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.”

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

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

Extraordinary architecture and flexible structures

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

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

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

Pioneer in electromobility 

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

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

From rear-wheel to front-wheel drive 

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

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

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

Important employer in the region

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

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

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

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

Progressive energy management

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

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

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

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

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

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

BMW Group Plant Leipzig – Key milestones:

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

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

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

Leipzig. The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé is made exclusively at BMW Group Plant Leipzig, where production of the second generation is now being launched. It joins the BMW 1 Series, BMW 2 Series Active Tourer and MINI Countryman in the portfolio of models made at the plant, which puts out up to 1,300 vehicles a day. The four models with three different drive options by two different brands are all made on a single production line – a testament to the extreme flexibility of production at Leipzig. The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé is due for market launch in March 2025.

Five years ago, the four-door Coupé for the compact segment was an all-new product presented by BMW as a more luxurious alternative to the classic sedan. Production of the first BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé started in Leipzig on 1 November 2019, with market launch in March 2020. The main markets have been the UK, China and the US.

Sporty, elegant design 

The new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé is captivating, with its expressive styling, completely new range of engines, extensively revised suspension technologies and an innovative system for partially automated driving and parking that comes as standard. It has also gained 25 millimetres in height and 20 millimetres in length.

The exterior design is defined by a low front section angled deep to the road, a dynamically elongated silhouette and a powerful-looking rear, lending the new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé even more sporty elegance. The tailgate is assembled with the help of a completely new production machine that was installed at the Plant Leipzig bodyshop specially for the purpose and features laser-beam welding technology. Like the new BMW 1 Series, which has been rolling off the production line since July, the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé features the striking, broad BMW kidney grille with its innovative combination of vertical and diagonal bars. From March 2025 this will be available with an optional illuminated surround as well.

New engines and colours 

The redesigned interior of the four-door BMW 2 Series Coupé is entirely leather-free and comes complete with Curved Display, just like all the other BMW models made in Leipzig. Reengineered seats offer enhanced comfort, especially on longer journeys.

The top-of-the-range version is the BMW M235 xDrive Gran Coupé, powered by a 221kW/300 hp four-cylinder engine (combined fuel consumption according to WLTP: 8.2-7.5 l/100 km; combined CO₂ emissions according to WLTP: 185-170 g/km; fuel consumption according to Pkw-EnVKV: 8.2 l/100 km; CO₂ emissions according to Pkw-EnVKV: 185 g/km; CO₂ class according to Pkw-EnVKV: G). At market launch in March 2025, the engine portfolio will include another petrol engine plus two diesel options.

The compact BMW 2 Series four-door is currently available in two unicolour, seven metallic and four BMW Individual finishes as well as a wide range of BMW Individual special paints. An optional contrast roof is also available, in high-gloss black.

Plant extension and nightshifts support increased production volume

With the production launch of the second-generation BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé, the model family at BMW Group Plant Leipzig is now complete. “The new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé, BMW 1 Series, BMW Active Tourer, MINI Countryman and our first fully electric model, the MINI Countryman Electric, make for good capacity utilisation at Plant Leipzig. Our products are very popular with customers,” says Plant Director Petra Peterhansel.

BMW Group Plant Leipzig has been undergoing comprehensive extension since 2018 and can now manufacture up to 350,000 cars a year – 100,000 more than previously. Since November 2023 its production volumes have increased thanks to the MINI Countryman, making it the only BMW Group plant to manufacture cars by two brands on the same production line. Plant Leipzig can produce up to 500 MINI and approx. 800 BMW vehicles a day, with increased volumes helping to secure employment and generating as many as 900 new jobs in vehicle production alone

in 2024. Since opening for business in 2005, Plant Leipzig introduced nightshifts in assembly for the first time in September of this year and now manufactures BMW and MINI vehicles round the clock in three shifts.

Leipzig. Every year 65 young people start their vocational training at BMW Group Plant Leipzig. In the future, more than 6,200 employees a year will develop their skills too, in specifically tailored courses and seminars. For the first time, Leipzig’s new Talent Campus brings together vocational training and skills development – under one roof. The new building officially opened on 25 October.

The Talent Campus offers 6,000 m² of space in total across two floors. For those doing their vocational training, it is equipped with automotive, CNC, mechatronics and mechanical workshops as well as spaces for pneumatics, mechatronics and IT/AR/VR. For employees undergoing skills development, it offers e-mobility workshops for SPS control technologies, robotics and automation as well as practical training multifunctional spaces and seminar rooms. The entire building is designed to be accessible and, along with all the equipment, it came in at an investment of 16 million euros.  

Nicole Haft-Zboril, Head of BMW Group Real Estate Management: “This new Talent Campus is an investment in a flexible, needs-focused training infrastructure at our Leipzig site. The construction project has been successfully completed – thanks in large part to our collaboration with our partner, the City of Leipzig – and the building has been handed over in time for the start of the academic year.”

