que l'assemblage des véhicules et les espaces logistiques s'étendront de près de 10 000 mètres carrés. BMW Group est le premier équipementier haut de gamme à fabriquer des voitures entièrement électriques et des batteries haute tension au Mexique - et un pionnier dans ce secteur. En outre, l'entreprise prévoit d'étendre les systèmes photovoltaïques au sein de l'usine et de doubler ainsi l'énergie générée par le photovoltaïque. L'objectif est de produire à l'avenir plus de 20 % de la demande actuelle d'électricité directement sur le site de l'usine.

Usine du groupe BMW à Woodruff : Des batteries haute tension pour Spartanburg

L'électromobilité progresse également en Caroline du Sud. BMW Group Plant Woodruff couvrira une superficie d'environ 93 hectares et comprendra un bâtiment technologique, des structures annexes, un centre énergétique, un restaurant d'entreprise, un service d'incendie et un Talent Campus. Elle créera plus de 300 nouveaux emplois au sein du groupe BMW. Une fois la construction achevée en 2026, Woodruff assemblera des batteries haute tension pour les voitures entièrement électriques fabriquées à l'usine voisine de Spartanburg. La cérémonie d'inauguration du premier bâtiment de Woodruff - le centre de formation - aura lieu en juin 2023.

L'expertise en matière de batteries concentrée à Parsdorf et à Munich

Des prototypes de cellules de batterie comme celles de la Neue Klasse, lancée en 2025, sont déjà fabriqués au Centre de compétence en fabrication de cellules (CMCC) de BMW Group à Parsdorf, juste à l'est de Munich. Le CMCC a été construit pour compléter le Centre de compétence en matière de cellules de batteries (BCCC) situé au nord de la ville, où les travaux de développement sont effectués. Le CMCC met à l'échelle le meilleur produit pour la production en série. Le produit et le processus sont liés de manière unique par l'étroite collaboration entre les divisions, entre le développement, les achats et la production. Le BMW Group exploite d'autres usines de présérie et des lignes pilotes pour les futures batteries haute tension à Munich et dans les villes voisines de Parsdorf et Hallbergmoos.

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

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

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

eRTO: The gas-free alternative

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

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

Electricity not gas – ceramic media retain heat

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

Use in series production at new plant in Debrecen

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

Hams Hall, UK. A four-legged robot named “SpOTTO” recently joined the team at BMW Group Plant Hams Hall in the UK. The autonomous robotic dog scans the plant, supports maintenance and ensures production processes run smoothly. Equipped with visual, thermal and acoustic sensors, SpOTTO is deployed in a number of unique use cases: On the one hand, it collects valuable data for the plant's digital twin; on the other, it serves as a watchdog, overseeing maintenance of production facilities. “Virtualization, automation and artificial intelligence are central pillars of the BMW iFACTORY,” explains Klaus von Moltke, SVP of Engine Production at BMW AG. “Bold, innovative application examples like those at Plant Hams Hall showcase the full range of possibilities.”

Fully connected digital twin: Big data on three levels

SpOTTO plays a pivotal role in creating and refining the plant's fully connected digital twin. The digital twin operates on three levels: On the first level, 3D representations of the entire plant are generated. The second level comprises a large data layer into which the autonomous robot dog, production facilities and IT systems at the plant feed all relevant information. On the third level – the application level – dedicated programmes sort the data collected into comprehensible and traceable units. It is the combination of these three levels that makes the fully connected digital twin unique. Using apps, experts at Plant Hams Hall can now evaluate and utilise this data. Application examples include quality assurance and production planning. Dirk Dreher, Director of BMW Group Plant Hams Hall, is delighted: “Thanks to the digital twin, we have an enormous quantity of precise data and evaluations, as well as a real-time picture of production processes. The project team at Plant Hams Hall has created unique use cases for our four-legged friend and integrated him perfectly into our processes.”

A reliable maintenance watchdog

Thanks to its visual, thermal and acoustic sensors, SpOTTO is able to perform numerous maintenance tasks. For instance, he monitors the temperature of manufacturing equipment and immediately recognises if an installation is running too hot – an early sign of potential failure. At BMW Group Plant Hams Hall, SpOTTO also specialises in identifying leaks in the compressed-air lines used in production. Given that compressed air requires a substantial amount of energy, detecting leaks quickly can lower energy consumption.

SpOTTO was created by Boston Dynamics with the product name “Spot.” It is a nimble robot small enough to use indoors, that climbs stairs and traverses rough terrain with ease. “Spot” was renamed SpOTTO at Plant Hams Hall – paying tribute to the heritage of the British engine plant. Gustav Otto was one of the founders of BMW and son of Nicolaus Otto, inventor of the four-stroke internal combustion engine. In 2023, more than 400,000 engines were produced at Plant Hams Hall, which, alongside SpOTTO, also employs about 1,600 people. Before SpOTTO’s introduction at the plant, a dedicated team tested which activities the robot dog would be suitable for in a one-year development process. Other potential uses are currently being trialled in the plant’s Technical Basement: These include reading analogue operating controls or performing complex sequences of movements that make the four-legged robot even better at accessing hard-to-reach areas of production. In addition to Hams Hall, other BMW Group plants are also currently testing the use of robotic dogs.

Working with trusted partners

Marco da Silva, Head of Spot Product Development at Boston Dynamics explains: “The working environment at Plant Hams Hall is well suited for industrial inspections using a quadruped robot like SpOTTO. The robot can easily take over the completion of numerous, repeatable monitoring tasks so the plant’s maintenance team can focus on maintenance. We are proud of the way the robot has been integrated into the plant.” 

San Luis Potosí. BMW Group Plant San Luis Potosí is gearing up for production of the Neue Klasse: Construction of a local high-voltage battery assembly has now begun, along with expansion projects for the body shop, assembly and logistics areas. A total of 800 million euros will be invested in expanding the Mexican production site.

The Neue Klasse will also be produced in Mexico from 2027 onwards. The Sports Activity Vehicle model will be launched at the new BMW Group Plant Debrecen in Hungary as the initial derivative of the Neue Klasse in late 2025, while the Sedan will ramp up in Munich in 2026. Just one year later, additional production capacity will be available in Mexico – initially, for the Sports Activity Vehicle. The future high-voltage battery assembly at Plant San Luis Potosí, covering an area of more than 80,000 square metres, is key to integrating the Neue Klasse at the production site.

“The battery assembly in San Luis Potosí will be part of our global production network. For our new sixth-generation e-drive alone, we are building five locations on three continents,” explained Milan Nedeljković, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Production, at the start of construction in Mexico. The BMW Group is committed to the “local for local” principle worldwide. “Locating battery factories close to vehicle manufacturing makes production more resilient.”

Close links between battery factory and vehicle production

In line with its “local for local” principle, the BMW Group locates its high-voltage battery assembly facilities worldwide as close as possible to its vehicle plants. In addition to the location in San Luis Potosí, assembly sites for sixth-generation high-voltage batteries are also being built in Debrecen (Hungary), Shenyang (China), Woodruff, near Spartanburg (USA) and Irlbach-Straßkirchen (Lower Bavaria). This approach safeguards production, even in the event of unforeseen political and economic developments. Existing locations are also being strengthened, securing jobs. The short distances involved reduce the carbon footprint of vehicle production.

The BMW Group will use its newly developed round cells for the first time in the Neue Klasse. This leap in technology will boost the energy density of cells by 20 percent and improve charging speed by up to 30 percent. Range will be extended by 30 percent. 

Further development of Plant San Luis Potosí

As well as integrating battery assembly, other changes are being made at Plant San Luis Potosí: Just under 20,000 square metres will be added to the body shop, resulting in a total area of over 90,000 square metres. Assembly and logistics areas are also being expanded by almost 10,000 square metres.

“With this further development of our site, we are also gearing up in Mexico for the launch of the next BMW model generation. As the first premium OEM producing fully-electric vehicles and high-voltage batteries in Mexico, we are at the forefront of our industry and, at the same time, continuing to reduce our environmental footprint,” said Harald Gottsche, president and CEO of BMW Group Plant San Luis Potosí.

Photovoltaic output to double

When it comes to efficient energy supplies, the BMW Group uses site-specific solutions at its locations around the world. “In Mexico, we are planning to expand the photovoltaic systems within the plant, to double the output from the solar panels,” said Nicole Haft-Zboril, Head of Real Estate Management at the BMW Group. “The plan is to generate more than 20 percent of the electricity we need at the moment – directly on the factory premises.” The wastewater treatment plant has also been expanded, with an investment of 3.3 million euros significantly increasing the reuse of treated wastewater.

Extensive skills development programme

BMW Group Plant San Luis Potosí is also stepping up its commitment to skills development, aimed at ensuring employees are highly qualified and prepared for the challenges of the future. Training will include topics such as safety awareness around production of high-voltage systems and the use of robotics in manufacturing processes.

The BMW Group plant in San Luis Potosí started production in 2019. Around 3,700 employees currently produce the BMW 3 Series Sedan as well as the BMW 2 Series Coupé and the BMW M2 models for the global market.

+++ Very high capacity utilisation, with annual production of 238,301 vehicles in 2023 – Higher production figures expected for 2024

+++ Global market launch of new BMW X2 in early March

+++ 600 new hires in 2024

+++ Further € 200 million investment to secure long-term future of Regensburg and Wackersdorf

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

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

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

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

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

Commissioning of battery testing centre in Wackersdorf from mid-2024 

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

600 new hires planned by end of 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Digitalisation in line with principles of BMW iFACTORY

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

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

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

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

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

Email: presse@bmw.de

BMW Group Plants Regensburg and Wackersdorf

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

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

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

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

Munich / Cluj-Napoca. The BMW Group and NTT DATA Romania have signed an agreement to establish a Joint Venture (JV) in Romania. The BMW Group is thus continuing to expand its global network for its corporate IT and is securing talent and experience in the software sector. The execution of the JV contract is subject to review and approval by the relevant authorities.

The JV benefits from NTT DATA’s many years of experience in agile software development and its excellent network in the local Romanian IT community. The new location in Romania is intended to support the BMW Group IT in Europe and drive forward IT-projects and innovations for production, development, human resources, sales and BMW Financial Services.

“With NTT DATA, we are relying on another strong partner that has an excellent network in a lively technology region and enables us to build up additional software competencies quickly and in a targeted manner. In collaboration with companies like NTT DATA we can establish strong IT hubs and thereby give an answer to the shortage of IT experts,” says Alexander Buresch, CIO and Senior Vice President of BMW Group IT.

