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

Landshut. BMW Group Plant Landshut has started pre-series production of a key control unit for the BMW Group hydrogen drivetrain. The so-called “Energy Master” will in future be used in the new BMW iX5 Hydrogen. At the same time, the site is commissioning a second production line for the control unit used in the battery-electric vehicles of the Neue Klasse (BMW iX3 and BMW i3).

The Energy Master is the central control unit of the high-voltage system. In battery-electric vehicles, it is mounted on the high-voltage battery. In the BMW iX5 Hydrogen, a modified version performs a central control function within the drivetrain system and is installed on the BMW Hydrogen Flat Storage system. The control unit combines energy and data flows, manages the power supply for the e-machine and on-board electrical system, and ensures safe, intelligent operation of the overall system. This makes it the key interface between the fuel cell system, the innovative high-voltage battery and the electric drive machines.

Josef Hochreiter, Vice President Hydrogen Vehicles at the BMW Group: “Our ambition for the BMW iX5 Hydrogen is clear: a genuine BMW – with sheer driving pleasure. To achieve this, a perfectly coordinated overall system is crucial. The Energy Master is a key component in this: it intelligently controls the innovative high-voltage battery and, together with the third-generation fuel cell system, delivers assured driving dynamics.”

The plant’s expertise creates synergies between battery-electric and hydrogen-based drivetrain technologies. The close integration of electrical/electronics expertise and industrial series production makes the plant ideally suited to manufacture components for both technology paths. At the BMW Group, the development and production of the Energy Master are being carried out fully in-house for the first time.

Thomas Thym, Head of BMW Group Plant Landshut: “With the start of pre-series production of the hydrogen-specific Energy Master, we are reinforcing Plant Landshut’s role as a centre of expertise for innovative drivetrain technologies. Here we combine development, manufacturing expertise and industrial scaling – for battery-electric vehicles as well as hydrogen fuel cells.”

Landshut’s role in electromobility
BMW Group Plant Landshut is home to two production areas for the Energy Master. For battery-electric vehicles (BEV), the highly complex control unit has already been in series production since last year – currently for the BMW iX3 and BMW i3 models of the Neue Klasse. With the commissioning of the second production line, capacity for this will almost double. At the same time, pre-series production of the hydrogen-specific Energy Master for the BMW iX5 Hydrogen is now beginning.

In addition, Landshut plays a central role in the BMW Group hydrogen drivetrain network: the media distribution plate and the fuel cell stack housing for the current pilot fleet of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen were already produced here and have since been further refined. The media distribution plate ensures the precise distribution of hydrogen and air within the fuel cell, while the stack housing structurally integrates and protects the cell stack.

The new BMW iX5 Hydrogen
For the BMW iX5 Hydrogen, which will be launched in 2028, the BMW Group is introducing a new hydrogen tank concept. The arrangement and size of the tanks enable a range of up to 750 kilometres*. The BMW Hydrogen Flat Storage system makes particularly efficient use of the available installation space and is compatible with the Gen6 high-voltage battery without taking up interior space. This makes it possible to produce fuel cell models on the same production line as vehicles with other drive systems.

The BMW Hydrogen Flat Storage technology forms part of the drivetrain. Together with the fuel cell system and an innovative high-voltage battery, it delivers the brand-typical BMW driving pleasure. The latest generation of fuel cell technology (Gen3) will also be used; it is more compact, more efficient and more powerful than all previous generations and is being developed jointly by the BMW Group and Toyota Motor Corporation.

Series production of the fuel cell systems will begin from 2028 at BMW Group Plant Steyr; Landshut is firmly integrated as a technology and component location.

The BMW Hydrogen strategy
The BMW Group sees technological openness and a broad product portfolio as key success factors. By integrating fuel cell technology into the new BMW X5 series, the company is strategically expanding its series offering and making the advantages of hydrogen available to customers.

Hydrogen stands for electric driving with long range and fast refuelling, diversifies energy sources and reduces dependence on a single infrastructure or raw material supply chain.

Investment and funding strengthen Germany as an industrial location
Through the "HyPowerDrive" project the development of the powertrain and the tank system of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen is funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) within the framework of the IPCEI Hy2Move. The federal government is providing funding of EUR 191 million. In addition, the project is (co-)financed by the state of Bavaria with a total of EUR 82 million. The funding is implemented by the Project Management Jülich (PtJ) and coordinated by NOW GmbH.

Since 2020, the BMW Group has invested a high three-digit million-euro sum in expanding electromobility and related key technologies at Plant Landshut.

CO2 emissions & consumption.

* As this is a prototype in the development phase, the statutory WLTP consumption data (and EPA) is not yet available.

Munich/Dresden. BMW and SOLARWATT are further expanding their collaboration in the field of smart energy and home charging solutions.

With the launch of the first models in the Neue Klasse, the BMW iX3 and the BMW i3, BMW is beginning the rollout of its bidirectional charging technology.

Following Germany’s first commercial Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) offering - available since March 2026 - the next logical step for Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) is now being taken: BMW iX3 and BMW i3 customers can now make even more extensive use of this new technology in their vehicles.

With the increasing electrification of mobility and customer households, new opportunities are emerging for holistic energy optimization and the integration of both ecosystems.

As part of this, BMW and SOLARWATT are optimizing the integration of the electric vehicle into the customer’s household. To this end, the SOLARWATT Manager home energy management system (HEMS) will serve as the link between both ecosystems in the future.

The SOLARWATT HEMS handles the central and intelligent control and optimization of energy flows in the household via coordinated and communicating components. This efficiently optimizes the generation, storage, and consumption of energy.

The electric vehicle is seamlessly integrated into the interaction between the photovoltaic system (PV system), home storage, and consumers in the home as an additional storage unit.

This home network integration is made possible by combining BMW Neue Klasse models with the bidirectional BMW Wallbox Professional, which not only charges the vehicle but can also feed energy back into the home when needed.

The market launch for the integration of bidirectional BMW vehicles into SOLARWATT’s new HEMS for Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) applications is planned for late 2026 in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.

BMW and SOLARWATT have been collaborating in the field of electromobility since 2013. In 2021, the two partners also launched a home storage system featuring a battery module that incorporates components also used in the BMW Group’s electric vehicles. Since 2025, the successor model, SOLARWATT Battery vision, has been available, with its housing and design created by BMW Designworks USA.

Smart Connectivity: Energy Management and Home Network Integration in perfect harmony

Since the launch of the Neue Klasse, BMW has relied on Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) technology as a gateway to bidirectional charging, the use of solar energy, and the reduction of energy costs.

The offering is now being expanded to include home network integration for optimal energy management. This marks a significant advancement for V2H applications. The intelligent interaction of all components (BMW electric vehicle, BMW Wallbox Professional, HEMS from SOLARWATT, home storage, and other consumers) creates a holistic system that not only optimizes self-consumption but also takes the flexibility and efficiency of the home energy supply to a new level.

Homeowners control their settings via the My BMW App and the SOLARWATT Home app. With the V2H option, the electric car serves as additional storage for surplus solar power generated by the PV system. In addition to optimizing the interaction of all components, the SOLARWATT Manager allows for the integration of dynamic electricity rates and the incorporation of solar forecasts to further optimize charging and discharging processes, further reduce energy costs, and increase self-sufficiency.

The SOLARWATT Manager is designed to be open: In addition to SOLARWATT's product range, home storage systems from other brands can also be integrated. This creates a flexible home energy system that can be expanded in stages.

Overall Optimization: Electric Car Complements Home Battery Storage

“Drivers of a Neue Klasse electric car like the BMW iX3 can use the additional storage to make even more efficient use of self-generated solar power, increase self-consumption, and thus reduce their reliance on expensive grid electricity. For many homeowners, the prospect of expanding an existing home battery storage system with an electric car is highly attractive. This significantly increases the benefits of one’s own PV system, lowers electricity costs, and makes the home even less dependent on purchasing electricity from the grid,” says SOLARWATT CPO Peter Bachmann.

“At the same time, bidirectional charging holds enormous potential for the energy transition, as the batteries of electric vehicles collectively form a massive storage reserve. If this flexibility is intelligently integrated into energy markets and households, it can help relieve the strain on power grids, better integrate renewable energy, and make additional storage capacity available quickly and cost-effectively,” says Marcus Krieg, Vice President New Business at the BMW Group.

Market Launch and Future Strategic Direction

Following the next public milestone at Intersolar (The Smarter E), the focus is on the phased implementation of the next project milestones leading up to the market launch at the end of this year.

BMW and SOLARWATT consistently place the customer and their entire ecosystem at the center of their efforts. The partners aim to enable seamless and reliable interaction between all components in the home and in the vehicle. In doing so, they create a consistent, integrated customer experience and strengthen their position as leading companies in the field of connected vehicle and home usage.

Munich/Zagreb. The BMW Group and the Croatian University of Zagreb’s Regional Centre of Excellence for Robotic Technology (CRTA) continue to advance joint research in battery cell production. The “Insight” research project will develop and implement practical AI models to optimise battery cell production at the BMW Group. The research project covers the entire battery cell value chain: from electrode production to end-of-line testing and in-house developed direct recycling.

How the research project saves raw materials, costs and time

At the Battery Cell Competence Centre (BCCC) in Munich, the BMW Group is developing battery cells for future generations of high-voltage batteries. As part of this process, numerous test series are conducted, which by their very nature require significant time and material investment. At the same time, these tests tie up manufacturing equipment and laboratory capacity. This is where the “Insight” research project comes in: Its artificial intelligence network uses existing test data, as well as real-time data from ongoing production, to accurately predict battery cell process parameters and performance data. As a result, the duration and number of test series can be significantly reduced, while maintaining or improving quality. In this way, the newly developed AI systems reduce the material and time required in individual process steps by more than 50 percent.

Other cell production use cases

The research project’s prediction models not only reduce the number of test series but also support final approval of battery cells. Following initial charging at the end of production, the cells must be stored for a defined period at precisely specified temperatures before they can be installed in a battery housing. This phase, also referred to as the “quarantine”, requires corresponding storage capacity. However, the research project’s AI systems are able to conduct a full analysis of the battery cells in advance, potentially eliminating this process step in the future.

