Munich/Dingolfing/Irlbach-Straßkirchen. The BMW Group is investing around two billion euros in vehicle production and battery manufacturing to underline the importance of Germany as a production location. The company is ensuring that its plants are ready for the next generation of the BMW 3 Series. The BMW 3 Series has been the heart of the BMW brand for over 50 years. About 18 million vehicles have been completed since production started in 1975, with 15 million of these made in Germany. This makes the BMW 3 Series the world’s most successful premium mid-size automobile. Approximately one billion euros has been spent on further development of the Munich and Dingolfing vehicle plants. The company has invested around one billion euros in the new Irlbach‑Straßkirchen battery plant in Lower Bavaria.

“We are investing in value creation, competitive production and job security in Germany. The new BMW 3 Series is the proof. We are in control of the transformation – from development to industrialisation and high-efficiency production in Munich and Dingolfing. The new high-voltage battery plant in Irlbach-Straßkirchen illustrates how we are bringing key electromobility technology back to our home base. We are making our contribution. Conditions that enable investment, innovation and competitiveness are essential if industrial value creation is to enjoy continued success in Germany,” said Raymond Wittmann, Member of the Board of Management of BMW Group, Production.

New BMW i3 in Munich, BMW 3 Series with classic drivetrain in Dingolfing

The all-electric BMW i3 is being constructed at the extensively renovated BMW Group parent plant in Munich, using sixth-generation high-voltage batteries delivered by the new BMW Group Plant Irlbach-Straßkirchen. The BMW 3 Series variants with combustion engine and plug-in hybrid drive are being produced at the BMW Group Plant Dingolfing. Both locations boast state-of-the-art production systems and structures, ensuring that the BMW Group remains competitive when producing premium automobiles that are in demand around the world. Staying true to the “local for local” principle, in China these standards and guidelines will also be applied to production of the BMW i3 and the BMW 3er at the BMW Group Plant San Luis Potosí in Mexico, and of a modified version of the BMW 3 Series for the Chinese market in Shenyang, China.

Unequivocal commitment to Germany and the Bavaria region

Germany is the heart of BMW Group production. The company produces more than one million vehicles in its German plants each year. This means that the BMW Group makes around a quarter of the cars produced in the country. The company’s domestic production volume is more than the vehicle sales total for the BMW Group in Europe.

At the same time, Germany is the centre of a tightly integrated industrial value creation network. Around 55 percent of BMW Group employees work in Germany. On top of this, there are also thousands of partner companies along the value chain.

The BMW Group is underlining its commitment to regional value creation with the new BMW 3 Series. As production ramps up, around 760 supplier locations are supplying the Munich and Dingolfing plants with components and materials. More than 70 percent of these production locations are in Europe, with more than 30 percent in Germany.

Two BMW 3 Series locations, two paths to the future

The new BMW 3 Series is adding a new chapter to the outstanding success story of German automobile production. Since debuting in 1975, the BMW 3 Series has been rolling off the line without interruption at the parent plant in Munich, where it will be joined for the first time by the all-electric BMW i3. Production of this model series has also taken place intermittently at the BMW Group Plant Dingolfing since 1980, making it one of the most formative vehicles in the history of the location.

Preparations for the eighth generation were designed with specific differences at the two locations. In Munich, the BMW Group made significant investments in new buildings and production facilities for the technologies of the Neue Klasse. In existence for more than 100 years, the plant has been extensively modernised into a state-of-the-art “electric only” location. With a high level of flexibility and a range of models, Plant Dingolfing produces combustion engine and plug-in hybrid versions of the new BMW 3 Series for customers all around the world. A new production line for the BMW 3 Series has been added to the body shop to ensure that the new models can be efficiently integrated into existing production, while the vehicles will be added to the mix of BMW models on the line in the assembly area and paint shop.

Irlbach-Straßkirchen gives a boost to Lower Bavaria as a location for industry

The BMW Group Plant Irlbach-Straßkirchen is another key component for the next generation of the BMW 3 Series and the Neue Klasse. Sixth-generation high-voltage batteries will be assembled there and from October onwards, the location will provide the Munich plant with battery systems for the all-electric BMW i3. The plant is an example of how to establish high‑tech industry in Germany. It boosts regional value creation, secures skilled jobs and adds a future location to the industrial ecosystem of Lower Bavaria. At the same time, the project demonstrates that it is possible to establish new industrial locations in Germany when companies, politicians, local authorities and government officials work closely together. The BMW Group has had an active presence in Lower Bavaria for nearly six decades. The development of the company and the economic advancement of the region have long gone hand in hand, and continue to do so to this day. The effects of investments in plants, technologies and employment stretch far beyond the factory gates. These support regional suppliers, service providers and mid-size companies, generate income and tax revenue, and retain industrial expertise within the region.