“We are proud to announce our plans to open a new software development center for software solutions in Cluj-Napoca together with BMW Group. This collaboration aims to assist the carmaker in leading the digital transformation," says Maria Metz, CEO at NTT DATA Romania.

The JV is to be set up in Cluj-Napoca in Romania. The university town offers a strong ecosystem for innovation with solid entrepreneurship, startups and a high number of talents in the tech scene. This creates high potential for long-term growth of the JV. The JV is expected to employ around 250 software developers at the end of 2024 and plans to grow to a four-digit number of employees by 2027.

The BMW Group and NTT DATA have been collaborating across a wide array of projects for over 30 years. The signing of the JV contract marks the next big step in this partnership.

------------------------ End of joint press release --------------------------

Global footprint in IT and software development.

The BMW Group is already well advanced in digitizing the entire company and its internal and external processes. For several years now, IT & software hubs in Germany, the USA, South Africa, India, Portugal (Joint Venture Critical TechWorks) and China (LingYue Digital IT Co. Ltd. and BA TechWorks) have been strengthening the premium manufacturer's software expertise. They contribute significantly to the development and operation of innovative IT solutions for the BMW Group. A total of over 9,400 employees worldwide are already working in IT and software development for the BMW Group and the Joint Ventures.

Debrecen. Employees of the future Plant Debrecen have moved into the central Communication Centre, where they are joining forces for the final stretch before the official series launch of the NEUE KLASSE. Debrecen Plant Director Hans-Peter Kemser is pleased with construction progress: “In just a few months, pre-series production will get underway here in Debrecen, setting new standards – not just for the vehicles themselves, but also for processes here at the plant. The Communication Centre will support us by creating short lines of communication and enabling a good exchange of information between all technologies at any time.” The architecture also supports the concept of the BMW iFACTORY, which will be fully implemented in Debrecen.

While non-production employees are already settling into their workplaces on-site, production staff are preparing for their future roles at Plant Debrecen within the company’s global production network. This will ensure a smooth start to pre-series production in 2024 and the successful series launch of the first NEUE KLASSE model in 2025.

Model of Leipzig central building further optimised

Inspired by the central building at BMW Group Plant Leipzig, the Communication Centre in Debrecen will also link the production technologies of the body shop, paint shop and assembly. In Debrecen, this underlying principle was further developed with the creation of a central building where the network idea is paramount. The open architecture provides both meeting spaces and sequestered workplaces. The two-storey Communication Centre is about 19,000 square metres in size; around half of this area will be office space.

The three main production areas are situated around the administrative area. The Communication Centre is not just where colleagues come together, but also people and products: From the body shop, which is adjacent to the office building on the right, unpainted car bodies will make their way on a conveyor belt, visible above people's heads, through the Communication Centre to the paint shop, located centrally behind it. From there, the painted bodies will be transported back through the office building, at a height of over 12 metres, to the vehicle assembly, which is to the left. This means that everyone who does not work directly in production can still see the product at all times.

The multifunctional staff restaurant can also be used for meetings outside of mealtimes. This is located on the ground floor as well, along with the central marketplace and health centre. The upper floor is occupied by offices.

Architectural concept based on principles of BMW iFACTORY

Digitalisation is playing a major role in construction of the plant – the virtual start of production for Plant Debrecen's digital twin already took place in March 2023. The importance of digitalisation is also reflected in the Communication Centre’s equipment. Meeting rooms feature modern digital elements that enable virtual collaboration throughout the plant and beyond.

The principles of the BMW iFACTORY were already taken into consideration during the planning phase. 5G technology is used throughout the grounds and paper is rarely seen at the Debrecen plant – which aims to be virtually paperless.

Other resources will be used carefully as well. When choosing the furniture, easy-to-recycle materials were preferred, with extensive use of wood. Plant Debrecen will also operate entirely without fossil fuels.

Paris. L’année 2023 marque une nouvelle année historique pour BMW Group qui a vendu dans le monde 2 555 341 unités (+6,5%). Avec une hausse 92,2%, les modèles électriques signent la réussite de la stratégie de transition énergétique du groupe. Les ventes totales de voitures électriques atteignent ainsi l’objectif fixé, représentant 15% des ventes à travers le monde. Avec désormais 18 modèles électriques disponibles, couvrant les principaux segments de ses marques, BMW Group pose des bases solides pour atteindre une dynamique de croissance positive dans les années à venir.

Et la France n’est pas en reste ! Avec ses marques BMW et MINI, BMW Group France termine l’année 2023 sur d’excellentes performances avec 87 788 immatriculations (+23,5%), soit un gain de 0,3 points de part de marché à près de 5%. Dans un environnement économique perturbé par le contexte géopolitique, énergétique, réglementaire et les difficultés d’approvisionnement des composants, ce succès repose là aussi en grande partie sur les modèles électrifiés.

Ceux-ci représentent désormais 42% des ventes en France, sur un marché dont le mix électrifié se situe à 26%. Des résultats également portés par les ventes à particuliers et entreprises très solides (85% du total pour BMW et 90% pour MINI). BMW reste la marque premium leader incontestée sur les ventes auprès des entreprises avec 31 424 unités en croissance de 35,9%.

La marque BMW renforce ses parts de marché en France

Avec un volume de ventes de 59 601 unités en 2023, la marque BMW retrouve son niveau pré-pandémique. La marque phare du groupe s’affirme comme leader sur le segment Premium, une première depuis 1996. Sa part de marché s’établit à 3,4%. Ces résultats sont portés à la fois par des ventes à particuliers et à entreprises très solides (85% des ventes).

BMW est la marque premium leader incontestée sur les ventes auprès des entreprises avec 31 424 unités en croissance de 35,9% et troisième sur le podium des immatriculations via LLD toutes marques confondues.

Les ventes des modèles électrifiés continuent leur progression avec 25 661 unités (43% du mix total). Les modèles électriques (8 666 unités) représentent 15% des ventes, soit une progression de 158%. Les hybrides rechargeables affichent, quant à eux, 16 995 unités, soit 29% des ventes et une hausse de +41%.

Cette même tendance se retrouve dans les ventes B2B où le mix de ventes electrifiées s’élève à 44% (31% en hybride rechargeable et 13% en electrique).

L’année écoulée a été marquée notamment par le succès de la BMW X1, avec 16 329 unités immatriculées, dans ses motorisations électriques, hybrides rechargeables et thermiques. Il s’agit du modèle le plus vendu chez BMW dans l’hexagone, suivi par la BMW Série 1 (10 476 unités) et la BMW Série 2 Active Tourer (5 849 unités).

L’année 2023 marque aussi un tournant dans la stratégie d’électification de BMW Group, puisqu’avec le lancement de la nouvelle BMW i5 Berline 100% électrique, BMW complète son offre et clôture la 2^e phase de son plan de marche en proposant désormais une version électrique dans chaque segment de marché.

Une tendance qui se reflète au niveau mondial où la marque BMW enregistre une croissance de +7,3 % par rapport à l'année précédente, atteignant un nouveau record historique. Une dynamique particulièrement renforcée sur les véhicules 100% électriques qui ont fait l'objet d'une forte demande, avec un total de 330 596 unités livrées aux clients en 2023 (+92,2 %).

MINI, un succès renouvelé en 2023

Alors que MINI terminait l’année 2022 avec un record de part de marché en France sur le segment premium, la marque confirme l’exploit avec plus 28 187 unités vendues en 2023 alors même que la gamme achève la dernière année de son cycle de vie.

Un score qui place MINI à 1,6% de part de marché. La France est le quatrième marché mondial pour la marque MINI et le deuxième pour les ventes de versions électriques.

En effet, MINI s’affirme comme la marque électrifiée par excellence : les modèles électriques et hybrides rechargeables représentent respectivement 27% et 13% des ventes. Une tendance qui sera renforcée tout au long de l’année avec la sortie des nouveaux membres de la MINI Family, la MINI Cooper Electric, le MINI Countryman 100% électrique et le tout nouveau MINI Aceman, qui viendra compléter la gamme  en 2024. Une trajectoire qui s’inscrit pleinement dans les objectifs du groupe pour un passage de la marque au 100% électrique dès le début des années 2030.

Le succès de la marque MINI en France trouve un écho au niveau mondial. Les véhicules 100% électriques représentent désormais 15,3 % des ventes totales sur tous les marchés de MINI pour l'ensemble de l'année 2023, et 20,8%  avec les hybrides rechargeables. Avec une hausse de 3,5% sur les modèles électriques, la marque MINI se présente en figure de proue de la transition vers l’électrique et réaffirme son engagement en faveur des solutions de mobilité durable.

BMW Motorrad, la mobilité urbaine et électrique au cœur des enjeux

Le scooter électrique BMW CE 04, lancé au printemps 2022, prend la deuxième place des meilleures ventes de BMW Motorrad en France avec 2 838 immatriculations enregistrées en 2023, dont environ 50% réalisées en Ile-de-France. La France est d’ailleurs le premier marché mondial de BMW Motorrad pour ce modèle. Une tendance à la hausse des ventes électriques pour la mobilité urbaine qui devrait se confirmer avec le lancement du nouveau « eParkourer » électrique CE 02, prévu pour le printemps 2024.

Troisième constructeur sur le marché des +125 cm³ et deuxième sur le marché des +500cm³ en France, BMW Motorrad France renforce sa position de 2^ème marché mondial pour BMW Motorrad, clôturant à 21 615 immatriculations avec une progression de 3,28%.

Sur le segment hypersport, les modèles BMW S 1000 RR et M 1000 RR séduisent toujours autant avec 775 unités vendues cette année, tandis que la gamme de modèles BMW ‘’GS’’, équipées du fameux bicylindres à plat, continue de performer avec près de 6 400 unités livrées clients .

Dans le monde, BMW Motorrad enregistre les ventes les plus élevées de son histoire à l'occasion de son centenaire.

BMW et MINI augmentent la part de marché des ventes de leurs Véhicules d’Occasion dans son réseau.

Le réseau de distribution BMW/MINI en France augmente ses parts de marché sur le segment des Véhicules d’Occasion de moins de 5ans. La marque BMW a une part de marché de véhicules vendus dans son réseau de distribution de 46%, en croissance de 1,2 pt,  et de 49% pour MINI en progression de 1,6 pt, représentant un volume total de 44 000 VO à particuliers.