Research collaboration combines theory and practice

Since the project was launched in 2024, the BMW Group and the University of Zagreb have been developing joint solutions using artificial intelligence to improve battery cell production. To this end, doctoral candidates and students at the University of Zagreb are collating and structuring available production data and using it to create AI models that can identify specific patterns. These AI models then make predictions that further optimise production performance, quality and costs. “We are working on scaling the newly developed AI models from the prototype environment,” explains Christian Siedelhofer, head of Technology Development Lithium-Ion Battery Cells at the BMW Group. One option would be to enable cell manufacturers. “We are also examining to what extent these models are suitable for additional use cases within our production network.”

Win-win through knowledge sharing

The University of Zagreb contributes expertise in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and computer science to the project. Ongoing knowledge sharing benefits both partners: The University of Zagreb provides the BMW Group with access to the latest research findings, while its doctoral candidates and students have the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge in practice.

Development of young talent

Another aspect of the cooperation is the development of young talent. “Our joint project gets doctoral candidates and students interested in AI and battery cells and the exciting work we do at our Battery Cell Competence Centres,” says Stefan Kerscher, head of Technology Development Battery Cells at the BMW Group. “We are delighted when young talents decide to embark on a career with our company.” The cooperation offers students intensive mentoring and the opportunity to expand their professional network across the industry, enhancing their attractiveness on the job market and opening up outstanding career opportunities. The cooperation between the BMW Group and the University of Zagreb strengthens the innovation capability and competitiveness of both partners.

Battery cell expertise along the entire value chain

The BMW Group consolidates its battery cell know-how at its Competence Centres in Munich, Parsdorf and Salching. The Battery Cell Competence Centre (BCCC) in Munich houses research and development for the battery cells of the future. The best battery concept from the BCCC will be produced under near-series conditions at the Cell Manufacturing Competence Centre (CMCC) in Parsdorf. Close cross-divisional collaboration between Development, Purchasing and Production integrates product and process in a unique way. In addition to producing sample cells, the BMW Group is also focusing its efforts on the reuse of materials. As part of this process, the company has put into service a Cell Recycling Competence Centre (CRCC) in Salching, Lower Bavaria, together with Encory GmbH, which will implement the innovative direct recycling concept. The intellectual property for the recycling method is owned by the BMW Group.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Munich. The BMW Group is adopting a new and innovative hydrogen tank technology for the BMW iX5 Hydrogen. The new arrangement and size of the tanks enables a higher range of up to 750 km (up to 385 miles)*. The new BMW Hydrogen Flat Storage system offers the added advantage of making exceptionally efficient use of the space it occupies in the vehicle and is compatible with the Gen6 high-voltage battery, meaning that no room is lost inside the cabin. Models with fuel cell technology can therefore be built on the same production line as those with other drive system types. The 700 bar high-pressure hydrogen tanks additionally benefit from the mechanical protection provided by the vehicle structure, further increasing safety.

“Our new storage concept allows us to fit the hydrogen drive system into the new X5 precisely and in a way that saves space,” says Dr Joachim Post, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Development. “Think of it as installation Tetris: every customer gets the drive system best suited to their needs and a true BMW X5 with no compromises. This is technology openness and the art of engineering just the way we developers love them!”

Smart storage, more range.
The new flat tank system consists of seven high-pressure tanks made of carbon-fibre reinforced composite, which are connected with one another in parallel and integrated into a robust metal frame. What makes the design special is that, instead of individual pressure vessels, there are several chambers connected to form an enclosed unit. This unit is controlled by a central main valve. In this way, the optimised storage concept enables the BMW iX5 Hydrogen to achieve a greater range. This development alone accounts for several patent applications filed by the BMW Group. The system is able to store at least seven kilograms of hydrogen in total and can be filled from empty in under five minutes. As is customary for BMW hydrogen models, refuelling is safe, clean and fast. 

Experience hallmark BMW driving pleasure, refuel faster, drive further.
The BMW Hydrogen Flat Storage technology forms part of the powertrain. It combines with the fuel cell system and an innovative high-voltage battery to deliver the driving pleasure for which BMW is renowned. Here, the new BMW iX5 Hydrogen also benefits from the new Heart of Joy drivetrain and chassis control software, as well as BMW Dynamic Performance Control. It is also equipped with latest-generation Gen3 fuel cell technology, which is more efficient and powerful than any preceding generation. 

Flexible production to meet customer requirements. 
Thanks to the smart and highly flexible architecture of the new BMW X5, five different drive system variants of the model can be built to suit customer requirements: from battery-electric systems and plug-in hybrids through highly efficient conventional drive systems to hydrogen fuel cell technology.
Synergies in production are optimised. Uniform geometrical specifications for energy storage systems and drive components reduce technical complexity and lower production costs. At the same time, the flexible platform increases manufacturing robustness, facilitates the integration of new technologies and maximises scalability. It paves the way for widespread introduction of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen into the BMW Group’s production network in 2028.

BMW Hydrogen strategy 
A technology-open approach and a diverse product portfolio continue to be key success factors for the BMW Group. By integrating fuel cell technology into the new BMW X5 series, the company is strategically expanding its production line-up and making the advantages of hydrogen available to its customers. Hydrogen enables electric driving with a long range and fast refuelling, diversifies energy sources and reduces dependence on a single infrastructure or chain of raw materials.

Through the "HyPowerDrive" project the development of the powertrain and the tank system of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen is funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) within the framework of the IPCEI Hy2Move. The federal government is providing funding of EUR 191 million. In addition, the project is (co-)financed by the state of Bavaria with a total of EUR 82 million. The funding is implemented by the Project Management Jülich (PtJ) and coordinated by NOW GmbH.

Munich / Zagreb. The BMW Group is cooperating with Rimac Technology (Croatia) on the new all-electric BMW i7.

The aim of the joint project is to bring the Gen6 technology developed by BMW for an innovative high-voltage storage system for more range and higher charging speed to the new all-electric BMW 7 Series Sedan.

The sixth generation of BMW eDrive technology (Gen6) is finding its way into the BMW brand's top-of-the-range all-electric model in the form of its 4695 lithium-ion cylindrical cell. The cell is characterised, among other things, by a 20 percent higher volumetric energy density compared to the prismatic cells of the Gen5.

The high-voltage battery, which combines Gen6 cell technology with the established Gen5 module design, enables the new BMW i7 to achieve a significantly increased range.

BMW i7 customers can also charge much faster thanks to the newly developed technology. The charging capacity is increased and the charging time reduced accordingly.

The new BMW i7 will celebrate its world premiere on April 22^nd  at Auto China 2026 in Beijing.

"We are quickly rolling out the technologies of the Neue Klasse across our entire model portfolio - including, of course, in our all-electric luxury sedan. The teams of both companies have developed a tailor-made solution for the new BMW i7," says Dr. Thomas Engelhardt, Senior VP Development High-Voltage Storage and Charging at the BMW Group. "The excellent collaboration with Rimac Technology is a good example of European innovative strength."

The high-voltage battery is manufactured on state-of-the-art equipment at Rimac Technology in Croatia and delivered ready for assembly at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, the world's only production facility for the BMW 7 Series.

Mate Rimac, Founder and President of Rimac Group, CEO and CTO Bugatti Rimac says: “BMW has always been known for pushing engineering to the highest level, which made this collaboration especially exciting for us.
Together, we developed a high-voltage battery system that unlocks the full potential of the new cylindrical cells in record time, delivering significant improvements in energy, range, and charging performance.
We are proud to now see this system being produced at scale at our new Rimac Campus.”

Rimac Technology is a Tier 1 supplier belonging to the Rimac Group that specialises in electrification in the automotive sector with innovative products. The portfolio is defined by high-voltage battery systems, e-axles as well as electronics and software solutions that are developed and produced in-house. This makes it possible to offer solutions that combine advanced technology with a high degree of customisation. The long-term partnership with the BMW Group demonstrates the company's transformation from a niche supplier for super sports cars to a Tier 1 supplier for high-volume vehicle projects.

Munich. With the new BMW i3, the BMW Group is reaffirming its holistic approach to product sustainability – shining a light on a relevant dimension of product development that has been less visible up until now: health and well-being in the passenger compartment. To address this aspect of vehicle development, interior air quality, material selection and olfactory perception are systematically studied and evaluated at the company’s own odour laboratory.

Holistic product sustainability as a guiding principle.
The BMW Group considers sustainability throughout a vehicle's entire lifecycle – from raw material extraction through the supply chain and production all the way to the use phase and recycling. This 360° approach combines product sustainability, technological innovation and long-term company success. Health and well-being are embedded into product development and systematically integrated into processes and standards.

Interior air quality and its impact on health.
Vehicle interior air quality is an important factor for health and well-being inside the vehicle. Emissions from materials, as well as influences such as temperature and humidity directly impact vehicle occupants. When selecting materials for the vehicle interior, the BMW Group therefore pays close attention to avoiding emissions that could be detrimental to health. For more than 25 years, the company has relied on its own testing methods to measure and evaluate emissions and scent profiles in the vehicle interior. The latest findings from toxicology, health and sensory research are continuously applied to in-house standards that the BMW Group also actively shares in international standardisation and specialised bodies.
The aim is to ensure the interior has a scent that is authentic, discreet and high-end, reinforcing the brand's premium promise. The use of artificial fragrances is deliberately avoided.

Scent as a subconscious dimension.
The BMW Group deliberately addresses on scent in the vehicle interior, as this has a significant influence on the occupants’ health and well-being.
Scents act directly on the limbic system, evoking emotions and memories, and contributing to the subjective feeling of safety. A pleasant and subtle scent is therefore part of the premium experience and an expression of the brand's aspirations.
By minimising harmful emissions and selecting high-quality materials, the BMW Group acknowledges its responsibility for the health of its customers. Managing scent is therefore part of a holistic approach to sustainability across the entire lifecycle.

Inside the BMW Group scent laboratory.
At the BMW Group scent laboratory, materials, components and complete vehicle interiors are tested under realistic conditions. The analysis relies on the integration of modern measurement technologies and the trained sensory evaluation of BMW Group experts. Humans remain central to this process. This approach ensures compliance with legal requirements and adherence to internal quality standards. Scent is viewed as part of a multi-sensory, holistic experience. What matters most is not the individual component, but the interaction of all materials in the vehicle interior, which determines the overall olfactory experience.