The BMW 3 Series as a symbol of a successful, industrial future

The BMW 3 Series represents the next step of a gradual introduction of the technologies of the Neue Klasse into the core portfolio of the BMW Group. By the end of 2027, the company will have put around 40 new or revised models with technologies of the Neue Klasse on the road. The BMW 3 Series is far more than simply a vehicle. It represents the power of innovation, the performance levels of modern production, the successful transformation of existing plants and the unequivocal commitment of the BMW Group to Germany as an industrial home base.

If you have any queries, please contact:

Corporate Communication

Benedikt Torka
Spokesperson Production Network BMW Group
Mobile: +49-151-601-32455
E-mail: Benedikt.Torka@bmwgroup.com

Thomas Niedermeier
BMW Group Plant Dingolfing and Irlbach-Straßkirchen, Communications
Tel.: +49-8731-76-27666
E-mail: Thomas.Niedermeier@bmwgroup.com

Sofia Elena Rizzi
Press Spokesperson BMW 3 Series
Mobile: +49-151-601-67436
E-mail: Sofia-Elena.Rizzi@bmw.de

Internet: https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en
E-mail: presse@bmw.de

The BMW Group

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

In 2025, the BMW Group sold 2.46 million passenger vehicles and more than 202,500 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2025 was € 10.2 billion on revenues amounting to € 133.5 billion. As of 31 December 2025, the BMW Group had a workforce of 154,540 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 through production to the end of their useful life. 

www.bmwgroup.com
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/bmw-group
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bmwgroup

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

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

The paintshop at Dingolfing already offers a particularly wide array of colours, paint types and customisation options, with up to 300 different shades for customers to choose from – plus the two-tone and complex special finishes available for exclusive small series such as the BMW 3.0 CSL (Fuel consumption combined: 11.0 l/100 km; CO₂ emissions combined: 249 g/km according to WLTP; details according to NEDC: –) or BMW M4 CS Edition VR46 (Fuel consumption combined: 10.2 l/100 km [27.7 mpg imp]; CO₂ emissions combined: 232 g/km in the WLTP cycle, CO₂ class: G).

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

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

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

Dingolfing. Today, the model update of the all-electric BMW iX celebrated its start of production at the BMW Group plant in Dingolfing. The electric pioneer, which has been manufactured at the site since 2021 and has since been sold over 130,000 units worldwide, receives a comprehensive update in March 2025 - offering increased performance, range and sportiness.

BMW's longest-range electric model.

The new BMW iX impresses with up to 25% higher drive power, significantly improved efficiency and a range of up to 701 kilometers in the WLTP cycle (BMW iX xDrive60: WLTP combined (EnVKV): Energy consumption 21.9 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions 0 g/km; CO2 class A). The BMW iX is thus the most long-range electric model in the BMW Group's portfolio and the company's most important all-electric new model in 2025 - before the "New Class" makes its debut at the end of the year.

The new BMW iX also presents a more dynamic design than ever before: The vehicle is now available with the M Sport package and M Sport Pro package for the first time, which enhance the sporty appearance both inside and out. New exterior colours such as Arctic Race Blue metallic, Dune Grey metallic, Carbon Black metallic, BMW Individual Frozen Deep Grey metallic, BMW Individual Frozen Pure Grey metallic, Tanzanite Blue metallic and Space Silver are also offered.

Pioneering the All-Electric Era in Dingolfing.

Plant Manager Christoph Schröder states: "The BMW iX is a special vehicle for us. Four years ago, at its launch, it paved the way for many future technologies here on-site. And: It marked the beginning of the all-electric vehicle era in our plant." Meanwhile, a total of four electric models - the BMW iX, the BMW i7, and the all-electric versions of the 5 Series sedan and Touring - are being produced at the Lower Bavarian site, along with five plug-in hybrids. The BMW iX plays a crucial role in the model program of the entire company in the segment of all-electric mid-size and upper-class SAVs.