Le groupe progresse également sur les ventes de Véhicules d’Occasion sous label pour atteindre respectivement 94,5% de ventes sous label BMW BPS et 97% de ventes sous Label MINI Next. Ces labels permettent de garantir des critères de qualité pour les clients finaux.

L’année 2023 a aussi été marquée par l’évolution du mix énergétique des véhicules d’occasion BMW et MINI recommercialisés avec 16,5% de véhicules électrifiés pour BMW (dont 6,5% de modèles électriques et 24,5% de véhicules hybrides rechargeables)  et 16,5% de modèles électriques pour MINI.

2023 est également une année record sur la pénétration en financement sur le VO pour la captive financière du groupe avec 35% de pénétration VO (+7%) tirée notamment par l’augmentation des produits locatifs (LOA VO).

2023, un demi-siècle de succès en France

Fruit d’une stratégie lancée en 1973 par BMW Group, avec l’implantation en France de la première fililale internationale, les résultats de BMW Group France montrent la capacité d’adaptation de l’entreprise pour répondre à tous les besoins de déplacement des Français, en ville comme dans les zones périurbaines et rurales.

 «  C’est en faisant coïncider les engagements du BMW Group pour réduire les émissions de CO₂ avec les besoins concrets en mobilité des Français que nous répondons aux enjeux présents et que nous préparons au mieux l’avenir » déclare Vincent Salimon, Président du Directoire BMW Group France. « Je rajouterais qu’un dernier vecteur de différenciation de nos marques en France est la capacité de nos femmes et de nos hommes, tant dans notre réseau de partenaires qu’au sein de la filiale, à être à l’écoute et au service des clients et prospects nous permettant d’atteindre en 2023, malgré un environnement toujours instable, un niveau record en termes de satisfaction client ». 

A l’avant-garde de la mobilité durable, BMW Group propose un modèle électrique dans chaque segment de marché et, en 2030, l’électrique représentera 50% de ses ventes mondiales avec une part significativement plus importante en Europe.

2024, priorité à la circularité

BMW Group France est fier d’annoncer la nomination de Vincent Salimon (Président du directoire du groupe en France) à la Présidence du nouvel éco-organisme «Recycler mon véhicule », dédié à la gestion responsable des Véhicules Hors d'Usage en France (VHU). Créé à l’initiative des adhérents de la CSIAM, cet éco-organisme a vocation à réunir les principaux constructeurs afin d’apporter une réponse commune aux nouvelles obligations liées à la Responsabilité Élargie du Producteur (REP), en vigueur depuis le 1er janvier 2024.

Le rôle que Vincent Salimon a accepté de prendre au sein de l’association est en ligne avec l’ambition du BMW Group de participer à la construction d’une filière automobile responsable et tournée vers l’avenir, en réduisant les émissions de CO2 des véhicules sur l’ensemble du cycle de vie. La circularité est un engagement fort de BMW Group.

Depuis 30 ans, ce dernier expérimente et consolide de nouvelles connaissances en matière de recyclage au sein de son centre de démantèlement et de recyclage pour les véhicules hors d’usage, l’un des plus grands du genre en Allemagne. Par ailleurs, BMW Group a déjà développé des modèles plus vertueux, à l’image de la BMW i5 qui contient 22% de matériaux secondaires. Une dimension de circularité qui s’illustre tout particulièrement avec le concept car BMW i Vision Circular, la vision d’une voiture 100% recyclable et même 100% recyclée à horizon 2040.

A travers la nomination de Vincent Salimon, BMW Group France souhaite mettre à profit son expérience pour structurer la filière en France et accélérer la recyclabilité des VHU.

Véhicules vendus en 2023

Pour plus d’informations, merci de contacter :

BMW Group en France

BMW Group est implanté sur quatre sites en France : Montigny-le-Bretonneux (siège social), Tigery (centre de formation), Strasbourg (centre pièces de rechange et accessoires international) et Miramas (centre d’essais techniques international).

BMW Group emploie avec ses filiales commerciales et financières ainsi que son réseau exclusif de distribution près de 6.000 salariés en France. En 2023, BMW Group France a immatriculé 87 788 automobiles des marques BMW et MINI et 21 615 motos et scooters de la marque BMW Motorrad.

Le volume annuel d’achats de BMW Group auprès des équipementiers français et fournisseurs en France s’élève à 3,5 milliards d’Euros. Dans le cadre de sa stratégie électromobilité, BMW Group offre une large gamme de modèles de voitures et deux-roues électriques et hybrides rechargeables.

BMW Group France poursuit en outre une politique active et pérenne de mécénat avec le programme BMW ART MAKERS qui soutient la création émergente dans le domaine des arts visuels, et des acteurs culturels de renom tels que les Rencontres de la Photographie d’Arles et Paris Photo. Depuis plus de 30 ans, BMW Group France finance des projets d’utilité publique par le biais de sa Fondation placée sous l’égide de la Fondation de France : actuellement l’entreprenariat à impact à travers le soutien aux associations Ashoka et Make Sense. L’engagement sociétal de BMW Group se décline aussi dans le sport français, notamment à travers son partenariat avec la Fédération Française de Golf (FFG).

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BMW Group

BMW Group, qui comprend les marques BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce et BMW Motorrad, est le premier constructeur d’automobiles et de motos Premium au monde, fournissant également des services dans les domaines de la finance et de la mobilité. BMW Group exploite 30 sites de production et d’assemblage dans le monde, ainsi qu’un réseau de vente présent dans plus de 140 pays.

En 2023, les ventes mondiales de BMW Group ont atteint un volume total de 2,55 millions d’automobiles et plus de 209 000 motos. En 2022, l’entreprise a réalisé un bénéfice avant impôts de 23,5 milliards d’euros pour un chiffre d’affaires de 142,6 milliards d’euros. Au 31 décembre 2022, les effectifs de BMW Group étaient de 149 475 salariés.

Le succès de BMW Group a toujours été basé sur une vision à long terme et une action responsable.

L'entreprise a fixé très tôt le cap pour l'avenir et place systématiquement la durabilité et la gestion efficiente des ressources au cœur de son approche stratégique, depuis la chaîne d'approvisionnement jusqu'à la fin de la phase d'utilisation de tous les produits, en passant par la production.

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Munich. Une nouvelle ère s'ouvre pour l'usine BMW Group de Munich : à partir de 2026, l'emblématique usine mère produira la berline Neue Klasse. À peine un an plus tard, l'usine ne fabriquera que des modèles entièrement électriques, faisant de l'usine de Munich le premier site du réseau de production existant du groupe BMW à avoir achevé avec succès la transition vers la mobilité électrique à partir de fin 2027.

« L'usine de Munich est un excellent exemple de notre capacité d'adaptation. Nous investissons 650 millions d'euros ici et produirons exclusivement des véhicules entièrement électriques dans notre usine mère à partir de fin 2027 », déclare Milan Nedeljković, membre du conseil d'administration de BMW AG, Production. « Rien que l'année dernière, six modèles entièrement électriques sont entrés en production. Dans le même temps, nous avons également établi un record de production, prouvant ainsi que nous sommes à la fois capables de livrer et de façonner l'avenir de notre réseau de production. »

Peter Weber, directeur de l'usine du groupe BMW à Munich, ajoute : « Munich est le cœur battant de BMW. L'usine de Munich est innovante et adaptable. Comme dans les années 1960, une Neue Klasse pose à nouveau les bases sur lesquelles notre usine se réinvente. Le fait que cette transformation complète ait lieu alors qu'environ 1 000 véhicules sont actuellement fabriqués par jour est une pratique courante à Munich et est possible grâce aux performances exceptionnelles de tous nos employés. Nous sommes ravis de guider l'usine de Munich vers un avenir entièrement électrique, en commençant par la berline Neue Klasse. »

Transition en douceur vers l'électromobilité, alors que l'ère des automobiles à combustion de Munich s'achèvera en 2027

L'usine BMW Group de Munich est un excellent exemple de transition fluide vers l'ère de l'électromobilité. En 2015, les premiers modèles hybrides rechargeables de la BMW Série 3 ont été fabriqués sur la même chaîne de production que les véhicules à combustion. En 2021, la BMW i4 est devenue le premier véhicule entièrement électrique à être produit sur la même chaîne de production. De nos jours, un véhicule sur deux qui sort de la chaîne de production est équipé d'un système de propulsion entièrement électrique.

À partir de 2026, la production de la Neue Klasse dans l'usine de Munich se déroulera dans un premier temps en parallèle à la production des modèles actuels. Une bonne année plus tard, à partir de fin 2027, l'usine mère du groupe BMW sera le premier site existant du réseau de production mondial à fabriquer exclusivement des véhicules entièrement électriques, après avoir été transformée en conséquence. Ainsi, l'ère des véhicules à moteur à combustion à Munich s'achèvera 75 ans après le lancement de la BMW 501 en 1952.

Après le démarrage de la nouvelle usine de Debrecen, en Hongrie, et de Munich, les véhicules Neue Klasse seront également produits à Shenyang, en Chine, et à San Luis Potosí au Mexique.

Des modifications importantes pour un site à long terme

Au cours d'une histoire qui remonte à plus de 100 ans, l'usine BMW Group de Munich a subi de nombreux changements et s'est réinventée à plusieurs reprises. Avec la conversion de la fabrication de moteurs d'avion à la construction automobile, l'introduction réussie de la Neue Klasse dans les années 1960 constitue une étape importante dans la liste des changements survenus au cours de l'histoire de l'entreprise.

À l'heure actuelle, plusieurs grands chantiers de construction témoignent de ce revirement, car ils ouvrent la voie à l'arrivée de la Neue Klasse à partir de 2026. L'investissement de 650 millions d'euros comprend quatre bâtiments, dont une nouvelle chaîne de montage de véhicules avec des zones logistiques et un nouvel atelier de carrosserie.

Afin de créer de l'espace dans l'espace limité de l'usine au cœur de Munich, la fabrication traditionnelle de moteurs a été transférée à Hams-Hall en Grande-Bretagne et à Steyr en Autriche après environ 70 ans passés dans l'usine mère. 1 200 employés ont été formés à différentes stratégies de production à Munich ou ont trouvé un emploi sur d'autres sites du réseau de production.

Comme dans les années 1960 et tous les autres changements survenus depuis, la transformation actuelle de l'usine BMW Group de Munich a lieu alors que la production est toujours en cours. Quels que soient les travaux de construction, environ 1 000 voitures sortent de la chaîne de production chaque jour, y compris des BMW Série 3 et la BMW i4, toutes sur la même chaîne de montage.