Health and well-being as elements of product sustainability.
The new BMW i3 embodies an aspiration that applies to the entire BMW Group brand portfolio: In addition to a consistent decarbonisation strategy throughout the vehicle lifecycle, the model relies on a high percentage of secondary materials and innovative material concepts for the interior.
“Health and well-being are an integral part of product sustainability for us. Environmental factors and a growing health awareness are changing how we perceive our living spaces – including our cars. Our customers expect products that are designed to take their health and well-being into account. That is why interior air quality is a key product feature in our holistic approach to sustainability,” according to Nils Hesse, Vice President Product Sustainability at the BMW Group.

Munich. In the BMW i3, as with the BMW iX3, the BMW Group applies a 360° approach to sustainability. At its core is decarbonisation throughout the entire vehicle lifecycle – from product development through the supply chain and production to the end of the use phase. In this way, the second Neue Klasse model also contributes to achieving the ambitious, overarching CO₂e targets the company has set itself.

CO₂e benefits already after 1-2 years of use.
Depending on the drive train variant, annual mileage and source of the electricity used for charging, the new BMW i3 50xDrive already achieves a CO₂e advantage over a comparable model with an internal combustion engine after one to two years of use[1].

Decarbonisation in the supply chain.
Targeted decarbonisation is a key starting point for reducing CO₂e emissions throughout the supply chain. The use of renewable energies, the increasing share of secondary material, and product and process innovations – for example, in the Gen6 cell and high-voltage battery – contribute to a significant emissions reduction across the entire supply chain.
The results of this systematic approach are demonstrated by the emission reductions achieved: Specific measures during product development of the BMW i3 lowered supply chain CO₂e emissions by about a third.[2]

Innovative materials and technologies for interior and exterior.
The “Design for Circularity” principle is also systematically applied in the new BMW i3. The concept incorporates gradually increased use of secondary materials, targeted reduction of material selection and optimised dismantling capability.
For example, the BMW i3 uses 30 percent recycled plastic in its front bumper trim. At the same time, the number of different materials used for the entire bumper, excluding mounted parts, was reduced from 15 to 7, compared to the predecessor model (seventh-generation BMW 3 Series). Due to the high use of a plastic particularly suitable for recycling, the proportion of recyclable plastic was increased from approximately 46 percent in the predecessor to about 85 percent[3]. This enables the recovery of high-quality plastic recyclates from the vehicle.
Another example of how the “Design for Circularity” principle is implemented in the new BMW i3 is the Econeer seat covers offered as part of the “Essential” equipment line, which are made from a recyclable textile composite. The basic material for the upper fabric is 100-percent recycled PET. The use of recycled PET granulate – as the base material for the polyester yarn required – significantly reduces CO₂e emissions and water consumption during manufacturing compared to primary material. The dismantling capability of the seat cover has also been improved to facilitate a material-specific separation at the end of the lifecycle.

Use of secondary materials in the new BMW i3.
The new BMW i3 consists of approx. 30 percent secondary materials in total[4]^: These include cast aluminium components, such front and rear knuckle, with 80 percent secondary material content, and cast aluminium wheel rims with 70 percent secondary aluminium.The housing for the rear electric motor, produced at BMW Plant Landshut, comprises up to two-thirds secondary aluminium. A portion of the energy used in production comes from renewable sources.
In the Gen6 battery cells of the BMW i3 high‑voltage battery, secondary materials are partially used for cobalt, lithium and nickel. Energy from renewable sources is used in manufacturing the anode and cathode materials, as well as for cell production. In comparison to the previous model’s Gen5 cell, CO₂e emissions were reduced by approx. 33 percent per watt hour.
Further examples of the innovative use of engineering and secondary materials include the engine compartment cover and the storage compartment under the BMW i3's bonnet. The starting material for these consists of 30 percent recycled maritime plastic – post-consumer material from used fishing nets and ropes – while the base material for the yarn used in the textiles for the headliner, A-pillar and parcel shelf consists entirely of recycled material.

Enhanced efficiency during use phase.
With the EfficientDynamics technology package, vehicle efficiency is optimised across all subsystems during the use phase.
This encompasses aerodynamics, lightweight construction, rolling resistance and overall energy management, for example. Efficientynamics has been employed by the BMW Group since 2007, across all drive technologies.

BMW Group Plant Munich undergoes extensive modernisation.
BMW Group Plant Munich is the BMW Group’s main plant.For more than a century, the plant has been producing premium mobility in Munich’s Milbertshofen district. Over the past four years, the site has been completely modernised: In addition to a new body shop, a state-of-the-art vehicle assembly was also built, including logistics areas. The new facilities are now in the final stages of construction. Production of the new BMW i3 will get underway here in 2026. Just one year later, the Munich location will transition its production portfolio to exclusively fully-electric vehicles for the Neue Klasse. As the BMW Group’s oldest automobile production site, the plant sources 100 percent of its external electricity requirements from renewable energy.

In line with BMW Group’s sustainable development goals.
The BMW Group’s commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement and to reaching “net zero” no later than 2050 is an integral part of its holistic 360° approach to sustainability, which is anchored in its corporate strategy. The company has set itself ambitious science-based CO₂e targets for the coming years. The BMW Group intends to reduce its CO₂e emissions by a total of at least 40 million tonnes from 2019 levels by 2030.

Transparency through Product Carbon Footprint .
The BMW Group has published its vehicles’ Product Carbon Footprint, as validated by the German Technical Inspection Association (TÜV), for many years in the so-called Vehicle Footprint. This report is publicly available here for all drive trains of the new BMW 3 Series from the Start of Production and can also be accessed in the My BMW app. In this way, the BMW Group creates transparency around the percentage of secondary materials and CO₂e emissions across the vehicles’ entire lifecycle.

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. With the Neue Klasse, BMW is taking bidirectional charging to the next level, making Vehicle-to-Home (V2H), Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) accessible to all customers. V2G is launching now: The BMW Group and E.ON are continuing their long-standing strategic partnership and are taking the next step following the successful announcement of Germany’s first commercial Vehicle‑to‑Grid offer at IAA Mobility in September 2025. As of today, private customers can order the complete product package, consisting of the BMW Wallbox Professional, the V2G electricity tariff from E.ON (E.ON ÖkoStrom Home & Drive V2G together with the E.ON V2G Plus feed-in contract), and – if not already installed – an intelligent metering system (smart meter).

V2G for the Neue Klasse: Plug in and secure a 720 Euro bonus and charge up to 14,000 kilometres for free* - additional discount of 700 Euros on the BMW Wallbox Professional** for the first customers.

This offer enables BMW electric vehicles of the Neue Klasse equipped with the 6th generation BMW eDrive technology, starting with the new BMW iX3, to actively interact with the power grid by feeding energy from the vehicle’s high‑voltage battery back into the grid.

Automatic charging and discharging is managed by a jointly developed BMW E.ON algorithm. Customers benefit from every hour their vehicle is plugged in, receiving an annual bonus of up to 720 Euros. This allows BMW iX3 drivers to cover up to 14,000 kilometers per year at no charging cost**, while also contributing to the future of sustainable energy.

The My BMW App provides simple and transparent control. Customers maintain full oversight of current and target charge levels and can check their real-time bonus status with E.ON directly in the app. Intelligent protection functions ensure the high-voltage battery always remains within an optimal operating range.

Promotion: 700 Euro wallbox discount on the first orders**

The first 100 BMW iX3 customers who choose an E.ON V2G electricity tariff will receive a 700 Euro discount on the BMW Wallbox Professional.** With 11 kW charging power, it is one of the first bidirectional wallboxes on the market and offers additional intelligent charging modes.

V2G at a Glance

Tariff & Compensation model: The E.ON ÖkoStrom Home & Drive V2G tariff offers full price certainty thanks to a fixed energy price per kilowatt-hour and a fixed base fee for both household and charging electricity. Through the V2G feed-in contract, the customer’s bonus account accumulates up to 720 Euro annually** for every hour the vehicle is connected to the bidirectional wallbox and V2G is activated—regardless of whether energy is charged or discharged. Each kilowatt-hour discharged back to the grid is compensated at 40 Euro-Cent per kWh.

Customer-focused: Drivers maintain full control and can set their charging targets in the My BMW App to ensure mobility needs are always met. The bonus account with E.ON is linked to the app and can be viewed transparently at any time.

Battery protection: Intelligent safeguards ensure the high-voltage battery always operates within an optimal range.

Contribution to the Energy Future: Vehicle batteries help stabilize the energy system during periods of surplus electricity or increased demand. V2G supports the optimal use of renewable energy and reduces long-term energy-system costs.

Filip Thon, CEO of E.ON Germany: “The first commercial V2G offer in Germany marks a groundbreaking milestone, linking electromobility with the energy transition—and enabling private customers for the first time to tap into the potential of electric vehicles as flexible power storage for tomorrow’s energy world.”

Marcus Krieg, Head of New Business Models at BMW Group: “With the Neue Klasse, BMW vehicles become an active part of the energy ecosystem for the first time. Their technology enables intelligent storage and return of energy to the grid, reducing customer costs while strengthening the use of renewable energy.”

New: Alternative entry into energy‑market integration – cost‑optimized charging for all BMW and MINI electric drivers, incl. attractive E.ON tariff with charging bonus

The BMW Group now offers a solution for all customers wishing to charge their fully or partially electric BMW/MINI intelligently while reducing home‑charging costs.

The vehicle charges automatically at selected locations when electricity prices are especially low—taking planned departure times and target charge levels into account. This function is available for all electrified BMW and MINI models across all drive generations and can be used with the BMW/MINI Wallbox Plus, the Multifunction Charger (MFC), and any other AC‑charging device.

Customers only need an electricity tariff that supports BMW’s remote charging‑control functionality. Many compatible electricity providers offer this, including E.ON.

In this exclusive partnership offer, BMW and MINI customers in Germany using the E.ON ÖkoStrom Home & Drive tariff can save up to 240 Euros*** annually and receive an additional 50 Euros*** bonus on top of the existing new‑customer bonus.