The Talent Campus offers training and development for a wide range of participants, from apprentices to managers. Courses and programmes centre on working with high-voltage electricity for new battery systems and on digitalisation, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence, to develop the skills that will be vital in the car industry of the future. Moritz Kippenberger, Vice President HR Services, Recruiting, Qualification: “To rise to the challenges that lie ahead, we need new skills and abilities. At the BMW Group, we are preparing and supporting all our employees by giving them the training and education they need to make the BMW Group electric, digital and circular. It’s a change process that we are undertaking with them.”

BMW Group Plant Leipzig is steadily growing in terms of employees, buildings and production volume. When it opened in 2005, it employed around 2,600 people. Today there are over 6,000. Plant Director Petra Peterhänsel: “Investments in training and development are key to the transformation of our industry. We are securing the future of our site by fostering young talent and offering attractive skills development options to keep our longer-standing employees with us on our journey to electric and digital mobility.”

Training and education has always been important and integral to the BMW Group’s culture. Over the last three years, the training rate at Plant Leipzig has risen by 44 percent. The site currently offers five apprenticeships: production mechanic, IT system electronics technician, automotive mechatronics technician, mechatronics technician and industrial mechanic. This year BMW Group Plant Leipzig is also home to the state of Saxony’s Best Apprentice.

Jens Köhler, Works Council Chairman at Plant Leipzig: “Training has been an integral part of our history ever since the plant was established. I am proud that by opening this Talent Campus, we are establishing training and education at our plant with a physical entity on our premises. We have enabled a cutting-edge learning environment that offers practical, hands-on training and is a fundamental component of our site.”

To ensure it has the skills it needs for the years ahead, the BMW Group has long been systematically identifying training needs, to be properly prepared for the future of individual mobility.

Leipzig. The electrification of transport logistics for e-component production is gathering pace. Recently, two fully electrically powered trucks took over the transportation of components from the warehouse to the high-voltage battery production halls at BMW Group Plant Leipzig. Together, they will save around nine tonnes of CO₂ a year compared with conventional diesel-powered transport vehicles.

The two electric trucks complete the eight-kilometre round trip from the logistics centre to Leipzig’s high-voltage battery production halls and back up to twelve times a day. That’s almost 100 kilometres per truck per day – covered quietly and with zero local emissions. For short distances like this, electric trucks are the perfect solution.

The two vehicles transport parts for e-drive production, primarily of battery cells and battery modules. They take the parts from the logistics warehouse in BMW Allee to the production halls on the plant premises, operating round the clock in three shifts. The semi-trailer sports a battery symbol on the side and words proclaiming that the fully electric truck is on the road for Leipzig – for local production, emissions-free transportation and high-voltage batteries made in the city.

Electric trucks support high-voltage battery production

BMW Group Plant Leipzig has been manufacturing e-components for the production network since 2021. Since early 2024 it has also been running the entire high-voltage battery production process for the current, fifth generation. This consists of three stages, which are carried out on the plant’s five cell coating, three module production and two high-voltage battery assembly lines – and include the powerpacks for the MINI Countryman Electric, manufactured in-house since March of this year. Battery production currently operates with a team of about 1,000 employees.

As well as high-voltage batteries for the MINI Countryman Electric, Plant Leipzig produces battery packs and modules for the BMW production network, for the fully electric BMW iX1, BMW iX2, BMW i4, BMW i5 and BMW iX.

High-voltage batteries are produced in the halls that used to be home to BMW i3 and BMW i8 assembly. The halls have now been converted and new buildings added, creating some 150,000m² of space for this area of production on the premises of Plant Leipzig. Annual output stands at up to 300,000 high-voltage batteries a year, with the BMW Group’s investments in e-component production at Plant Leipzig totalling more than 900 million euros so far.

Plant Director Petra Peterhänsel sees the introduction of the two electric trucks as a further milestone on the road to the future: “We are delighted to be undertaking this journey with our longstanding logistics partner, the Rudolph Logisitik Gruppe. The transition to electromobility and sustainable production affects not only our BMW and MINI cars but our production methods and supply chains as well.”

Lower emissions, less noise

Powered by lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery systems, the two fully electric trucks working for BMW Group Plant Leipzig are made by Designwerk. According to the manufacturer, the four electric drives in a Designwerk electric truck deliver 610 hp and are three times more efficient than their diesel counterparts when out on the road. They produce zero emissions when in operation and do not impact the environment with soot particles, nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon dioxide (CO₂) or engine noise. Studies show that when passing or accelerating at low speeds, an electric truck emits around five decibels (dB) less noise than a comparable diesel-powered vehicle.

Trucks are charged during drivers’ breaks. Their 340 kWh batteries take around 1.5 hours to recharge to 80 percent. They can be replenished about 3,000 times, according to Designwerk.

Open to different technologies to reduce CO₂ from logistics

The use of electric trucks in logistics is among the measures in the BMW Group-wide Green Transport Logistics Project. This aims to reduce emissions from transportation in the global production and sales network, and takes an open approach to technologies, prioritising CO₂-efficient energy and transportation options. Besides battery-electric trucks, increasing use is being made of biofuels such as HVO100, made from residues and waste and used at the Munich site, for instance. Production deliveries in Germany have also been trialled using bio-LNG in vehicles on the roads. Moreover, in an attempt to learn more about using hydrogen as a fuel for trucks, the BMW Group is involved in research projects such as H2Haul and HyCET.