La vaste réorientation de l'usine garantit un avenir à long terme au site de Munich et représente également un investissement important en Bavière en tant que site industriel.

La digitalisation de l'usine de Munich conformément aux principes de BMW iFactory

Les principes de BMW iFactory garantissent la plus grande flexibilité, d'excellents processus et une intégrabilité exceptionnelle sur tous les sites du groupe BMW, de la toute nouvelle usine de Debrecen à l'usine mère de Munich, qui a plus de 100 ans et dont la transformation bat son plein. BMW iFactory est synonyme de savoir-faire exceptionnel en matière de production sur l'ensemble du réseau de production. L'un des aspects importants est la numérisation complète avec une approche holistique de l'interaction entre les personnes, les processus et les systèmes. Il optimise les processus et soutient les employés dans leur travail. La mise en œuvre se déroule dans trois domaines : la science des données, l'intelligence artificielle (IA) et la virtualisation.

Leipzig. The production launch of the MINI Countryman marks a number of debuts and milestones: as the first MINI model to be made in Germany, the new MINI Countryman will roll off one and the same production line as the BMW 1 Series and 2 Series, with the full range of drives: combustion-powered, plug-in hybrid and fully electric.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Seamless integration through flexible structures 

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

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

Investments and recruitment to increase production volume

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

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

Electromobility and MINI production drive development

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

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

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

Sustainable materials and production 

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

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

Innovative painting method for contrast roof 

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

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

Plant Leipzig – Built for sustainability

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

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

Ratisbonne. Cela fait à peine quelques semaines que les premières photos de la toute nouvelle BMW X2 ont fait le tour du monde : elle sort à présent de la chaîne de montage de l'usine BMW Group de Ratisbonne. Désormais, différents types de variantes du modèle seront fabriquées de manière flexible à Ratisbonne sur une seule et même ligne de production, qu'il s'agisse de modèles équipés de moteurs à combustion interne, de véhicules hybrides rechargeables ou entièrement électriques. Jusqu'à 1 000 voitures des gammes BMW Série 1, BMW X1 et BMW X2 sortent actuellement de la chaîne de production chaque jour, à destination des clients du monde entier.

« Avec la production de la BMW X2 et de sa variante entièrement électrique, la BMW iX2, nous continuons à donner le ton, ici à Ratisbonne, en matière de montée en puissance de l'électromobilité »,a confirmé le directeur de l'usine Armin Ebner. « Le fait que nous construisions actuellement un deuxième modèle entièrement électrique ici dans le Haut-Palatinat augmentera le volume de production du site. » Le directeur de l'usine a souligné que tout le monde était très fier du nouveau véhicule et de l'énorme effort collectif qui y a été consacré : « Pour notre équipe, le début de la production aujourd'hui est une journée encourageante. » En effet, les spécialistes de la production de Ratisbonne ont tout mis en œuvre ces derniers mois pour intégrer de manière progressive et harmonieuse la nouvelle BMW X2 dans la production en cours, depuis les prototypes initiaux et les pré-séries, en passant par des contrôles de qualité approfondis, jusqu'au développement complet des compétences de l'ensemble de l'équipe de fabrication.

« Notre usine fonctionne à plein régime. Les volumes de production supplémentaires signifient que nous ajoutons désormais une équipe de nuit sur le site de Ratisbonne, avec effet immédiat, avec une exploitation en trois équipes à l'avenir », a ajouté Armin Ebner.

D'ici la fin de l'année, le BMW Group investira plus de 350 millions d'euros dans la production de véhicules à Ratisbonne, créant ainsi des emplois permanents pour environ 500 nouveaux employés sur le site.

LEAN, GREEN et DIGITAL : avec sa BMW iFACTORY, le groupe BMW établit également des normes et redéfinit l'avenir de la production automobile sur le site de Ratisbonne. Par exemple, l'usine BMW Group de Ratisbonne est la première usine automobile au monde à utiliser un processus digital et 100% automatisé pour l'inspection, le traitement et le marquage des surfaces peintes des véhicules. Un modèle qui repose sur des robots contrôlés par l'IA (intelligence artificielle). Cela représente une nouvelle étape vers l'usine digitale, intelligente et connectée.

Debrecen / Munich. The BMW Group has opened the Training Center at its new plant in Debrecen, Hungary. The company is investing more than one billion euros in the site, where series production for the first all-electric model of the Neue Klasse will start in 2025. The education and training of highly qualified employees is of particular importance.  

With the Neue Klasse, the BMW Group will introduce the next generation of BMW models. This combines the company's innovative strength in the central areas of electrification, digitization and circularity.

The opening of the Training Center at the future plant in Debrecen, Hungary, marks another milestone on the BMW Group's journey to start production of the Neue Klasse in 2025.

In the facility, equipped with the latest infrastructure, on an area of almost 6,500 square meters and with an investment volume of just under 20 million euros, employees of the BMW Group Plant in Debrecen as well as trainees and dual education students acquire the necessary skills for the production of the new generation of models.

During the opening, Ilka Horstmeier, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, People and Real Estate, Labour Relations Director, emphasized: “The Neue Klasse is our promise for the future because it gives us the opportunity to completely rethink mobility and collaboration. We shape our transformation through People and Places together with our employees — they make the difference. With the start of the first 100 students and the opening of the Training Center here in Debrecen, we are underlining the relevance of education and training as a decisive factor for the future orientation of our company.”

By 2025, the number of trainees will rise to a total of up to 300. This makes it one of the largest apprentice training programs in all of Hungary.

The dual training program offered in collaboration with the Debrecen Vocational Training Center offers students the opportunity to acquire skills that can be the basis for an entire career. It is a three-year course in the areas of mechatronics, electronics, automotive mechatronics, and IT systems and applications. All these capabilities are important for future automotive production. The new training center offers state-of-the-art facilities and a high-tech learning environment. After successful completion of apprentice training, every trainee is offered an employment contract by the BMW Group or they take advantage of the opportunity to study further.

„We are pleased to welcome the first apprentices to our new Training Center. Within our facility we will teach them all about automotive production, our processes and the BMW culture“ said Hans-Peter Kemser, President and CEO BMW Group Plant Debrecen. „Our culture is the key for a successful future here in Debrecen. We are one plant, one team, which means that we count on each other and appreciate everyone’s contribution and knowledge“.

In addition to initiatives for students and trainees and offering new employment opportunities, the BMW Group will work with local and regional universities to support and implement art and cultural projects. This underlines the BMW Group's guiding principles of being a responsible corporate citizen and engaging with local communities.

“We are delighted that the BMW Group is bringing its latest technologies to Hungary and will produce its newest battery-electric model here in Debrecen in the future,” said Foreign and Trade Minister Péter Szijjártó at the event. “The Training Center will strengthen the cooperation between Hungary and Germany — the joint education and training program will offer young students an excellent perspective for the future.”

The training center at the BMW Group plant in Debrecen is one of the first fully completed buildings on the 400-hectare site that is in operation. the Communication Center will be the next major structure to be completed and in full use.

The BMW Group plant in Debrecen was planned and developed as an iFACTORY. It will be the first production plant in the world to be powered entirely by fossil-free energy. A significant portion of the required energy will be generated by a 50-hectare photovoltaic system directly on the factory premises.

The plant is designed for a production capacity of 150,000 units per year.

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

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

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

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

Recycling at the CMCC: Keeping materials in the loop

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

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

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

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

CMCC Parsdorf: Buildings with a focus on the environment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dingolfing. Les espaces verts et les prairies fleuries de l'usine du BMW Group de Dingolfing regorgent de mammifères. Outre les nombreuses espèces d'oiseaux, les papillons, les sauterelles, les abeilles et les libellules s'y sentent chez eux. Le site de Basse-Bavière s'efforce constamment de préserver et d'accroître la biodiversité sur le terrain de l'usine. Les mesures prises vont de la création de prairies fleuries, de biotopes et de toits végétalisés à l'établissement de colonies d'abeilles et à la gestion attentive des espaces verts du site. Des biologistes externes apportent leur expertise professionnelle aux spécialistes du développement durable de l'usine.

"Nous nous considérons comme un partenaire de la région qui assume ses responsabilités environnementales et sociales", confirme Christoph Schröder, directeur de l'usine. "C'est l'une des raisons pour lesquelles nous ne nous contentons pas de rendre notre usine de plus en plus durable au sens large - en améliorant les économies d'énergie et l'efficacité des ressources dans la production de véhicules - mais aussi, en nous impliquant dans la biodiversité autour de notre site de production.

Un nombre croissant de toits et espaces végétalisés

Au printemps 2020, l'usine est devenue le premier bâtiment de production du site BMW Group de Dingolfing à être équipé d'un toit végétalisé. La végétalisation des toits s'est depuis considérablement développée depuis les 4 000 mètres carrés semés à l'époque. D'ici à la fin de l'année 2023, environ 31 000 mètres carrés de toits seront végétalisés, soit une surface équivalente à cinq terrains de football. Les toits végétalisés, étendus et naturels, sont en train de s'étendre à l'ensemble du territoire.

Les toitures végétalisées étendues fournissent de la nourriture et un lieu de refuge pour les abeilles sauvages, les papillons et les coléoptères, entre autres. Plantées de sédums herbacés et fleuris, ces toitures industrielles végétalisées créent non seulement un habitat pour les insectes, mais ont également un effet positif sur le climat intérieur des halls situés en dessous. En été, l'évaporation a un impact rafraîchissant ; pendant les mois les plus froids, les toitures végétalisées contribuent à l'isolation thermique. La structure du toit sert également de réservoir de rétention : L'eau de pluie est absorbée et déversée plus tard , ce qui signifie que moins de systèmes d'infiltration sont nécessaires sur le site. Les toits végétalisés peuvent stocker en moyenne 40 litres d'eau par mètre carré.

L'usine de Dingolfing transforme également de plus en plus d'espaces verts en parterres de fleurs, crée des biotopes et plante des arbres fruitiers. "Récemment, par exemple, les espaces verts autour de l'usine ont été réaménagés par la création d'un verger et d'une zone de biodiversité", explique Irene Auburger, responsable des questions relatives à la biodiversité sur le site. Le site compte actuellement plus de 100 arbres fruitiers qui ont été plantés au cours des deux ou trois dernières années. On y trouve également un grand nombre d'autres espèces d'arbres locaux, notamment des chênes, des hêtres et des érables, ainsi que des cerisiers sauvages et des aubépines. Le terrain de l'usine abrite à lui seul plus de 1 000 arbres. Les espaces verts sont également tondus moins souvent afin d'étendre les habitats naturels.