Customer Benefits

•      Significant reduction in home charging costs

•      Consideration of individual mobility needs

•      Protection of vehicle components

•      Additional E.ON bonus of 50 Euros on top of the new‑customer bonus

More information:

www.eon.de/de/pk/landingpage/kooperationen/bmw-mini

List of compatible electricity providers:
Elektromobilität | BMW FAQ

More on V2G and the offer:
https://www.bmw.de/de/elektroauto/home-charging.html

https://www.eon.de/de/pk/e-mobility/bidi-laden-bmw-ix3.html

Bidirectional and flexible charging are key topics E.ON is showcasing at E‑World, Europe’s largest energy trade fair, taking place from February 10–12 in Essen.

*  With the E.ON V2G electricity tariff, customers receive a bonus based purely on the connection time of the BMW iX3 or other compatible BMW models to the BMW Wallbox Professional, provided that Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) is activated as an application (regardless of actual charging/discharging processes).

The bonus amounts to 24 Euro cents per hour, with a maximum of 60 Euros per month/720 Euros per year possible, based on 250 hours of connection per month. Based on an average working price of 32.97 Euro cents/kWh, the bonus covers up to 2,184 kWh charged per year. Depending on the vehicle configuration of the  BMW iX3 50 xDrive, this covers approximately 12,000 km – approximately 14,000 km of annual mileage (WLTP)

– with driving consumption depending on configuration between 15.1 kWh/100 km – 17.9 kWh/100 km according to WLTP BMW iX3 50 xDrive. In addition to the bonus, there is a feed-in tariff for every kilowatt hour fed back  into the grid. The combination of V2G with a photovoltaic system is currently only supported for full feed-in systems.

** The promotion is valid for the BMW Wallbox Professional in conjunction with the E.ON ÖkoStrom Home & Drive V2G electricity tariff and the E.ON V2G Plus supplementary contract from our cooperation partner E.ON Energie Deutschland GmbH. There is no entitlement to the voucher if the electricity contract is revoked within the statutory period. After signing the contract and successful verification of the information, you will receive a voucher worth 700 Euros including VAT by post from E.ON Energie Deutschland GmbH on behalf of BMW AG. This can only be applied to the purchase price of the BMW Wallbox Professional in the e-mobilio GmbH web shop ( bmwgroup.e-mobilio.de ) and is redeemable until December 31, 2026. The promotion is only valid for private customers. Only valid while stocks last.

***The potential annual savings of up to 290 Euros result from a night-time charging bonus of 240 Euros (120 Euros each for app registration and night-time charging) and an additional new customer bonus of 50 Euros, which is exclusively available to BMW customers and is paid out with the annual statement.

Munich. The BMW Group, together with its partners, has won the globally renowned JEC Composites Innovation Award for series-production exterior components in automobiles. The award was presented at the JEC World Premiere in Paris and recognizes innovations in the development of sustainable materials for the automotive industry.

Innovation and sustainability in automotive engineering.

In June of 2025, the BMW Group first announced the use of natural composites made from flax fibre in the design of series-production vehicles. The award in the "Automotive & Road Transportation Parts" category recognizes BMW Group’s successful integration of these innovative materials. BMW Group’s decision to use natural fibre composites for visible components in series-production vehicles is the most comprehensive application within the industry to date.

Collaboration enables technological breakthrough.

The innovative use of fibre composites is the result of years of research and development work and intensive cooperation with partners Bcomp Ltd., Cobra Advanced Composites Co. Ltd. and PPG Wörwag Coatings GmbH & Co. KG. Together, the consortium succeeded in overcoming a major technical challenge: ensuring the natural fibre composites developed would meet the complex requirements for series production required across the structure of the vehicle, including the high quality needed for the roof panel.

Contribution to CO₂e reduction and lightweight construction.

The use of natural fibres helps to reduce the CO₂e footprint of future vehicle models and has an impact on lightweight construction goals. Material tests show that superior exterior and interior components can be manufactured from these natural fibres.

A concrete example is the use of natural flax fibre composites instead of carbon fibre composites in the roof panels of future models. Replacing carbon roof panel with flax fibre panels can achieve a reduction in CO₂e emissions of around 40% during production plus addition end-of-life considerations.

Collaboration as a success factor.

The development of innovative natural flax fibre composites is the result of successful and intensive collaboration with internal and external partners. Cross-departmental and cross-company cooperation has led to new and innovative solutions in materials and manufacturing processes. Through BMW Group’s use of interdisciplinary expertise, it has been possible to develop forward-looking products and consistently promote sustainability in automotive engineering.

Dr. Herbert Negele, Head of Materials Development and Lightweight Construction, emphasized the importance of BMW Group’s collaborative approach: "At BMW Group, we are committed to thinking and acting responsibly. This premise requires the continuous development of our materials towards sustainability, while continuing to meet the high demands of functionality, lightweight construction and design. The JEC Award confirms our approach and motivates everyone involved in the project to continue along this path.”

Munich. The new BMW iX3 is in the spotlight at CES 2026. For the first time, the enhanced, AI-powered BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant with Alexa+ technology will be presented to the public. As the debut model for the Neue Klasse, the BMW iX3 showcases groundbreaking innovations that will shape the entire model range of the brand in the future. By 2027, the technologies of the Neue Klasse will be integrated into a total of 40 new models and model updates from BMW.

BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant expanded with Amazon Alexa+.
One year after the world premiere of the new BMW Panoramic iDrive with BMW Operating System X at CES 2025, visitors to this year’s CES can experience the revolutionary user-interaction concept firsthand in the BMW iX3. With a balanced combination of digital functions and physical elements, it elevates intuitive operation according to BMW’s guiding principle ‘Hands on the Wheel, Eyes on the Road’ to a new level of driver orientation. Built on the technological foundation of a software-defined vehicle, the customer experience in the BMW iX3 continues to evolve. For the first time, BMW presents the next generation AI-powered BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. BMW is the first manufacturer to expand its voice assistant with the AI assistant Amazon Alexa+. This enables intuitive and intelligent interaction between passengers and the vehicle in a natural dialogue. The interaction includes the operation of vehicle functions as well as access to information and knowledge beyond the vehicle. For the first time, passengers can ask multiple questions in a single sentence—covering both your vehicle’s features and e.g. general knowledge topics.

The integration of Amazon Alexa+ into the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant represents a technological leap forward that focuses on added value for the customer. The AI technology used in the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant is a Large Language Model (LLM), a generative AI that understands language and is capable of formulating its own responses. Starting in the second half of 2026 at the latest, this further development will be gradually rolled out in Germany and the USA across all BMW models equipped with BMW Operating System 9 and X.

BMW iX3 transforms waiting time into entertainment: stream a movie, play a video game or make a video call.^[1]
The BMW booth at CES also focuses on the wide range of entertainment options in BMW Operating System X. It offers an extensive selection of apps, videos, and games. In addition to the popular streaming service Disney+, customers in the BMW iX3 have access to the Video App (powered by TiVo™). This app enables video streaming on the central display when the vehicle is stationary, with a continuously growing selection of content such as news, live, and on-demand streaming. The portfolio of the video streaming platform will continue to evolve.

The BMW ConnectedDrive Store will also soon include the YouTube Music app for the first time, joining the more than 85 apps worldwide in categories such as Music & Audio, Entertainment, Gaming, News, Travel & Local. YouTube Music gives customers access to an extensive catalog with over 300 million tracks, including the official studio recordings, remixes, live performances, and hard-to-find covers. Zoom now allows video calls on the iX3’s central display for the first time when the vehicle is stationary. As soon as the vehicle starts moving, the video transmission stops, and the conversation seamlessly continues via audio.

In-car gaming via AirConsole, as introduced for the first time with the BMW Operating System 8.5, is also available in the new BMW iX3, featuring world-renowned titles like UNO^®️ Car Party!
A new highlight in AirConsole’s extensive game library is Hot Wheels: Xtreme Overdrive™️ from Mattel, available exclusively to BMW customers. AirConsole allows users to use their own smartphones as controllers, so all passengers can play together or compete against each other. Additional games and apps for in-car entertainment can be accessed through the BMW ConnectedDrive Store. Selected games in the BMW iX3 can also be controlled using Bluetooth controllers from conventional gaming consoles.

Sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology: higher efficiency, more range, faster charging.
The sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology developed for the Neue Klasse comprises highly efficient electric motors, fundamentally new high-voltage batteries with cylindrical cells, and 800V technology. The BMW iX3 50 xDrive is powered by two electric motors, which together generate output of 345 kW/469 hp and 645 Nm (475 lb-ft) of torque. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 210 km/h (130 mph). Its electric all-wheel-drive configuration consists of an extensively upgraded electrically excited synchronous motor (EESM) with particularly high levels of efficiency at the rear axle and, at the front axle, a new asynchronous motor (ASM) distinguished by its compact design and high cost efficiency. The combination of EESM and ASM is evidence of the BMW Group’s commitment to technological neutrality within electric mobility as well. The drive technology developed for the Neue Klasse reduces energy losses by 40 per cent compared to fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology, weight by 10 per cent and manufacturing costs by 20 per cent.

The new high-voltage battery concept with cylindrical cells for the Neue Klasse also achieves significant advances. The energy density on a cell level is 20 per cent higher than with fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology, and the new concept also paves the way for a 30 per cent increase in charging speed. The cylindrical cells are integrated directly into the high-voltage battery (“cell to pack”), which benefits energy density and cost efficiency. Added to which, the high-voltage battery is integrated into the vehicle architecture as a structural component to minimise weight (“pack to open body”). The high-voltage battery in the BMW iX3 50 xDrive has a usable energy content of 108.7 kWh, enabling a range of up to 805 kilometres (500 miles) in the WLTP cycle.