By 2030 the BMW Group aims to reduce CO₂ emissions across the vehicle lifecycle by 40 percent, compared with 2019.

Leipzig. Organisationally, Exterior Components (‘Technologie Exterieur Komponenten’, TEK) forms part of the Purchasing and Supplier Network division at Leipzig. Its 450 employees produce over a million injection-moulded plastic exterior parts a year, including bumpers, sills and spoilers. These are supplied not just to Plant Leipzig but also to BMW Group Plants Dingolfing and Regensburg.

Explaining their decision, the jury praised the TEK for its consistent pursuit of the TEK 2028 vision. This is the driving force behind the redesign of the production system and will see the primary focus shift from car sets to large-scale just-in-sequence (JIS) production for the BMW Group. The jury cited the combination of lean principles and progressive digital approaches as being a key factor for success.

Christoph Theiselmann, head of the TEK, was delighted with the award: “I’m extremely proud of this important stage win and would like to thank all our employees for their outstanding team performance. This award is confirmation, from the highest level, of the significant progress the TEK has made on our journey of transformation. Going forward, a number of major steps still lie ahead, and enhancing and optimising innovations and efficiency will remain our key focus.”

The jury were particularly impressed by the variety of digital applications being implemented in the TEK, in areas such as data analytics, the planning and optimisation of assembly workplaces, quality assurance, anticipatory maintenance and virtual factory planning and commissioning – an excellent combination of top-down and bottom-up initiatives.

The eighteenth Lean Production Awards are presented by Agamus Consult and the industry magazine Automobil Produktion. The official award ceremony will take place on 26 and 27 November 2024 in Palmela, Portugal.

Leipzig. The first fourth-generation BMW 1 Series to roll off the production line at BMW Group Plant Leipzig is a BMW 120 in Alpine White for a customer in Germany (combined fuel consumption: 6.0 - 5.3 l/100 km (62 miles); CO2 emissions combined: 135 - 121 g/km according to WLTP; CO2 classes: D). The premium compact is manufactured exclusively at Plant Leipzig, in Saxony, where up to 500 of the cars can be made per day. Combined with the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, BMW 2 Series Active Tourer and MINI Countryman, this puts daily output from Plant Leipzig at up to 1,300 vehicles. The new BMW 1 Series is due for market launch in October 2024.

The new BMW 1 Series marks the start of a new chapter in the BMW brand’s almost 20-year success story in the compact segment. Production of the model first began with the three-door at Plant Leipzig in 2007. Since then the plant has manufactured more than 1.3 million in a range of variants. As at the end of June 2024, nearly 443,000 third-generation BMW 1 Series have been delivered to customers. “The new BMW 1 Series will remain a key factor in maintaining high capacity utilisation here at plant Leipzig,” said a confident Petra Peterhänsel, Plant Director.

Plant upgraded to increase capacity

Since 2018 BMW Group Plant Leipzig has undergone systematic upgrades. It can now produce up to 350,000 units a year – 100,000 more than previously. It currently manufactures four models with three different types of drive by two different brands – all on the same production line. Since November 2023 output has been boosted by the MINI Countryman. Production of that will rise during the course of this year to 500 units a day, in addition to the 800 or so BMW vehicles.

The increase in production volumes is securing existing jobs as well as creating new ones. An additional 900 people are set to join vehicle production alone, by the end of 2024 Plant Leipzig will employ around 7,000 people. 

Dynamic design, new drive portfolio

With a dynamic design presence, completely revised drive portfolio and extensively improved chassis technology, the BMW 1 Series continues to sharpen its profile as the sportiest vehicle in the competition. The front end is strikingly flat and sits significantly lower to the road than the predecessor’s, signalling that more than ever, this car is geared towards sporty driving pleasure. The wide, forward-leaning radiator grille features an innovative arrangement of vertical and diagonal bars. LED headlights come as standard and give the car a striking “four-eyed face”.

The pronounced rear apron with its vertical reflectors, two-part rear lights and black, diffusor-style insert add to the vehicle’s powerful appearance. Inside, the new BMW 1 Series is now completely leather-free as standard. The redesigned cockpit features the BMW Curved Display. The optional M Sport Package makes for an even more dynamic look, as does the special M Sport Design equipment option, available from market launch in Europe.

Contrast roof – a first in the BMW 1 Series

The body of the new BMW 1 Series is available in a choice of two solid-colour and seven metallic finishes. BMW Individual paintwork will also be on offer, along with a wide range of BMW Individual Special Paints. The new BMW 1 Series is also the first BMW to feature the optional contrast paintwork, with a roof in high-gloss black. As with the MINI Countryman, the roof will be painted at Plant Leipzig using a new, overspray-free painting process that is easier on resources. Known as overspray-free painting, the method is currently being piloted and works without producing the mist of excess paint that usually occurs.

The new BMW 1 Series is due for market launch on 5 October. The strongest markets for the 1 Series so far have been Germany and Europe, and the UK and Italy especially.