Une mini-forêt au cœur de l'usine

"Notre objectif est d'augmenter le plus possible la proportion de fleurs et d'espaces verts au sein de l'usine. Par exemple, dans un avenir proche, nous planterons des haies locales, c'est-à-dire originaires de la région, afin de rendre notre site encore plus riche en biodiversité", explique M. Auburger. "Nous prévoyons également de créer une petite forêt à l'usine 02.40.

Cette mini-forêt très dense et à croissance rapide formera rapidement un écosystème durable, un coin de nature sauvage au milieu de l'usine, pour ainsi dire, où les insectes, les oiseaux et les petits mammifères pourront vivre. Dans cette petite forêt, on ne plantera que des arbres locaux".

De nouvelles zones d'habitation pour un plus grand nombre d'abeilles.

L'extension des zones proches de la nature permet également d'enrichir la zone de collecte de pollen des abeilles. Les abeilles, qui travaillent pour produire du miel, ont élu domicile sur le site depuis 2019. Le projet d'apiculture est né de l'idée de Stefan Fleischmann, apiculteur et employé du BMW Group, qui veille toujours au bien-être des insectes et s'occupe également de l'élevage.

"Nous sommes actuellement en train d'établir de nouvelles colonies d'abeilles et nous aimerions que l'usine abrite un million d'abeilles", explique l'apiculteur. Le nombre de ruches dans le réseau de la pépinière de Dingolfing s'élève désormais à plus de 20.

Réduction de l'éclairage

En réduisant progressivement ses émissions lumineuses, le site contribue également à la protection des insectes et des oiseaux, et donc à la préservation de la biodiversité. À l'usine 02.91 de Wallersdorf, l'éclairage nocturne a déjà été réduit d'environ 30 % pendant les heures de fonctionnement et de 90 % en dehors de ces heures. L'éclairage est réduit au minimum et n'est utilisé qu'en cas d'absolue nécessité.

Ainsi, les insectes et les oiseaux ne sont plus dérangés dans leur environnement naturel par un éclairage excessif pendant les heures d'obscurité.

Pour plus d'informations

L'usine BMW Group de Dingolfing documente ses nombreuses activités dans le domaine de la protection de l'environnement et du climat dans sa déclaration environnementale actuelle. Le rapport, qui a été validé par l'association allemande de contrôle technique (TÜV), est disponible sous le lien suivant sur la page web de BMW Group Dingolfing : :

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

Légendes

Photo 01 : Près de 32 000 m2 des toits de l'usine BMW Group de Dingolfing seront végétalisés d'ici fin 2023.

Photo 03 : Le nouveau chariot d'abeilles mobile de l'usine 02.40 offre un abri à plusieurs colonies d'abeilles en même temps.

Photo 04 : Augmentation prévue à plus d'un million d'abeilles sur le site

Photo 05 : Les biotopes des usines 02.40, 02.20 et 02.70 servent de zones vertes de compensation et d'habitat pour les insectes et les petits mammifères.

Photo 06 : Les biotopes du site favorisent la biodiversité.

Pour plus d'informations  :

Julian Friedrich, BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, head of Communications

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

Bianca Hölzl, BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, Communications

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

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

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

Email: presse@bmw.de

BMW Group Plant Dingolfing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If you have any questions, please contact:

Saskia Graser

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

BMW Group Plants Regensburg and Wackersdorf

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

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

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

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

Spartanburg (USA)/Munich. The BMW Group continues the roll-out of its electromobility plan with a new investment in the U.S. to expand Plant Spartanburg and the company’s manufacturing footprint in the U.S. BMW Group Chairman of the Board of Management, Oliver Zipse, announced today a $1.7 billion investment in its U.S. operations, including $1 billion to prepare for the production of electric vehicles at the company’s existing U.S. manufacturing facility in South Carolina, and $700 million to build a new high-voltage battery assembly facility in nearby Woodruff, SC. By 2030 BMW Group will build at least six fully electric models in the U.S.

Zipse was joined today at Plant Spartanburg by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Secretary of Commerce Harry Lightsey III, Chairman of Spartanburg County Council Economic Development Committee, David Britt, and Woodruff, SC Mayor, Kenneth Gist as he also announced an agreement to source next generation lithium-ion battery cells from Envision AESC, which will build a new plant in the state.

“For decades, Plant Spartanburg has been a cornerstone of the global success of the BMW Group. The home of the BMW X models that are so popular all over the world. Going forward, it will also be a major driver for our electrification strategy, and we will produce at least six fully electric BMW X models here by 2030. That means: The ‘Home of the X’ is also becoming the ‘Home of the Battery Electric Vehicle’,” said Zipse on Wednesday. “In addition, we can showcase BMW Group’s ‘local for local’ principle: Our newly developed sixth generation battery cells, which were specifically designed for the next generation electric vehicles, will be sourced here in South Carolina – where X goes electric.”

Envision AESC Battery Cell Plant in South Carolina to Supply Plant Spartanburg

In line with the principle of "local for local,” the BMW Group aims to purchase battery cells for its electric vehicles where production takes place. The company has found a partner in Envision AESC, which will build a new battery cell factory in South Carolina, to supply Plant Spartanburg. Envision will produce newly developed round lithium-ion battery cells, which were specifically designed for the sixth generation of BMW eDrive technology, and will be used in the next generation electric vehicles. The annual capacity of the battery cell factory will be up to 30 GWh.

The new battery format will increase energy density by more than 20 percent, improve charging speed by up to 30 percent and enhance range by up to
30 percent. At the same time, CO₂ emissions from cell production will be reduced by up to 60 percent through the partial use of secondary lithium, cobalt and nickel material, as well as renewable energy for production. 

The cooperation with Envision AESC is an important step in the BMW Group's plan to strengthen its regional supply chains. The expansion of electric vehicle production in combination with a local battery cell factory will lead to the creation of new supply chains, new networks for sub-suppliers, and new jobs throughout the entire region.

BMW Group has already announced that four additional battery cell factories will be built in Europe and China to meet its demand for next generation battery cells. The cell factories are being built by partners and will each have an annual capacity of up to 20 GWh.

Increased Investment and Expanded Manufacturing Capacity in SC

Of the new $1.7 billion investment announced today, $700 million will be used to build a new high-voltage BMW battery assembly center in Woodruff, SC, near Plant Spartanburg. The new facility will encompass over 1 million sq. ft., and produce next generation batteries for fully electric vehicles. Around 300 new jobs will be created on site.  

Plant Spartanburg currently produces lithium-ion battery modules for the two plug-in hybrid electric vehicles built at the plant, the BMW X3 xDrive30e (fuel consumption combined: 2.6-2.0 l/100 km WLTP; power consumption combined: 20.5-18.9 kWh/100 km WLTP, CO₂ emissions combined: 59-45 g/km WLTP) and BMW X5 xDrive45e (fuel consumption in l/100 km combined: 1.7-1.2 WLTP; power consumption in kWh/100 km combined: 27.7-24.3 WLTP; CO₂ emissions in g/km combined: 39-27 WLTP.). In 2021, nearly 70,000 electrified BMWs were built on site. The site in Woodruff will also leverage the experience and expertise developed in Plant Spartanburg’s existing operations at the new facility.

“BMW’s sustained and impactful presence in South Carolina demonstrates the power of partnership and shared commitment to our state’s automotive industry success,” said Governor McMaster. “With today’s announcement of a $1 billion expansion to Plant Spartanburg for manufacturing electric vehicles as well as $700 million for a new plant in Woodruff to assemble battery units, the road to the future is here. And I applaud BMW on helping lead the way.”

BMW Group Plant Spartanburg

Plant Spartanburg was established 30 years ago and began producing vehicles two years later. Since then, the plant has become the global center of competence for BMW Sports Activity Vehicles and a critical component of the company’s global production network. The plant currently represents an investment of nearly $12 billion, employs more than 11,000, and has an annual capacity of up to 450,000 vehicles. To date more than six million BMW vehicles have been built in the U.S. – for the U.S. and global markets. Based on this strength, BMW has been the largest automotive exporter from the U.S. by value for the past eight years.

Plant Spartanburg currently produces 11 models including the BMW X3, X4, X5, X6 and X7 Sports Activity Vehicles, four BMW M models and two plug-in hybrid electric models. Production of the all-new hybrid-electric BMW XM (fuel consumption in l/100 km combined: 1.6-1.5 WLTP; power consumption in kWh/100 km combined: 30.1-28.9 WLTP; CO2 emissions in g/km combined: 36-33 WLTP. Preliminary figures that have not yet been officially confirmed.) will begin later this year.

The plant is supported by more than 300 suppliers in the U.S., including over 40 direct tier 1 suppliers in South Carolina alone.

“This is a very important step for Plant Spartanburg as we continue our legacy of producing high-quality vehicles, and build on the success of the last 30 years,” said Robert Engelhorn, President and CEO, BMW Manufacturing Co. “With this latest investment, we futureproof our operations and prepare the plant for electrification and new technologies, ensuring both the long-term success of our company and our position as an attractive and viable employer in the state of South Carolina.”

Ongoing Commitment in the U.S.

In addition to sales and marketing operations, the BMW Group footprint in the U.S. consists of nearly 30 locations in 12 different states, including an advanced design studio, a technology research and development center, and a venture capital fund in California, BMW Group Financial Services, and BMW Manufacturing Corporation, which operates Plant Spartanburg in South Carolina. The BMW Group dealer network consists of nearly 650 independently owned BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad dealers nationwide. Taken together, the BMW Group’s operatons in the U.S. directly and indirectly provide and support more than 120,000 jobs in the U.S., and has contributed $43.3 billion to the U.S. economy.

“Technology Openness” and Customer Focused Flexibility

BMW Group is clearly focused on a sustainable future and shares common ambition in the U.S. with regard to climate goals and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, the company is following a path of “technology openness” to offer a choice of fully electric, plug-in hybrid electric, and highly-efficient internal combustion options to its customers in meeting their diverse needs in vastly different geographies across the nation. BMW Group is committed to fulfilling its goal of making a minimum of 50% of its global sales battery electric vehicles by 2030.

360-Degree Approach

BMW Group has also set an initial target to reduce CO₂ emissions by 40% per vehicle by 2030. As BMW Group works towards the goal of climate neutrality, the company is focused on the reduction of CO₂ emissions throughout a vehicle’s entire life cycle. 