BMW Charging: short charging times, premiere for bidirectional charging.
The advances brought by sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology have a significant influence on the charging experience, too. A maximum charging rate of 400 kW enables users to fill their new BMW iX3 with enough energy at an 800V direct current (DC) rapid charging station to add up to 372 kilometres (231 miles) ^[2] of range in just ten minutes. The high-voltage battery can charge from 10 to 80 per cent capacity in 21 minutes. Thanks to the battery management tech with integrated switching matrix developed completely in-house by the BMW Group, the new BMW iX3 can also be charged from 400V DC stations. Upgrades to the battery preparation also help to shorten charging times. The new BMW iX3 50 xDrive can top up on alternating current (AC) at 11 kW as standard or 22 kW ^[3] as an option.

Extensive bidirectional charging functions ^[3] are also available for the new BMW iX3, meaning that it can be used as an energy supply source for a variety of applications. The Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) function turns the new BMW iX3 into a mobile powerbank, which can supply electric devices with power while on the move. Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) hands it the role of storage unit for solar energy generated by home-fitted photovoltaic systems. And customers can also hook their car up to the energy market via the Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) application and earn some money in the process.

The selection of standard-fitted and optional charging accessories has been significantly expanded. For flexible charging during a journey, customers can make use of the new Multifunction Charger, which comes with several adapters for charging and discharging the high-voltage battery. The new BMW Wallbox Professional (DC) enables bidirectional charging at home or work. And BMW Charging offers the option of cost-optimised /solar-power-optimised home charging.

In order to give owners the best possible charging experience, the new BMW iX3 will be fitted as standard with an NACS (North American Charging Standard) compatible charging port. This will provide iX3 owners access to the vast Supercharger network, while a standard CCS (Combined Charging System) adapter will preserve access to other providers from coast to coast, thus ensuring that iX3 owners are never far from a provider no matter where the journey is taking them.

Heart of Joy: The Ultimate Driving Machine reaches a new level.
One of four superbrains in the electronics architecture of the Neue Klasse, the Heart of Joy looks after drivetrain and driving dynamics management. This high-performance control unit is responsible for the drivetrain, brakes, energy recuperation, and steering functions, and processes information up to ten times faster than conventional control units. In this way, the potential of electric mobility in terms of instantaneous power delivery, smooth power transfer, agility, stability, and efficiency is fully realized.

Together with the BMW Dynamic Performance Control software stack developed fully in-house, the Heart of Joy calculates all the driving dynamics parameters with a new level of speed and precision. The driver and passengers in the new BMW iX3 experience a uniquely harmonious and BMW-typical driving sensation whatever the situation. Every movement of the accelerator, brake pedal, and steering is executed directly and with assurance and precision. Supreme traction and – thanks to the unique Soft Stop function – the smoothest stopping process ever achieved by a BMW are among its other attributes. In addition, the efficiency of the new BMW iX3 is optimized by the integrated management of drivetrain, braking system, and energy recuperation. In everyday driving, 98% of braking maneuvers are carried out using recuperation only, without application of the friction brakes. The only occasions these are called upon are under emergency braking and during extremely sporty driving.

“Superbrain of automated driving” for the driver assistance systems with of the next technology generation.
Another high-performance computer brings together all the automated driving and parking functions in the BMW iX3. With 20 times greater processing power than in the previous vehicle generation, the watercooled “superbrain of automated driving” enables a significant technological advance with the Neue Klasse in this area as well.

BMW Symbiotic Drive provides seamless support.
The BMW iX3 uses its Symbiotic Drive capability combined with driver assistance to create a completely new driving experience. Whenever the driver wants to accelerate, brake or steer, their inputs merge seamlessly and intuitively with AI-enabled software.The result is a whole new form of Sheer Driving Pleasure. For example, the automatic cruise control system is not deactivated with only a light press of the brake pedal; instead, it is only switched off when the driver brakes harder. In the same way, the lane control assistance remains active even after light steering inputs by the driver.

With the optional BMW Highway / Motorway Assistant ^[4], drivers can take their hands off the steering wheel permanently at speeds of up to 85 mph / 130 km/h, while remaining attentive and ready to intervene. The system assists with vehicle guidance within the lane and can also perform automated lane changes when needed – a simple glance confirmation by the driver is sufficient. With active BMW Maps route guidance, the system proactively suggests lane changes at highway interchanges and exits, which can be confirmed with a quick glance in the wing mirror. The Highway Assistant remains active while passing through interchanges and until the end of highway exits. This allows BMW iX3 drivers to enjoy Level 2 driver assistance without touching the steering wheel in even more situations.

The new Highway and City Assistant ^[4] also offers innovative functions for urban environments, such as stopping and automatically restarting at traffic lights. Additional driver assistance features for complex urban driving situations will be rolled out later via over-the-air software updates.

[1] Availability of individual apps and content depends on the country. Download and use of the apps require connectivity via BMW Digital Premium or a connection to a WiFi network or mobile smartphone hotspot. App-specific subscriptions are not included in BMW Digital Premium.
[2] The range added after 10 minutes of high-power charging was determined according to ISO12906 in the WLTP cycle. This figure, as well as charging performance, depends on vehicle equipment, charging and battery aging condition, battery temperature, individual driving profile, use of auxiliary consumers, ambient temperature, and the charging power provided at the charging station.
[3] Available from production period 3/2026.
[4] Availability depends on the country.

Munich/Las Vegas. In 2026, BMW will expand its BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, built on Amazon’s AI Alexa+ architecture, taking voice interaction between humans and vehicles to a new level.

BMW will become the first car manufacturer to integrate the AI assistant technology into its vehicles, starting with the BMW iX3. This new functionality enables intuitive and intelligent interaction between passengers and the vehicle in a natural dialogue including both the operation of vehicle functions as well as access to information and knowledge beyond the vehicle.

For the first time, users will also be able to ask multiple questions in a single sentence covering both your vehicle’s features and general knowledge topics.
The ability to link the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant with Amazon accounts will also make it easier to search for and stream music, retrieve public news, and access a wide range of other content.

"Our partnership with Amazon is based on a shared vision of technological excellence," says Stephan Durach, BMW Group – Senior Vice President Development, Digital Services, Infotainment, Connected Company. "This has resulted in a product that sets new standards in the naturalness of human-vehicle interaction through the use of artificial intelligence. With the addition of Amazon's Alexa+ technology to the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, the vehicle becomes an intelligent companion for its users."

“BMW Group has been fantastic to work with as we introduce the first implementation of the new Alexa Custom Assistant. BMW’s advanced technology, combined with the intelligence and conversational capabilities of Alexa+, creates a truly sophisticated in-vehicle experience." says Daniel Rausch, Vice President of Alexa and Echo.

BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant powered by Amazon Alexa+:  Natural language and free choice of words represent the latest development of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. The use of predefined voice commands (intents) is no longer necessary. This means that with the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, various requests and queries can be linked together as in a normal human conversation, and follow-up questions can be asked. BMW customers can trust that their vehicle understands them in context and provides the appropriate answers. For example¹⁾, when asked, “Hey BMW what’s the most famous painting there is in the world and where can I find it?” the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant will provide the corresponding answer (e.g., Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci, Louvre) and can link this answer directly to other vehicle functions such as navigation. The follow-up request "Take me there!" will then enable direct guidance to the exhibition location of the artwork. The intelligent voice assistant also uses such interactive dialogues to respond even more precisely to future voice commands and anticipate the intent of the question.

The integration of Amazon Alexa+ architecture into the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant represents a technological leap forward that focuses on added value for the customer.

The AI technology used in the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant is a Large Language Model (LLM), a generative AI that understands language and is capable of formulating its own responses. 

BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant with AI technology initially available in Germany and the US. 

The enhanced AI-supported BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant will be presented to the public for the first time at CES 2026 in Las Vegas. Starting in the second half of 2026, BMW iX3 customers in Germany and the US will be the first to benefit from the advantages of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant powered by Amazon Alexa+. Other markets and model series will follow gradually. The UI/UX of the BMW iX3 is based on the new BMW Panoramic iDrive control concept with BMW Operating System X. 

This integration is an important step on the BMW Group's path to offering this AI technology across the entire BMW model range²⁾. It exemplifies the seamless integration of the "software-defined vehicle" (SDV) into the customer's digital ecosystem.

The BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant has played a central role in the BMW iDrive operating concept since 2018. In 2022, the addition of Amazon Alexa Custom Assistant to the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant led to even more information diversity, faster response times, and better understanding of user requests. Most recently, in 2025, the intelligent voice assistant was expanded for all BMW vehicles with Operating System 9 to include new functions such as music search, news, sports, and general knowledge. The integration of Amazon Alexa+ technology into the next-generation BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant demonstrates the innovative power of the cooperation between the BMW Group and Amazon. 

¹⁾ The video in the press release shows a question in English. For the market launch, the corresponding languages, German and English, will be offered for Germany and the US respectively.

²⁾ Latest in the 2^nd half of 2026, gradually for all BMW models with BMW Operating System 9 and X.

Munich/Salching. The new Cell Recycling Competence Center (CRCC) in Salching in Lower Bavaria has now been officially commissioned – marking a major step forward in implementing innovative direct recycling as a joint project between the BMW Group and Encory GmbH. For construction and operation of the new Competence Center, the BMW Group and Encory are relying on regional partners.

Innovative direct recycling enables reuse of battery raw materials

Direct recycling allows residual materials from battery cell production, including complete battery cells, to be mechanically dismantled. The raw materials are not entirely reverted to their original state, but are instead “directly” fed back into the cell production cycle. This direct recycling methodology, developed by experts from the BMW Group, therefore eliminates the conventional, energy-intensive chemical or thermal processing previously required. At the new CRCC, direct recycling will be scaled up and introduced in stages until, once fully operational, the annual volume of battery cell material recycled will be in the mid-double-digit tonne range. Going forward, the recovered raw materials will be directly reused in pilot production of battery cells at the company’s own Cell Manufacturing Competence Center (CMCC) in Parsdorf.

Direct recycling: A process for the future

“Our direct recycling process puts us at the forefront of the industry,” explains Markus Fallböhmer, SVP of Battery Production at BMW AG. “This technology has tremendous potential to further optimise battery cell production.” It is also conceivable that, for the first time, cell manufacturers could be enabled to use direct recycling in series production.