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

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

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

Mobile video instead of mental arithmetic 

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

Outlook and development

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dingolfing. Since the first production lines went on-stream ten years ago, BMW Group Component Plant 02.20 in Dingolfing has built more than 1.5 million electric motors, one million high-voltage batteries and ten million battery modules. The site in Lower Bavaria continues to blaze a trail for the ramp-up of electromobility. Today, the BMW Group has a higher percentage of total sales from electrified vehicles than any other German automotive manufacturer. “Our Plant 02.20 in Dingolfing plays a crucial part in this,” explains Stefan Kasperowski, Vice President High-Voltage Battery production at Bavarian plants. “We provide the BMW Group’s vehicle plants with a reliable and flexible supply of e-drive components for our electrified vehicles.”

State-of-the-art site with long history

Plant 02.20 is a prime example of successful transformation, having been in operation for more than half a century. For many years, it was home to the BMW Group’s central spare parts warehouse. It was only in the early 2010s that aftersales logistics was relocated, making room for electromobility. There were initially about 200 employees producing electric motors and high-voltage batteries for the BMW Group’s first plug-in hybrids and, later, its fully-electric models. The current fifth generation of electric motors and high-voltage batteries began rolling off the production line in 2020. Since 2015, the BMW Group has invested more than one billion euros in transforming Plant 02.20 into the company's “heart” and Competence Centre for E-Drive Production, establishing around 15 production lines for battery modules, electric motors and high-voltage batteries. Over time, the number of BMW Group employees has gradually increased and production volumes have risen. Today, more than 2,500 people work in e-drive production at Plant 02.20. The majority of these employees previously worked in other areas of vehicle production.

Ten years ago, Markus Fallböhmer, current Senior Vice President Battery Production at the BMW Group, was responsible for planning and production of electric drive systems in Dingolfing and Landshut. “Redesigning and transforming Plant 02.20 plant at this record pace was certainly quite a feat,” he recalls. “We managed construction work, commissioning of systems and series production virtually simultaneously. This enabled us to meet growing demand for electrified models and successfully implement the transition to e-mobility.” As Fallböhmer points out, the high quality of e-components, economical production methods and stable supplies to vehicle plants are all crucial. Today, Plant 02.20 consistently operates at a high level, supplying the production network with components for electrification. “Dingolfing is the heart of the e-drive at the BMW Group,” says Klaus von Moltke, Senior Vice President Engine Production at the BMW Group. “About 80 percent of all our electric motors are currently produced in Dingolfing.” The figure for high-voltage batteries is around 60 percent.

Close links between battery factory and vehicle production

To continue to meet growing demand for electrified models in the coming years, the BMW Group has created a global network for e-drive production, with additional locations in Leipzig, Regensburg, Spartanburg (USA) and Shenyang (China) for the current generation of high-voltage batteries. For the new sixth generation, which will be used from 2025 onwards in the models of the Neue Klasse, locations are being established around the world in the US, Mexico, China and Hungary, as well as in Irlbach-Straßkirchen in Lower Bavaria. In line with its “local for local” principle, these sites are located as close as possible to BMW Group vehicle plants.

Production network benefits from Dingolfing expertise

As the nucleus of electrification at the BMW Group, Plant 02.20 will continue to play a key role in the future, supporting development of new facilities in a variety of different ways. Comprehensive skills development for the new plant in Debrecen is currently underway. Some of the employees will also be deployed to the new high-voltage battery facility in Irlbach-Straßkirchen. The BMW Group engine plant in Steyr, Austria, which will build the upcoming generation of electric motors for the Neue Klasse, will also benefit from Dingolfing’s expertise in electric motor production, while the housing will be supplied by Plant Landshut. Looking ahead, Kasperowski says: "Both the capacity of the Dingolfing location and its employees’ skills will continue to be in demand.” Fallböhmer confirms: “We are reaping huge benefits from having navigated the learning curve for e-component production ahead of others. The whole production network is now harnessing this knowledge to continue the success and bolster the growth of e-mobility at the BMW Group.”