• Design and Engineering: Beyond simply electrifying its product portfolio, BMW Group begins the design and engineering phase of vehicle development with a ‘secondary first’ approach, so that currently on average nearly 30 percent of materials used in BMW Group vehicles are recycled or reused. In the longer term, the “secondary first” approach aims to increase this figure to 50 percent.
• Supply Chain and Procurement: BMW Group has been actively involved for many years in initiatives to develop standards for responsible raw material extraction and promote compliance with environmental and social standards for raw material extraction through certification of mines. The cobalt and lithium used as raw materials for the new generation of BMW battery cells will be sourced from certified mines which allows the company retains full transparency over extraction methods and ensures responsible mining.
• Vehicle Production: BMW Group’s global production network also relies on renewable energy such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power in the manufacturing phase of its vehicles. All of the company’s production sites have been net CO₂ neutral by offsets since 2021.
• Vehicle Use Phase: BMW Group is also working to ensure that the electricity generated to charge battery electric vehicles is done so sustainably. For example, partnerships with dairy farms in California reduce greenhouse gas emissions by capturing methane gas and transforming it into renewable energy, which is exported to the power grid. The company also operates a pilot program called ChargeForward in the San Francisco Bay Area which makes it possible for owners to charge their vehicles with as much solar energy as possible.
• Vehicle Recycling & Post-Life: From the start BMW Group vehicles are designed with recycling in mind, thereby improving the possibility for components to be recycled or reused. The company has already demonstrated the ability to recover more than 90% of the material from high-voltage batteries and has approximately 3,000 collection points worldwide for the recycling of end-of-life vehicles.

As the BMW Group continues towards an electric future, the company is looking beyond the vehicles themselves to ensure that it delivers sustainable solutions across the value chain and throughout the entire lifecycle of the vehicle. In the U.S. BMW currently offers two fully electric vehicles including the BMW iX Sports Activity Vehicle and the BMW i4 Gran Coupe. The fully electric
BMW i7 Sedan (power consumption in kWh/100 km combined: 19.6-18.4 WLTP) will come to market later this year and BMW will make a significant step forward. For more information about the BMW Group’s focus on sustainability and unique approach to electrification, please visit: https://www.bmwgroup.com/en/sustainability.html

Leipzig. An era is coming to an end at the BMW Group plant in Leipzig. The serial production of the BMW i3 is now to come to an end, some eight and a half years after it was launched. A source of inspiration, a driver of innovation, a pioneer of locally emission-free driving pleasure: The list of attributes that have accompanied the BMW Group's first large-series production automobile with fully electric drive since its debut in 2013 is long. The BMW i3 (combined power consumption: 16.3 - 15.3 kWh/100 km according to WLTP, 13.1 - 14.0 kWh/100 km according to NEDC, CO₂ emissions: 0 g/ km) started out as an exotic specimen on the still barely tapped market for electric vehicles, developed into a classic with unmistakable charisma already in the course of its production period and goes down in the company's history as a pioneer of sustainable mobility.

For the BMW Group Plant Leipzig, the farewell to the BMW i3 is linked to the start of a new chapter in electric mobility. In a seamless transition, further e-drive components will be manufactured there with immediate effect in addition to producing high-voltage battery modules, which is already being done since May 2021. And already next year, the next generation of the MINI Countryman will be manufactured at the same location - with a fully electric drive, among other things. In this way, the electric mobility expertise of the workforce, which has been built up over the past years, will be used and advanced further. At the same time, the BMW Group Plant Leipzig becomes the first location in the company's global production network where BMW and MINI models are manufactured together.

The final anniversary: 250 , 000 units of electric driving pleasure made in Leipzig.

The BMW i3 ends its production run with an impressive homerun. Just a few days ago, the 250,000 unit of the compact e-vehicle was produced in Leipzig. This makes the BMW i3 the world's most successful electric vehicle in the premium compact segment. And contrary to what might be expected for a model that is being phased out, its popularity did not wane as it matured.

The BMW i3 has been sold in more than 74 countries around the world. In many markets, it achieved a significantly higher market share in the electric vehicle segment than the BMW brand in the area of conventionally powered cars. It also succeeded in inspiring additional target groups in the premium mobility offers from BMW. In the early years, more than 80 per cent of all BMW i3 buyers were new customers for the BMW Group.

The enduring appeal of the BMW i3, which is manufactured exclusively at the Leipzig site for the entire global market, is also due to its especially individualistic character. Its independent vehicle architecture consists of a drive module as an aluminium chassis, which carries the e-drive, the suspension and the high-voltage battery as well as a passenger cell made of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) called the life module. This design, developed from the outset for pure e-mobility, made possible a particularly generous amount of space in the interior and a cockpit and centre console design which is both high-quality and very advanced. The same applies to the exterior design, which is still groundbreaking in its ninth year of production, and which is dedicated less to fashion or status than to technological avant-gardism.

Visionary technology standard-bearer with great symbolic power.

These characteristics have not only made the BMW i3 into a trailblazer for the transformation to CO₂-free mobility, but are also proof of how innovative the BMW Group is in a wide range of areas. "The BMW i3 has great symbolic power," says Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG. He describes the development of the BMW i3 as a prime example of the "BMW way". This is characterised in particular by the courage to "pioneer topics, to do something different and not just follow the mainstream". This mindset continues to endure, according to Zipse, because "even the BMW iX, which is quite surprising in its capabilities, has its origins in this corporate culture".

The employees involved in manufacturing the BMW i3 at the BMW Group Plant Leipzig know all too well what this culture means in practice. After all, the BMW i3 was a visionary technology standard-bearer from day one, and not just because of its electric drive. With its Life-Drive architecture, it also set new standards in the field of intelligent lightweight construction. In Leipzig, innovative processes unique in the automotive industry have been established for moulding large-format car body parts from the particularly lightweight high-tech material CFRP. Today, the BMW Group has unique expertise in the industrial use of carbon fibre in body construction and aluminium in designing chassis components.

"The BMW i3 is a true pioneer and the epitome of pioneering spirit," says Milan Nedeljković, Member of the Board of Management for Production at BMW AG. "Thanks to the BMW i3, the Leipzig plant became the birthplace of e-mobility at BMW." With the expansion of the production of e-drive components, the Leipzig plant will remain "electric" in the future, says Nedeljković. "It will become the hub for electric mobility and supply our production network worldwide with components."

Innovation driver for e-mobility and multiple award winner.

Thanks to its model-specific technology developments, the BMW i3 has also become an innovation driver for the BMW and MINI brands in numerous other areas. The 135 kW/184 hp electric motor of the BMW i3s (power consumption combined: 16.6 - 16.3 kWh/100 km according to WLTP, 14.6 - 14.0 kWh/100 km according to NEDC, CO₂ emissions: 0 g/km) has been delivering urban driving fun and locally emission-free go-kart feeling in MINI style since 2020. The purely electric MINI Cooper SE (power consumption combined: 17.6 - 15.2 kWh/100 km according to WLTP, 16.9 - 14.9 kWh/100 km according to NEDC, CO₂ emissions: 0 g/km) has since become the most popular model variant of the British brand.

Originally developed for the BMW i3, the fifth generation of BMW eDrive technology is now being produced. It is used in numerous purely electric and plug-in hybrid models from BMW and MINI. The ramp-up of electric mobility will continue in the coming years. By 2030, every second BMW Group vehicle sold worldwide is to be fully electric.

The BMW i3 has received numerous awards during its production period. In Germany, it was awarded the "Green Steering Wheel” already in 2013, followed three years later by the "Golden Steering Wheel", also awarded by "Auto Bild" and "Bild am Sonntag". The design, vehicle concept, interior, sustainability, value retention and connectivity technology of the BMW i3 received further national and international awards and public survey successes. These include class victories in the competitions of the magazines "Auto Zeitung" and "auto, motor und sport", awards as "UK Car of the Year", "Green Car of the Year", "Classic of the Future" and "Swiss Car of the Year" as well as the "World Car Design Award", the "iF gold product design award" and the French "Trophée de l'argus".

Rethinking mobility: The holistic approach of the BMW i brand.

In addition to the all-electric drive, the BMW i3's outstanding eco-balance also stems from the choice of materials, which is fully geared towards sustainability and resource-conserving production. It was the first BMW Group model to receive an ISO certificate issued by independent auditors at the time of its market launch, confirming its optimised environmental performance throughout its entire life cycle.

Partly recycled raw materials are used for its outer skin made of thermoplastics. The plastic used in the interior is made op of 25 percent recycled material. The textiles used for the seat surfaces are made entirely from recycled fibres. The door panels of the BMW i3 are made of kenaf fibres. Eucalyptus wood from certified cultivation in Europe serves as the raw material for parts of the instrument panel.

The holistic concept for sustainability also includes the extensive use of renewable energy in the production of the BMW i3. Four wind turbines on the site of the BMW Group plant in Leipzig supply the electricity needed for its production. At an early stage, they made the Saxon location a pioneer for CO₂-neutral vehicle production, which has been standard in all BMW Group plants around the world since last year.

In addition, the BMW i brand has provided impetus for sustainable driving pleasure and a comprehensive transformation to CO2-neutral mobility in many ways and far beyond the development of electrically powered vehicles. These activities include the urban car-sharing service DriveNow (called SHARE NOW today) which for many users is the ideal opportunity to come into contact with electric mobility for the first time, as well as the services now known as BMW Charging and MINI Charging for convenient charging at home and for easily accessing public charging stations, and the BMW Group's participation in the European fast-charging network Ionity.

The perfect introduction to the world of e-mobility - and a reliable endurance runner.

For many customers, the BMW i3 became a constant companion early on in urban settings, for the daily commute and often far beyond. The frequent drivers among the "early adopters" above all praise the low energy and maintenance costs, but also how reliable the vehicle is and the cycle stability of its high-voltage battery. They report on brake pads that have not had to be replaced even after more than 250,000 kilometres, because a large part of the deceleration power is provided by recuperation when driving the BMW i3, and of the impressive long-term quality of the high-voltage battery, which leads to only a negligible reduction in range even after similarly long running times. The BMW Group took this positive experience as an opportunity to increase the maximum mileage associated with the eight-year warranty period for the battery from 100,000 to 160,000 kilometres at the beginning of 2020.

The BMW i3's high-voltage battery has undergone continuous development since its market launch, doubling its storage capacity while retaining the same installation space. With a cell capacity of 120 ampere hours (Ah) and a gross energy content of 42.2 kilowatt hours (kWh), it now enables ranges of up to 307 kilometres (BMW i3) according to WLTP.