Joint venture runs Competence Center – IP remains with BMW Group

An existing hall in Salching in Lower Bavaria (Straubing-Bogen district) will be used for the new Competence Center. In addition to the production area and warehouse space of around 2,100 m², the building also offers just under 350 m² of offices and break rooms, as well as photovoltaic systems on the roof. While the Competence Center will be built and operated by Encory GmbH, the intellectual property for the recycling method is fully owned by the BMW Group. As a joint venture between the BMW Group and the Interzero Group, Encory will develop and implement logistics and consulting solutions, including for recovery, recycling and reconditioning of vehicle components. Both partners hold a 50-percent stake in the company. The new Competence Center will employ about 20 people.

Strong partners from the region

With the exception of one Swiss company, only German firms were contracted for the construction and operation of the Competence Center. Nearly half of these companies are located within a 100-kilometer radius of Salching.

Optimal location for new Competence Center in Bavaria

The BMW Group consolidates its battery cell expertise at its Competence Centers in Munich, Parsdorf and Salching. The Battery Cell Competence Center (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 best battery cell from the BCCC will be scaled up for series processes on a pilot line at the Cell Manufacturing Competence Center (CMCC) in Parsdorf. Recycling of surplus material from pilot production in Parsdorf will take place at the new Cell Recycling Competence Center (CRCC) in Salching. The recovered raw materials will then be reused in cell production, ensuring short distances between all Competence Centers and preventing 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.

Circular economy at the BMW Group

The BMW Group views the circular economy as one of the key issues in shaping more resource-efficient mobility. Its approach is aimed at finding the best ways to keep materials in the cycle – ensuring that 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 that vehicles can serve as a source of raw vehicles at the end of their use phase. The BMW Group is taking steps to increase the percentage of recycled materials. It returns selected production residues to the material supplier or material processor, enabling their recovery and reintroduction into a new manufacturing process. In this way, recycled and reused materials are already making their way into BMW Group vehicles today. The circular economy requires holistic thinking – from product design, all the way through to vehicle recycling. 

Rotterdam, Munich.

Our initiatives in collaboration with cities include mobility research and piloting solutions, making driving and traffic more efficient, while reducing congestion. Mobility behavior is an important aspect for cities, especially regarding driving and parking vehicles in urban areas. That is why we research how to make the mobility behavior of our customers more city-friendly, tailored to their individual needs. Through strategic collaborations, such as with the city of Rotterdam, both parties gain deep insights into what the city needs, and which solutions work well with drivers. Our research shows that mobility behavior can be effectively influenced by nudging, or in other words, the positive motivation of people.

Through attractive digital experiences, we aim to enhance the driving experience and encourage our customers to use their vehicles more efficiently. Recently, three pilots based on relatively small but positive incentives have been completed. The insights from these are promising.

Highlights.

The research project named “My Travels”, conducted throughout the Netherlands in the second half of 2024 with BMW models, provided a report to users about the length of their trips made and offered information on realistic alternatives such as travel by foot, bicycle, or public transport. The results showed that simply gaining insight into one's own travel behavior, including information on the length of trips and alternative travel options, provides incentives to choose an alternative mode of transport instead of the car. This result aligns perfectly with Rotterdam's goal to free up roads for those who truly need to use them.

Additionally, we implemented a pilot with a gamification approach to reduce the footprint of our products in the use phase. Real world data from a representative BMW and MINI fully electric fleet show that driving in the efficient driving mode generally results in an average energy consumption reduction of about 7%. The “MINI Artwork Challenge” pilot’s aim was to stimulate drivers to switch to this mode. It was conducted in the first quarter of this year in the latest generation fully electric MINI models Countryman and Cooper, exploring whether gamification can encourage more energy-efficient driving behavior. In this pilot, the virtual artwork – an AI generated image — grew larger the more the user drove in the efficient driving mode. The pilot results show this encouraged participants to increase their share of trips in the efficient driving mode by 60% compared to the baseline phase.

Finally, the research project “COOL” (CO₂ Optimal Charging) was a field experiment that started in April 2025. Its goal was to provide plug-in hybrid and EV drivers with insights into charging behavior and the associated CO₂ emissions. By using a simple and insightful app that shows CO₂ emissions per kWh of the local electricity mix in real time and alerts the user when they drop below a certain value, we support drivers in deciding when to charge their vehicles.

In total, 355 drivers of electric and plug-in hybrid BMW models participated in this project, which brought at least two valuable results. Gamification increased CO₂-improved EV charging by 6% and it suggests that even participants who are already environmentally conscious are still willing to take additional steps to reduce their CO₂ impact by charging their vehicles CO₂ improved.

The city of Rotterdam and BMW Group will use the insights gained to develop more sustainable, user-oriented mobility concepts that improve both individual mobility and the urban mobility ecosystem.

Background and details of “My Travels Distances & Alternatives”.

This research project originated from a bachelor thesis supervised by the University of Münster. Erasmus University Rotterdam was involved as the regular research partner of BMW Netherlands in the design and analysis of the feedback survey.

Three hundred participants, drivers of BMW and MINI models across the country, were provided with a test app that offered a clear view of travel habits, at a more detailed level than the “My Trips” feature already known to BMW and MINI customers from the My BMW and MINI app.

The app contains two elements: Distances and Alternatives. The first offered the driver transparency of their car trips. A pie chart allowed app users to see at a glance how many trips they made weekly of up to 1 kilometer, 1-5 kilometers, and 5 kilometers or more. Alternatives provided insight into which realistic alternatives would have been possible for specific trips: by foot, bicycle, or public transport, including any distance and/or time savings.

The research question was: do active app users reduce more trips based on the travel report and recommendations for alternative modes of transport than inactive users?

Results of “My Travels Distances & Alternatives”.

Overall, analysis indicated that active users of the app reduced one car trip weekly compared to participants who did not use the app. This means that simply gaining insight into one's own travel behavior and information on alternative travel options provides incentives to leave the car unused once a week, potentially reducing traffic congestion in the city.

Zooming in on weekly trips, the reduction in car usage was even slightly larger: active users made an average of 1.5 fewer trips (of up to five kilometers). In other words, more than one short trip was avoided. No significant decrease in car usage was seen on weekends.

Factors influencing participants' choices related to timing (weekday or weekend), weather conditions, and personal situation (with or without children). This emerged from the comprehensive survey that was part of the research. When asked which types of trips participants were most inclined to swap for alternative transport, the top three were: 1) to a park, restaurant, etc., 2) to the gym, 3) to the supermarket. Picking up and dropping off children remains preferred by car, as indicated by the last place in the ranking.

When asked about the three main reasons to leave the car unused, the top three were: 1) travel duration, 2) convenience and availability of alternative modes of transport, 3) weather conditions.

Background and details of the “MINI Artwork Challenge”.

This pilot resulted from a graduation project within the BMW Group's development department, which designs (product) solutions in the field of energy and sustainable/urban mobility, part of the “Connected Company”. An overarching goal of many of their projects is to promote efficient driving habits to support potential reductions of CO₂ emissions in the use phase. The “MINI Artwork Challenge” aimed to "achieve a lasting change in driving behavior through artistic incentives”.

130 participants took part in the pilot. These drivers were rewarded for using the efficient driving mode of their MINIs. The more frequently this mode was used, the further an AI-generated artwork (consisting of stylized plants or animals) evolved. The image was then displayed on the central screen at the start of each trip.

Results of the “MINI Artwork Challenge”.

Real world data from a representative BMW and MINI fully electric fleet show that driving in the efficient driving mode generally results in an average energy consumption reduction of about 7%. The “MINI Artwork Challenge” encouraged participants to increase their share of trips in the efficient driving mode to almost 40%, compared to 25% in the baseline phase. This corresponds to a 60% increase in trips in the efficient driving mode.

Background and details of the “COOL” pilot.

We saw there are still some gaps to address in the field of smart charging. Currently, smart charging enables cost-efficient charging only at home, but optimal charging technologies are not yet widely available in the electric vehicle market. Additionally, there is a lack of awareness about the impact of charging behavior on the CO₂ footprint of an electric car. While price-optimized charging is available for dynamic charging tariffs, it often lacks optimization aimed at reducing CO₂ emissions.

Our idea was to provide clear CO₂ information about the country’s electricity mix to users, enabling them to shift their charging to timeslots that are better in terms of CO₂ emissions over a longer cycle. By applying the nudge concept, we aimed to encourage and steer beneficial charging behavior. Ultimately, this approach should contribute to reducing the CO₂ footprint in both public and private spaces.

The research question was: how can nudges effectively influence the timing of electric vehicle charging to align with periods in which the use of renewable energy sources is higher?

The pilot project, conducted from April to July 2025, involved BMW 355 electric vehicle drivers in the Netherlands. A digital charging feature called “COOL” was made available in Dutch and English through the 360° Mobility app on iOS. This simple and insightful app showed the CO₂ emissions per kWh of electricity in real-time and alerting the user when it dropped below a certain value. Charging and vehicle data from all registered participants were collected on BMW Labs. Additionally, qualitative interviews were conducted with 14 participants to gather in-depth insights.

Results of the “COOL” pilot.

A total of 13.153 charging sessions were analyzed, and timeslots with a cleaner energy mix were identified on 67 out of 87 days. Through gamification, we successfully encouraged participants to shift their charging sessions to time slots with a forecasted higher share of renewables in the Dutch energy mix, achieving a 6% increase in such charging sessions compared to the control group. In contrast, providing forecasts and statistics alone had no significant effect. Plug-in hybrid drivers were less likely to change their charging behavior. Customers expressed three things:

• a preference for easy or automatic integration into their routines.
• technical alignment with existing energy applications.
• having a single source of information for optimal timeslots.

The post pilot survey with 90 participants also revealed a valuable insight. When asked if the participant ‘would be willing to make an extra effort to charge with reduced CO₂ emissions, such as by setting a charging window in their app’, 73% of participants answered “yes”.  Notably, 62% of these environmentally motivated participants already have a green electricity contract. This indicates that even those who are already committed to sustainable energy use are open to taking additional steps to further reduce their CO₂ impact through charging in low-emission windows.

“Smart City Travel” Pilot as a Forerunner to “My Travels”.