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

Thomas Niedermeier, BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, Communications
Telephone: +49 8731 76 27666, Email: Thomas.Niedermeier@bmwgroup.com

Christian Marxt, BMW Group Communications Production Network
Telephone: +49 89 382 79158, mobile: +49 151 601 12225, Email: Christian.Marxt@bmw.de

Dingolfing. A few days ago, BMW M GmbH unveiled the new BMW M5 (Energy consumption, weighted, combined: 1,7 – 1,6 l/100 km [166.2 – 176.6 mpg imp] and 25,5 – 25,0 kWh/100 km according to WLTP; CO2 emissions, weighted, combined: 39 – 37 g/km according to WLTP; fuel consumption with discharged battery: 10,3 – 10,2 l/100 km [27.4 – 27.7 mpg imp] according to WLTP; CO2 classes: weighted, combined B, with discharged battery G) and released the first official pictures. Today, the new high-performance sedan celebrated its official start of production at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing. The seventh-generation BMW M5 is the first to come off the assembly line with an electrified drive train: The model-specific M HYBRID system combines a V8 engine with an e-drive to deliver a system output of 727 hp, enabling it to sprint from 0 to 100 in just 3.5 seconds. The vehicle’s high-voltage battery, with an available energy content of 18.6 kWh, offers an electric range of 67 to up to 69 kilometres (WLTP) that is unique among its competitors.

“We are proud to be building the latest generation of the iconic M5 here in Dingolfing,” says Plant Director Christoph Schröder. The site already delivered the pre-assembled bodies for the very first BMW M5 models, back in the 1980s, which were then completed by hand at M GmbH in Garching. Since the second generation – or, to be more exact, 1988 – the high-performance sports car has been built entirely at the plant in Lower Bavaria.

Central components for the new BMW M5 are also produced on site or supplied by nearby component plants. Schröder refers to this as an “under on roof production approach”. For example, the chassis of the BMW M5, specially tailored to the model, comes from Dingolfing component plant 02.10, while the high-voltage battery is assembled next door at plant 02.20, the Competence Centre for E-Drive Production. The carbon-fibre roof is supplied by the plant in Landshut, located 30 kilometres away.

A unique aspect of production at the vehicle plant is the modifications already made in the body shop. Based on the BMW 5 Series standard production body, the BMW M5 features additional measures to stiffen the body structure and a specially widened body with flared wheel arches, thus also enabling the integration of the M-specific rear axle.

In the paint shop, customers can choose between ten standard and 150 special-request finishes for their new BMW M5.

The new BMW M5, like its predecessor, is assembled alongside other BMW 5 Series, BMW 4 Series and BMW M4 models on the same production line, where it is completed with specific equipment options, such as the CFRP rear spoiler, M steering wheel and M multifunction seats.

Over the coming weeks, production at the plant will gradually ramp up to several dozen BMW M5 vehicles per day. The European market launch of the new model is scheduled to get underway from 2 November 2024. By then, another new model will already be celebrating its premiere at Plant Dingolfing: the new BMW M5 Touring, which expands the BMW M GmbH offering and completes the new BMW 5 Series range.

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

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

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

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

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

50 years of BMW cars from Dingolfing

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

The vision of the BMW iFACTORY

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

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

Important decisions for the future

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

Highest standards of flexibility: All drive train variants on one line +++ Successful transformation of BMW Group plants towards e-mobility and digitalisation +++ Half of Dingolfing's production volume will be electrified by mid-decade +++ Nedeljković: “setting ourselves ambitious goals for the most sustainable production”

Dingolfing. Standard production of the fully-electric BMW iX* began today in Dingolfing. The plant in Lower Bavaria now produces vehicles with all drive train variants, i.e. combustion-engine vehicles, plug-in hybrids and fully-electric models, on a single line. Milan Nedeljković, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Production: “The launch of the BMW iX* marks another milestone in our expansion of electrification and demonstrates our production network's successful transformation towards electromobility and digitalisation.”

The BMW iX* is being manufactured at the BMW Group’s largest European production plant on an assembly line with the flexibility to build a mix of BMW 5 Series, 7 Series and 8 Series models. To handle this flexibility and variety of drive trains, vehicle assembly in Dingolfing has been expanded and refurbished. The BMW Group has invested a total of more than 400 million euros in producing the BMW iX* at the Dingolfing vehicle plant. Many of the remodelling and structural measures required for the BMW iX* are already benefiting future generations of the BMW 7 Series and 5 Series that will come off the production line in Dingolfing in the coming years. Fully-electric variants have also been announced for both model ranges.