The high-voltage batteries developed and produced by the BMW Group are used in other areas as well. Examples of this are the Streetscooter vans used by the German postal service and the city buses of the Turkish manufacturer Karsan, as well as motorboats with electric drives of the Torqeedo brand, for which they also serve as a source of energy. In addition, BMW i high-voltage batteries are used as stationary energy storage systems for electricity generated from renewable sources such as wind or solar power. The BMW Group plant in Leipzig also has such an energy storage farm. It consists of 700 interconnected BMW i3 high-voltage batteries in which the electricity generated by the four wind turbines on the plant site can be stored.

Locally emission-free, elegant and exclusive: The HomeRun Edition of the BMW i3s.

On its home stretch, the BMW i3 once again showcases the elegant and extravagant side of its character that has already been the subject of several limited special models. The BMW i3s HomeRun Edition, was treated to a Frozen paint finish from BMW Individual for the first time. This premiere is associated with a maximum of exclusivity: Only ten units of the BMW i3s HomeRun Edition have been produced.

An an exclusive for the BMW i3s HomeRun Edition, two new BMW Individual paint finishes have been added to the range: Frozen Dark Grey and Frozen Red II. In addition the HomeRun Edition includes 20-inch light-alloy wheels in a double-spoke design, an electrically operated glass roof, solar control glazing and Adaptive LED headlights. The special models also come with the particularly high-quality Suite interior design, which includes Vernasca Dark Truffle leather upholstery, a leather instrument panel, a leather steering wheel with galvanised trim, a Carum Grey roof lining, Ambient lighting and the welcome light. Other options include heated seats, comfort access, alarm system, Real Time Traffic Information, Concierge Service, Park Distance Control and rear view camera. Also included are the Comfort package and Driving Assistant Plus, the Professional navigation system, telephony with wireless charging, the Harman Kardon hi-fi speaker system and online entertainment with music flat rate.

The production of the ten special models was a final highlight not only for the employees involved in its production at the BMW Group Plant Leipzig. Customers of the special models were able to witness the completion of the vehicles in the assembly hall for themselves.

• BMW Group continues to expand manufacturing capacity at the Competence Centre for E-Drive Production in Dingolfing
• E-drive trains for 500,000 electrified vehicles per year from 2022
• Extensive in-house drive train expertise: Start of production for fifth-generation high-voltage batteries in Germany
• Successful transformation to e-drive train production

Munich/Dingolfing. Production of fifth-generation high-voltage batteries and battery modules for use in the BMW iX* and BMW i4 is now underway at the Competence Centre for E-Drive Production in Dingolfing. At the same time, the company is also increasing production capacity for its fifth-generation electric motor, which has been built in Dingolfing for the BMW iX3* since 2020 and will also power the BMW iX* and BMW i4. “We expect at least 50 percent of the vehicles we deliver to our customers worldwide to be electrified by 2030. To achieve this, we are relying on our extensive in-house drive train expertise: We are increasing capacity at existing drive train production locations – like here in Dingolfing – and developing capabilities at others – like recently in Regensburg and Leipzig,” explained Dr Michael Nikolaides, Senior Vice President, Production Engines and E-Drives, BMW Group.

The BMW Group is investing more than 500 million euros in expanding production capacity for e-drives at its Dingolfing location alone between 2020 and 2022. From 2022, it will produce e-drives for more than half a million electrified vehicles. The BMW Group will invest a total of around 790 million euros in expanding capacity for electric powertrain components at its Dingolfing, Leipzig, Regensburg and Steyr locations between 2020 and 2022.

Standard production of the BMW iX* will soon get underway at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, followed by production of the BMW i4 at Plant Munich in the autumn. The highly integrated e-drives and high-voltage batteries for these vehicles will all be manufactured at the Competence Centre for E-Drive Production in Dingolfing. The BMW Group already began producing battery components at Plants Regensburg and Leipzig in April and May 2021. In line with growing demand for e-drives, BMW Group Plants Landshut and Steyr are also stepping up production of e-drive housings.

Production of fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology

The output and energy content of drive units and high-voltage batteries with fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology can be flexibly scaled. This means they can be optimally adjusted to suit different model variants.

Each vehicle uses up to two highly integrated e-drives, which combine the electric motor, power electronics and transmission in a single housing. Based on the design principle of a current-excited rotor, the fifth-generation e-drive does not require any materials classified as rare-earth metals.

BMW eDrive technology also comprises a high-voltage battery with state-of-the-art battery cell technology. The BMW Group agreed with its suppliers that they will only use renewable green power for producing fifth-generation battery cells. The entire high-voltage battery boasts outstanding qualities in the areas of performance, charging and discharging characteristics, durability and safety. The technically standardised production process for battery modules has been further developed in such a way that different module variants can be produced on the same production line – in line with the growing range of electrified vehicle models and performance levels. The production systems are highly flexible and scalable. Battery modules are produced from supplied prismatic battery cells at the respective BMW Group production location. A modular system developed in-house allows model-specific high-voltage batteries to be manufactured from these modules in a flexible arrangement.

The company has outstanding expertise and experience, both in the field of battery cell technology and in production of model-specific high-voltage batteries. The BMW Group conducts basic research in the fields of cell chemistry and cell design at its own Battery Cell Competence Centre. The BMW Group also produces battery cell prototypes itself. These battery cell prototypes are used in tests to validate the development maturity of battery cells and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the production processes. In addition, the prototype production of the battery cells serves the identification of process potentials as well as the optimization of the production processes. In this way, the BMW Group gains a thorough understanding of the entire battery cell value chain and the decisive competitive advantages its chemical and technical properties offer. This enables battery cells to be manufactured to precise specifications that are geared towards each vehicle’s individual requirements.

Competence Centre for E-Drive Production

Following extensive expansion, the Competence Centre for E-Drive Production now provides a usable area of 125,000 sq. m. This is where the company manufactures electric motors and the components needed for them, as well as high-voltage batteries and battery modules. A paint coating is also applied to the battery cells at this location. The coating increases mechanical robustness and thermal conductivity, thereby improving insulation and cooling of the even more powerful fifth-generation battery cells.

Plant Dingolfing has been manufacturing standard high-voltage batteries and battery modules since 2013, when the BMW Group's first all-electric vehicle, the BMW i3*, went into production. The first production lines for electric motors and high-voltage batteries for plug-in hybrids went on-stream there in 2014. The Competence Centre for E-Drive Production has been steadily growing ever since. The plant has also been producing high-voltage batteries for the fully electric MINI Cooper SE* since 2019 and, since 2020, also the highly integrated fifth-generation e-drive used for the first time in the BMW iX3*. Production of the even more powerful high-voltage batteries for the BMW iX* and BMW i4 is now getting underway. E-drives for future models can also be produced on the flexible production lines.

Qualification for long-term, sustainable jobs

With the BMW Group systematically pursuing progress in electromobility, the demands on employees and their areas of responsibility are also constantly evolving. “We are growing our staff for e-drive production almost exclusively through personnel restructuring. We are actively shaping the transformation process and leveraging our employees’ skills so we can develop long-term sustainable jobs,” explains Nikolaides.

The Competence Centre for E-Drive Production in Dingolfing currently has almost 1,400 employees. By the end of 2021, around 1,900 employees are expected to work in e-drive production in Dingolfing.

Production employees receive further training at the in-house learning centre, which uses innovative vocational training and further education methods to provide employees with intensive preparation for their new tasks. Employees’ knowledge and skills are being expanded specifically to include new electromobility technologies, with a training concept that is constantly updated. The training sessions are held in the classroom, at practice workstations and directly on the production lines. Digital methods and augmented reality play a bigger role here than ever before. Thanks to these methods, the training courses were also able to continue safely during the coronavirus pandemic, in compliance with health and safety measures.

“The learning centre takes a holistic approach that supports employees throughout their professional development and further education, from their first day in production,” reports Dr Sven Jochmann, head of Production E-Drives Dingolfing, Landshut, Regensburg, Leipzig. “As well as trainers and managers, new colleagues are also supported by trained mentors who help them quickly find their way around their new working environment,” adds Jochmann.

Transformation of the Dingolfing location

The Dingolfing location is a prime example of the successful transformation of the BMW Group plants towards e-mobility and digitalisation. E-drive production, including electric motors and high-voltage batteries, is located in an existing, roughly 50-year-old building at the site, rather than using new space. The infrastructure was adapted to the new requirements and expanded accordingly. A modern staff restaurant seats 300 and there is also a new parking deck with space for 800 vehicles. The structural measures are rounded out by a 25,000 sq. m. logistics hall, new office spaces and social rooms close to the production area, as well as an additional plant gate in the south for improved logistics flows.

On the issue of sustainability, the BMW Group takes a holistic approach to reducing CO₂ emissions and minimising resource consumption that covers the entire value chain, including in-house production, the supply chain and use phase. In Dingolfing, as at all BMW Group locations, production uses only green power. In addition, all BMW Group locations have been net carbon neutral since this year, through corresponding offsets and certificates. The company is also using many other levers: from building technology to energy-efficient installations to increased use of renewable energies. Electric trucks will be used for intra-company goods transport at the Competence Centre for E-Drive Production from the autumn.

2030: At least 50 percent of global BMW Group sales will be fully electric

The BMW Group continues its massive electromobility ramp-up: The company will offer five fully-electric models by the end of this year: the BMW i3*, the MINI Cooper SE* and the BMW iX3*, as well as the two main innovation flagships, the BMW iX* and BMW i4.

Between now and 2025, the BMW Group will increase its sales of fully-electric models by an average of well over 50 percent per year – more than ten times the number of units sold in 2020. Based on its current market forecast, the company also expects at least 50 percent of its global sales to come from fully-electric vehicles in 2030. In total, over the next ten years or so, the BMW Group will be releasing about ten million fully-electric vehicles onto the roads.

Global e-drive production network with a focus in Germany

The high-voltage batteries and battery components needed for all BMW and MINI electrified vehicles come from the company’s own battery factories in Dingolfing, Leipzig and Regensburg in Germany, as well as from Spartanburg (USA) and Shenyang (China). The BMW Group has also localised production of high-voltage batteries in Thailand, at its Rayong plant, and is working with the Dräxlmaier Group for this. Munich is home to the e-drive pilot plant and the Battery Cell Competence Centre, where the BMW Group is conducting a full analysis of battery cell value creation processes and advancing technology for its production processes.