In 2022, Rotterdam and BMW launched the Smart City Travel pilot. This project focused on motorists who (regularly) drove from outside toward the inner city of Rotterdam. BMW Group, Rotterdam, and the Erasmus University Rotterdam investigated ways to entice motorists to park their cars at a park-and-ride (P+R) on the outskirts of the city and continue the last mile of their journeys using public or shared transport. The question was: what is needed to motivate BMW drivers to make this choice in advance and then actually switch modes when an alternative mode is actively offered in the navigation?

Results showed that information about alternative transport should not only arrive in the car after the trip starts, as people are not prepared for it or, for practical reasons (no coat, too many belongings), cannot or do not want to switch. This led to the idea of focusing more on transparency and providing drivers with insight into their trips and offering alternatives as desired (before or after a trip) in an app.

Collaboration with Rotterdam Since 2018.

A safe, healthy, and livable city is high on the agenda of the Rotterdam municipality. This requires a new vision of future mobility, where sustainability, traffic safety, accessibility, and flow play a crucial role. Since 2018, BMW Group and the City of Rotterdam have been working together to realize these shared ambitions and pilot mobility solutions around integrating the car into the ecosystem of a livable city.

Munich. Since 2022, the BMW Group and Solid Power, Inc. (Nasdaq: SLDP) have intensified their activities for the development of all-solid-state battery (ASSB) technology through their technology transfer agreement. The latest milestone was the integration of Solid Power’s large-format pure ASSB cells into a BMW i7 technology test vehicle.

As of October 2025, Samsung SDI joins the efforts to pursue development and validation of the ASSB technology in the automotive field. The new collaboration marks a key step towards ASSB technology, bringing together the complementary expertise of three industry leaders.

Under this arrangement, Solid Power will supply sulfide-based solid electrolyte to Samsung SDI, which Samsung SDI will integrate into separator and/or catholyte and use to build cells, in each case subject to achievement of technical requirements.
These cells will be evaluated based on performance parameters and requirements to be agreed between Samsung SDI and BMW Group. Ultimately, Solid Power, Samsung SDI, and BMW aim to develop and supply ASSB cells for integration into a next generation of evaluation vehicles.

 “We are excited to partner with Samsung SDI and BMW to progress the development of all-solid-state batteries,” said John Van Scoter, President and CEO of Solid Power. “Our solid electrolyte technology is designed for stability and conductivity, and by working closely with global leaders in automotive and battery innovation, we strive to bring ASSB technology closer to widespread adoption.”

"Technological competitiveness in batteries would ultimately lead to innovation in electric vehicles," said Stella Joo-Young Go, Executive Vice President of ASSB Commercialization Team at Samsung SDI. "Samsung SDI will work closely with great global partners like BMW and Solid Power to take the lead in commercializing ASSB."

 
Martin Schuster, Vice President Battery Cell and Cell Module at the BMW Group, says: “With Samsung SDI joining our partnership with Solid Power, we gain significant momentum on our path advancing the development of new battery cell technologies. This global collaboration is another proof point of our overarching goal: to be always in a position to offer our customers state of the art battery technology.”

The partners believe in the potential of genuine ASSB technology, and the promise of higher energy density combined with increased safety compared to today’s technologies by replacing liquid electrolytes with solid materials.  

With increased energy density, longer vehicle ranges can be achieved without having to accept disadvantages in terms of weight of the overall storage system.

The BMW Group and Solid Power have been cooperating since 2016 through an extended “Joint Development Agreement,” which was supported by a BMW Group investment in Solid Power in May 2021 as part of a financing round.

At the end of 2022, BMW and Solid Power agreed to further deepen their partnership. BMW will operate a solid-state cell prototype line at the CMCC in Parsdorf, on the basis of a research and development license and with Solid Power's experience and expertise.

Since 2008, the BMW Group has been consistently building up its competence in the field of battery cell technology. Since 2019, this know-how has been pooled at the BMW Group's Battery Cell Competence Center (BCCC) in Munich. The BCCC covers the entire value chain, from research and development to battery cell design to producibility.

In order to be able to quickly and efficiently implement innovations in the field of battery cell technology, the BMW Group cooperates in a network of around 300 partners, including established companies, start-ups and universities, among others.

The BMW Group's battery strategy - to operate on equal footing with industry's leading cell manufacturers through deep know-how - has proven its worth. This strategically strong position in the value chain ensures the BMW Group access to all new and innovative battery cell research solutions worldwide.

Luxembourg / Munich. The BMW Group is using its presence at the "Fleet Europe Days" on 22 and 23 October in Luxembourg to show fleet operators ways to decarbonise their fleets. In addition to fully electrified vehicles, the focus will be on fuels based on renewable raw materials, so-called Carbon Neutral Fuels (CNF).

Their advantage: the potential to save CO₂. With more than 250 million existing vehicles in Europe, their CO₂ footprint can be improved if the proportion of renewable fuels is increased. A new technical solution used by the BMW Group is proof that all BMW diesels in a fleet are fuelled exclusively with HVO100. Refuelling data from the vehicle is compared with data from the fleet operator's payment system. This means that the fuel used by the vehicle can be traced seamlessly. An important step towards a "CNF only-fleet" for fleet customers.

Dr. Martin Kaufmann, Head of Powertrain Development at the BMW Group: "Our goal is always to have more environmentally friendly and efficient vehicles on the road. With the diesel replacement fuel HVO100, we have an opportunity to reduce the CO₂ footprint of vehicle fleets. Especially in the area of fuels that are not based on fossil fuels, we see a potential that we are ready to realise.”

Bernhard Kuhnt, Head of Sales Region Europe, BMW Group: "Fleet customers are extremely important for sales in Europe and at the same time diesel remains a very good powertrain technology for many fleets.

The use of HVO100 offers a way to quickly reduce CO₂ emissions that takes into account individual use cases - whether driving long distances or towing a trailer - and can thus help our fleet customers reduce their CO₂ footprint."

Initial contractual agreements with the operators of large BMW diesel fleets in Germany and Italy are imminent. These test fleets, together with the internal BMW Group fleet that has already been launched, will provide important data and findings for the further improvement of the technical solution.

HVO100 used in the first fuelling of all diesel produced in Germany

Since January 2025, all diesel models produced in Germany are being fuelled with HVO100 before delivery to dealers. This step underlines BMW's commitment to making decarbonisation possible and achievable today. The abbreviation HVO stands for 'Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil' and the suffix '100' indicates that it is filled with 100 per cent pure fuel.

 
"Neste MY Renewable Diesel™" HVO100 is used at the BMW Group plants in Munich, Dingolfing, Regensburg and Leipzig.

The fuel from Finnish manufacturer Neste enables a CO2e reduction of up to 90 per cent ("well to wheel") compared to fossil diesel. The initial filling at the plants before delivery to the BMW Group dealer organisation is five to eight litres, depending on the model.

For the BMW Group, technological openness is a top priority. "Options instead of bans" is its motto. The company continues to invest in a broad portfolio - from battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and hydrogen fuel cells to highly efficient combustion engines that can run on renewable fuels.

The BMW Group has long approved its vehicles for a variety of regenerative fuels: HVO according to EN15940 as well as B10 and eFuels according to EN590 for diesel engines. In addition, E20/25 and eFuels according to EN228 for petrol engines.

Regulatory framework conditions must catch up

Regulation must catch up. To accelerate the uptake of renewable fuels across the market, the BMW Group is calling for an ambitious implementation of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III), including national quotas that require at least a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from fuels, to be transposed into national law by 2025.

Dr. Thomas Becker, Head of Policy, External Relations and Sustainability at the BMW Group, says: "The BMW Group demands that every measure to reduce CO₂ emissions is taken into account at every stage of a vehicle's life cycle. This also includes the use of renewable fuels - especially for vehicles that primarily run on CO₂-neutral fuel (CNF). These must be formally recognised in EU fleet legislation. The fuels are available, what we need now is a pragmatic and quickly implementable regulation that enables companies to develop innovations and make them marketable."

Munich. BMW Charging and MINI Charging have partnered with Digital Charging Solutions GmbH (DCS) to present an innovative fleet application that greatly simplifies the monitoring and centralised billing of vehicle charging for companies.

This solution links the charging accounts of the fleet vehicles with a central company account. Charging for each driver is automatically invoiced and consolidated into one payment for the company. Fleet drivers can take advantage of the same features, tariffs and brand experiences as private customers.

The introduction of this new fleet solution from BMW Charging and MINI Charging marks another milestone in the electrification of corporate fleets. Specially designed for small and medium-sized companies with up to 50 electric vehicles, it provides an efficient and user-friendly charging solution – and features a central overview that shows all charging sessions and combines them into a single invoice. Businesses benefit from a solution with no setup costs that offers automatic reimbursement for fleet drivers. 

Implementing the fleet solution is quick and straightforward. First, fleet managers create a company account with CHARGE NOW to register their company. Then fleet drivers create a business customer account including a charging contract with BMW Charging or MINI Charging and activate the option for bill payment by the company. Finally, the fleet manager links the driver accounts to the company account, enabling centralized and automated billing. 

This solution optimises charging cost management for electric fleets, reduces the administrative workload and improves cost transparency.

Fleet managers benefit from consolidated invoicing for all charging sessions as well as a central dashboard for monitoring up to 50 vehicles from different brands.

Fleet drivers, meanwhile, enjoy a consistent user experience offering the same functions (e.g. Plug & Charge), tariffs and brand experiences provided for private customers – thanks to seamless integration in the vehicle and the My BMW App or MINI App.

Once activated, charging sessions are automatically paid by the company, without any need for private advance payments or manual refunds. 

The solution was launched in August of this year in eleven European markets: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. They were followed in September by Sweden, Norway, Poland, Czechia, Denmark, Slovakia, Hungary and Finland. 

Further information can be found via the following link:
CHARGE NOW | Fleet Solution | United Kingdom 

Debrecen. With an impressive ceremony that artistically combined Hungarian culture and modern automotive production, Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, today officially opened the BMW Group plant in Debrecen. The BMW Group’s newest and most innovative production site marks the beginning of a new era for the company. In late October, the new BMW iX3 will enter series production in the Hungarian university town of Debrecen as the first vehicle of the Neue Klasse. Plant Debrecen was planned virtually and realised in practice fully in line with the principles of the BMW iFACTORY, becoming the first BMW Group car plant to rely entirely on electricity from renewable energy during normal operation.