Half of production volume already electrified by mid-decade

With the BMW iX* and other PHEV models at Plant Dingolfing alone, the BMW Group plans to double the percentage of electrified vehicles produced this year compared to 2020. By the middle of the decade, half the vehicles produced in Dingolfing will be electrified. The new model will play an important part in this. “The BMW iX* will already be one of the highest-volume model at the location by next year,” according to Nedeljković. The BMW iX* will be followed in the autumn by the BMW i4*, which will be built in Munich. At the end of next year, all German plants will be producing at least one fully-electric vehicle.

Broad know-how: Vehicle and e-drive production on site

Production of the BMW iX* in Dingolfing benefits from broad know-how and expertise in the technologies located at the site. Close interaction between these different areas enables a high level of in-house activity and short lines of communication, as well as ensuring optimum production technology overall. The fully-electric heart of the BMW iX* – the highly integrated e-drive and fifth-generation battery, as well as the complete electric axle are produced on site, together with the Dingolfing component plants. Production capacity will be systematically expanded and, from 2022, Dingolfing will be able to produce e-drives for more than half a million electrified vehicles.

BMW iX* as trailblazer

The BMW iX* introduces a multitude of innovations to the product and production processes at the plant – especially in the vehicle’s electrical system architecture, software, digital services, connectivity and automated driving functions. As a result, the vehicle plays an important role as a trailblazer and is making Dingolfing “e-car” and “smart-car ready” as the BMW Group’s primary plant for the luxury class.

The BMW iX* is also an important trailblazer in production, bringing future technologies into the production system – such as digital methods for employee training, automation of logistics processes, virtual commissioning and validation of driver assistance systems.

Christoph Schröder, head of BMW Group Plant Dingolfing: “As the primary plant for the luxury class, our location produces the BMW Group’s technology flagship. It is once again proving itself as a pioneer for the mobility of tomorrow and as the industry leader in key future areas of automotive activity, such as electrification, digitalisation and sustainability. In this way, the BMW iX* is continuing the successful transformation of the BMW Group location in Dingolfing that began long ago.”

Special focus on sustainability

The topic of sustainability is firmly anchored throughout the company. A particular focus is on improving our carbon footprint – especially in production of electric vehicles. Independent auditors have confirmed that the greenhouse gas potential of the BMW iX xDrive40* is around 45 percent lower than that of a comparable Sports Activity Vehicle with an internal combustion engine. “We are already the sustainability benchmark for our industry. But we will continue to invest in resource-saving technologies and set ourselves ambitious goals for the most sustainable production,” underlined head of Production Milan Nedeljković. The BMW Group takes a holistic approach to reducing CO₂ emissions and minimising resource consumption that covers the entire value chain, including production as well as the supply chain and use phase.

The BMW Group has already succeeded in lowering resource consumption per vehicle produced by more than half between 2006 and 2020. CO₂ emissions have been reduced even more significantly – by as much as 78 percent. The aim is to reduce CO₂ emissions per vehicle produced by another 80 percent by 2030. “To achieve this, we have made some changes at Plant Dingolfing and implemented a series of new measures,” says plant director Christoph Schröder. For example, the BMW iX* is produced exclusively using regional and directly sourced green power from two hydroelectric power plants located on the Isar and Lech rivers. The entire plant, like all BMW Group locations, will also be net carbon neutral from this year, through the use of corresponding offsets and certificates.

Other aspects of sustainability range from energy-efficient installations to packaging planning, through transport logistics and recycling, up to and including topics such as biodiversity and water management. Plant Dingolfing is therefore able to achieve a recycling rate of more than 90 percent and an even higher recoverability rate of over 99 percent. The plant’s own wells meet over 40 percent of its water needs, thereby helping conserve the region’s drinking water reserves. The BMW Group has already reduced its water consumption by more than 30 percent overall since 2006.

BMW iX* as catalyst for change: Active shift in competence.

The BMW iX* creates a need for additional training beyond the extensive experience and expertise that is already available. It is accelerating the shift in competence already taking place within the production network and helping prepare the workforce for the demands of a new era. In this way, employee development across the entire company is being geared towards digitalisation and e-mobility. As part of the biggest training offensive in the company’s history, 75,000 staff are being trained in future areas of activity.

In Dingolfing alone, more than 4,000 employees have moved to jobs with strong future prospects since 2012. A current example of this is the creation and expansion of the Competence Centre for E-Drive Production at the location, which doubled its staff numbers last year from 600 to 1,200. This number is likely to increase to over 1,900 by the end of the year.