The company produces electric motors at the Competence Centre for E-Drive Production in Dingolfing and at BMW Group Plant Landshut. BMW Group Plant Steyr builds the housing for the highly integrated fifth-generation e-drive.

+++ 22-inch tyres using certified sustainable natural rubber and rayon, a wood-based material used to strengthen the tyres +++ Plantations certified to standards of independent Forest Stewardship Council TM (FSC TM) organisation +++ Wendt: “We are helping preserve biodiversity and forests to counteract climate 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. At BMW Group Plant Munich, everything is in place for production of the fully electric BMW i4 to begin. After six weeks of intensive conversion work, series production of vehicles has resumed, with around 5,000 associates returning to the line. “We have completed the comprehensive restructuring and conversion of the plant successfully, on schedule and without complications,” said Plant Director Robert Engelhorn. At the BMW Group’s home plant, a new era is about to begin: “Our plant can now manufacture the fully electric BMW i4 on the same line as diesel-, petrol- and hybrid-powered vehicles,” Engelhorn added.

“Outstanding planning and preparation, and perfect collaboration between the many in-house and external partners meant we were able to ready BMW Group Plant Munich for the mobility concepts of the future in the space of just six weeks,” Engelhorn reported. The entire development and conversion of the plant came at an investment of around €200 million. Approx. €700 million had already been invested between 2015 and 2018 to install a new, resource-efficient paintshop and extend the bodyshop for production of the BMW 3 Series.

In recent weeks, a particular challenge facing the team was the confined space within the production halls, which made conversion and installation work difficult. Previous systems had to be removed with very little space to spare, and new ones installed and launched. Before conversion work began, plans were made with the help of digital tools that simulated the line sections, system designs and production processes by virtual reality. “This allowed us to make the best possible use of the limited space available in our plant, and to see exactly which processes needed adjusting,” Engelhorn explained. Much of the expertise for the upgrade came from production workers themselves, who used VR goggles to obtain a clear picture of what their stage of work would look like, and offered valuable feedback on ergonomics and process optimisation.

The bodyshop at Plant Munich is a shining example of smart, efficient integration, as the majority of production processes for the BMW i4 can be carried out on existing bodyshop systems. Additional systems were required merely for the floor assembly and rear section of the BMW i4, as the electric drive and high-voltage battery mean these are quite different from conventional architectures. The approx. 550-kilogram battery pack will be fitted to the body by a new, fully automated battery assembly system, which uses camera systems to check automatically if the battery pack is positioned correctly on the line. The battery pack is also transported to the line and bolted to the body fully automatically.

A new electric overhead conveyor has also been installed for BMW i4 production, along with stronger conveyors in the vehicle finish area. “This has been the most comprehensive overhaul of assembly in the history of Plant Munich,” Robert Engelhorn pointed out.

As the number of driver assistance systems, safety equipment and connectivity features steadily increases, function-testing of the various in-car innovations and technologies during production is becoming more and more complex. To meet the ever tougher quality requirements, Plant Munich is making greater use of digitally connected production and testing systems. Complex logistics and production processes are also supported by myriad digitalisation solutions and interconnected smart systems.

During the conversion of Plant Munich over recent weeks, the focus was very much on integrating the BMW i4 into existing production systems. But systems and processes were also prepared for series production of the BMW M3, which will be manufactured on the same line as well. Established back in 1922, the BMW Group’s home plant is now set to deliver a wide-ranging product portfolio that includes not only the BMW i4 but also the combustion- and hybrid-powered BMW 3 Series Sedan and BMW 3 Series Touring, and the new BMW M3.

The tremendous flexibility of the plant and the extraordinary skills of the team are impressive.

Knudt Flor, President and CEO of BMW Manufacturing Co

Governor McMaster,

Senator Graham,

Ambassador Wittig,

Distinguished Guests,

BMW Associates,

Good morning and welcome to BMW Plant Spartanburg!

Each and every one of you here today is important to the United States, the state of South Carolina and to Plant Spartanburg, so I would like to begin by taking a moment to recognize all elected officials. Please be kind enough to stand for us so you may be acknowledged. On behalf of the BMW Group, I would like to thank you for twenty-five years of continued support and personal commitment to this plant’s success. Thank you!

Governor McMaster, thank you for your continued efforts in promoting this partnership, as many governors – especially the late Governor Carroll Campbell - before you have done. We’d also like to say a special “thank you” to Bobby Hitt, the Secretary of Commerce, who has been instrumental in the tremendous growth of Plant Spartanburg.

From the BMW Group, I would like to introduce Mr. Harald Krueger, Chairman of the Board of Management, and Mr. Oliver Zipse, Member of the Board of Management, responsible for Production worldwide. We welcome the national and international press, as we celebrate 25 Years Spartanburg and the All-New BMW X3!

Also, please join me in welcoming our valued dealers and suppliers from the U.S., our managers from Munich, and last, but certainly not least, I am delighted to welcome all of our associates here on site - the heart and soul of Plant Spartanburg!

25 years ago, our company reached an historic agreement with local government to build our first U.S. BMW plant in the great state of South Carolina. It was the start of something very special - a wonderful friendship and a new beginning. As BMW’s Chairman, Mr. Eberhard von Kuenheim stated back in 1992: “Seldom in the history of our company, has a community extended such a warm welcome to us as here in Spartanburg, in the state of South Carolina, USA. We have felt at home here from the first day on.”

In 1994, Spartanburg began operations with 570 associates, under the motto of “Welcome to the Future”. Today, we are proud to have over 9,000 associates here! Spartanburg has grown to become the largest plant in the BMW Group’s worldwide production network. That, in itself, is a very strong statement about our commitment to South Carolina and to the U.S.

It is our global competence center for our very successful BMW X vehicles. Currently, the plant produces X3, X4, X5 and X6 models, as well as M and hybrid variants. We are looking forward to starting production of the BMW X7 in late 2018. Today, we are delighted to give you an exclusive world premiere of the All-New BMW X3. The BMW X3 is without a doubt, the best vehicle in its segment. More on that shortly!

Of course, the success story of Plant Spartanburg wouldn’t have been possible without people. People have made and continue to make the difference.

We are proud of the people who work here – they are highly skilled and dedicated to building premium quality vehicles for our customers. I am proud to be the leader of such an incredible team at such a remarkable time. World class products are built here every single day. It’s thanks to you, our associates that BMW feels very much at home here in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

We are honored to have so many friends here and immensely proud to call South Carolina “our home away from home”. It is our goal, and our commitment, to remain a strong and reliable partner for our associates, our customers, South Carolina, and the United States.

Of course, a picture is worth a thousand words – here’s a film to remind us of a few highlights from the past 25 years.

Thank you!

Harald Krüger, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG

Governor McMaster,

Senator Graham,

Ambassador Wittig,

Honored guests,

It’s great to be back in Plant Spartanburg again!

The film we just saw underscores the BMW Group’s strong commitment

• to the United States of America,
• to South Carolina,
• and to all our associates and partners here in the U.S.

All of this shows that the U.S. is clearly our home away from home.

We are proud to be responsible for around 70,000 jobs in this great nation – including dealer network and suppliers. The effect of that employment multiplies to a total of more than 120,000 jobs nationwide. This is according to a new study from the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. Furthermore, our purchasing volume in America is now at 5.7 billion US dollars.

25 years ago, we made a crucial and forward looking decision. We decided to build our first full production plant outside of Germany in the U.S. – right here, in South Carolina. The BMW Group’s success in America would not be possible without the open arms and warm hearts of the people and elected officials in the great state of South Carolina and the surrounding region.

Senator Graham, it is an honor to have you with us here today. We greatly appreciate your ongoing support over the years.

Our relationship with South Carolina has been built upon decades of mutual trust and respect – and goes far beyond just building cars. Governor McMaster, as you have kindly said – we have become part of the very fabric of this great state. And David Britt, we were deeply touched by your words when you said: “BMW is the gift that keeps on giving”.

I am extremely proud of the highly skilled people who work here for the BMW Group. Their passion for excellence ensures that BMW vehicles built in the U.S. excite and inspire customers all over the world. Some of my fondest memories are from my time here at the plant as a manager. Since then, one thing has never changed – the unique spirit that makes BMW Plant Spartanburg so special: It’s all about People, Performance, Passion and Pride.

Today, I would like to thank all of our associates here, at Plant Spartanburg, for their strong commitment. You bring this plant to life – with your work, every single day. Thank you for your outstanding dedication! I am sure you all would agree that our associates deserve a round of applause.

Governor McMaster,

Senator Graham,

World-class people build world-class products. Today, Spartanburg is our largest plant worldwide. It is the global competence center for our X family vehicles, including the BMW X3. The BMW X3 is the most successful vehicle in its segment worldwide. Today, we are very proud to present you the third generation – “Built by BMW in the U.S. for the world”!

About 70% of our production from Spartanburg is exported to more than 140 countries. Thanks to our great, hardworking team here in the U.S., BMW was once again the leading U.S. automotive exporter by value in 2016 - a title we hold with pride.

Free trade has made our joint success story in South Carolina and the U.S. possible. A story, we want to continue, together with all of you. I firmly believe in free trade and open markets. It is essential for global businesses and economies around the world to flourish.

Altogether, the BMW Group has invested eight billion US dollars in Plant Spartanburg to date. I am delighted to say, we are investing a further 600 million US dollars in our manufacturing infrastructure here, up to 2021. This is for future generations of our X models. In the next four years, we will also create 1,000 new jobs, taking our workforce here to over 10,000.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Training and qualifying our associates is key to our future success. We believe in education! That’s why the BMW Group will invest $200 million over the next five years – solely for the training and further education of associates at Spartanburg. In addition to this, we will begin to roll out a nationwide training program. We work together with local universities and colleges to offer a combination of training on the job and earning a degree. We will keep investing in our people and in our business in the U.S. This underscores our enduring commitment to the people of this great state and nation.

Therefore, I remain confident: Our footprint and commitment will continue to grow – not only in the Great State of South Carolina but also in the United States in the years to come.

(Unveiling of new BMW X3)

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The new BMW X3!

I can tell you, it’s really amazing to drive. Over two generations, the BMW X3 has been delivered to more than 1.5 million customers worldwide. I’m certain: This new generation will raise the bar even higher! Thanks to the team in Spartanburg for your great contribution. “Built by BMW in the U.S. for the world”!

Governor McMaster, Senator Graham, Ambassador Wittig, Oliver, Knudt, dear Associates – please come and join me on stage.

Thank you!