In addition to Oliver Zipse, high-ranking representatives from Hungarian politics, such as Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the Mayor of Debrecen, László Papp, as well as Milan Nedeljković, Member of the Board of Management for Production, Ilka Horstmeier, Member of the Board of Management for Human Resources and Real Estate, and Hans-Peter Kemser, President and CEO BMW Manufacturing Hungary Kft., attended the grand opening.

“In our global production network, our new plant in Debrecen is a pioneer: It is our first fully-electric plant, the first production site to operate entirely without fossil fuels – and the first to build vehicles for the Neue Klasse. This makes our plant in Debrecen a decisive factor in the BMW Group's future success,” said Oliver Zipse. “The opening also sends a strong signal: We are expanding our footprint on our home continent and reaffirming our commitment to Europe as a strong and competitive location for industry.”

Hans-Peter Kemser added at the ceremony: “This is not only a new BMW Group plant – it is a cornerstone of progress. We are a partner to culture, to education and to the University of Debrecen, where together we foster the talents that will shape the future. And above all, it is a community – deeply embedded in the life of Debrecen and Hungary.”

Strengthening the industrial base and expanding training

The official opening ceremony began with a look back at the plant’s construction, following a 2018 decision that launched one of Hungary’s largest greenfield investments. The BMW Group’s first Central European location has firmly placed Debrecen on the region's automotive map, creating more than 2,000 direct jobs – and many more along the supply chain, at regional suppliers and service providers that have recently established themselves in Debrecen, alongside national and international companies. The new plant has also strengthened the industrial park and driven additional investment in transport and infrastructure.

At the same time, through collaborations with institutions such as the local university and the Vocational Training Centre of Debrecen, DSZC, Plant Debrecen has also become one of the largest training hubs for dual education programmes in Hungary.

Only the best of the best for Debrecen

Plant Debrecen is the first BMW Group production site not tied to a specific primary plant. Instead, it serves as a network plant, combining best practices from different locations worldwide. For example, the press shop is modelled on the systems used in Spartanburg (USA) and Swindon (Great Britain), with their know-how and technologies further refined for Debrecen. In the body shop, the positioning of nearly 1,000 industrial robots, along with their processes, was digitally simulated in detail beforehand. The number of joining methods was also significantly reduced, with further streamlining allowing design features for the Neue Klasse to be integrated early in development.

Paint shop key to largest reduction in CO₂e emissions

At BMW Group Plant Debrecen, the paint shop plays a critical role in significantly reducing the BMW iX3’s CO₂e footprint. Production of the new BMW iX3 will generate a total of about 80kg CO₂e (scope 1/2 emissions). This figure covers CO₂e emissions from Plant Debrecen, as well as in-house parts production at other BMW Group facilities, including components manufactured in Landshut, for example. This represents a reduction of approx. two-thirds compared to production of existing BMW derivatives. For Plant Debrecen alone, this approach will reduce CO₂e emissions from the manufacture of a vehicle, including its high-voltage battery, by around 90% – to about 34 kg CO₂e (when operating at full capacity, compared with other BMW Group facilities).

About a quarter of the plant's annual power needs will be supplied by the 50‑hectare on-site photovoltaic system, one of the largest in Hungary. Surplus solar energy, such as that generated on non-working days, is stored in a 1,800 m³ thermal storage system with a capacity of 130 MWh.

Digitalised assembly processes and smart “finger structure”

Complete digitalisation of production processes further boosts assembly efficiency – for example, sensors and camera systems along the production line are used to automate quality processes. AI evaluates the data and provides real-time feedback to employees on the assembly line. The building's “finger structure” – an optimised version of BMW Group Plant Leipzig – allows 80% of parts to be delivered directly to the correct point of assembly on the line. In-house logistics are fully electric.

High-voltage battery assembly in line with “local for local” principle

High-voltage batteries are assembled directly on site, allowing for short distances in line with the “local for local” principle. Plant Debrecen will be the first of five plants worldwide to begin series production of Gen6 high-voltage batteries at this location. Seamless in-line quality inspections and 100% end‑of‑line monitoring enable a consistent zero-defect approach.

Final photo with employees and two BMW iX3s

The opening ceremony concluded with a music and dance performance celebrating Hungarian culture and traditions, which the BMW Group also supports through local events and organisations. To wrap up, numerous employees joined Viktor Orbán and Oliver Zipse on stage, alongside two new BMW iX3s.

• The development of BMW's first series model of the Neue Klasse, the new BMW iX3, was filmed over more than 2.5 years
• The documentary, available in four episodes on the BMW Group YouTube channel, covers the relevance of the Neue Klasse for the entire company, the development of the latest technologies, new design, and a new driving experience
• Additional detailed infotainment content shows the sustainability of the series model and the new design language
• The new corporate website marks the start of a new era

Munich. For the BMW Group, the new BMW iX3 represents a milestone in the transformation affecting all areas of the company. An extensive video documentary on the BMW Group YouTube channel offers exclusive insights into the vision of the Neue Klasse, now becoming reality with the first series model, the BMW iX3. The project team has been filmed over several years, from building the first prototype, test drives with board members, crossing the Alps with pre-production models, to the development of the latest technologies and a new design language. For the first time, this documentary provides insights into BMW Group's structures, which are usually kept confidential.

Documentary Overview

Episode 1: "The Big Picture". The strategic positioning of the Neue Klasse and the leap into a new era, including personal insights from Oliver Zipse, CEO, as well as otherboard members and project participants.

Duration: 6:29 Minutes

Link Episode 1: https://youtu.be/fWOx09Lvwg4

Episode 2: "Reinventing Freude am Fahren". The development of a new model generation, from a blank sheet to the pre-drive with international media representatives. Mike Reichelt, Head of Neue Klasse, and his team provide exclusive insights into the last four years of development.

Duration: 09:44 Minutes Link Episode 2: https://youtu.be/CKrLUixaWl4

Episode 3: "Start of the New Design Language". Bigger steps in technology can only become meaningful hand in hand with big steps in design.. Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of BMW Group Design, and his team have a unique opportunity: to create a new design language for all future models.

Duration: 04:25 Minutes Link Episode 3: https://youtu.be/8amA1rK_m-

Episode 4: "The Digital Experience ". Four elements, one goal: Perfect driver orientation. Stefan Durach, Senior Vice President Connected Company BMW Group, and his team redefine the industry standard for multimodal interaction. 

Duration: 06:44 Minutes Link Episode 4: https://youtu.be/bivniN7ksSg  

YouTube videos on Sustainability and Design of the new BMW iX3  

With the new BMW iX3, the BMW Group shows how a holistic approach to product sustainability becomes reality throughout the entire lifecycle. The video explains the "Design for Circularity" principle, involving secondary materials, targeted material selection, and disassembly optimization. As a result, about one-third of the new BMW iX3 consists of secondary materials.

Duration: 4:07 Minutes

Link Deep Dive Sustainability: https://youtu.be/ugGK8FGq7s8

The launch of the new BMW iX3 introduces BMW's new design language, which will be reflected across the entire model range. The  video, featuring designers led by Adrian van Hooydonk, explains this modern interpretation of BMW's essence - timeless, yet contemporary.

Duration:07:17 Minutes

Link Deep Dive Design: https://youtu.be/GnsghaXyaTE

New design of the BMW Group Corporate Website – the digital home of the Neue Klasse

The relaunch of the BMW Group website emphasizes the company's innovation and modern design. The new, elegant web design offers an improved user experience, with precise and careful results from a new semantic search. A dedicated page provides extensive information about the history of the Neue Klasse, the new BMW iX3, and the technologies of the new model generation.

Link Corporate Website: www.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 2024 was € 11.0 billion on revenues amounting to € 142.4 billion. As of 31 December 2024, the BMW Group had a workforce of 159,104 employees.

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

www.bmwgroup.com 
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/bmw-group/ 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bmwgroup 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmwgroup 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bmwgroup 
X: https://www.x.com/bmwgroup 

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

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

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

State-of-the-art technology from Germany

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

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

Local expertise in construction and commissioning

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

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

Qualification campaign secures jobs in transformation

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

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

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

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

Munich/Shanghai. Driving dynamics at the limits of physics: At the world's largest motor show in Shanghai, BMW presents the ##BMW Vision Driving Experience##, a driving experience of the highest order. Developed on the basis of the ##BMW Vision Neue Klasse##, the high-performance test vehicle will be unveiled to the public for the first time at Auto Shanghai 2025.

Inside, the lightning-fast ##Heart of Joy## control computer, which works in conjunction with the BMW Dynamic Performance Control software stack to centrally calculate all driving dynamics functions, is visible in the centre console of the BMW Vision Driving Experience in Shanghai - unlike later in series production.

The BMW Vision Driving Experience has been specially designed to challenge the Heart of Joy at the limits of driving physics.

Test drivers Jens Klingmann and Elias Houndtonji, the main attraction of the BMW Brand Night, demonstrate the extraordinary potential of the car with spectacular driving manoeuvres. BMW presents the show's vision vehicle in a special luminescent paint.

“This evening in Shanghai, BMW Group presented the most powerful prototype BMW has ever built. With up to 18,000 Nm of torque, the BMW Vision Driving Experience demonstrated Joy of Driving in its ultimate form. Equipped with our new super brain “Heart of Joy”, the VDX is converting the ultimate electric power into controlled driving pleasure - no wonder we’ve experienced overwhelming feedback from the audience”  said Jochen Goller, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Customers, Brands and Sales.

The first all-electric Neue Klasse vehicles will roll off the production line at the Debrecen plant in Hungary from the end of the year. The Heart of Joy central computer, which ensures a new level of precision and driving dynamics, will be fitted as standard in every Neue Klasse vehicle.

The ultimate endurance test for the next generation of drive and driving dynamics control.

With the visionary BMW Vision Driving Experience test vehicle, BMW is pushing the boundaries of familiar driving dynamics. With a torque of up to 18,000 Newton metres, the "fastest test rig in the world" is the ultimate endurance test for the Heart of Joy and BMW Dynamic Performance Control developed entirely by BMW. Thanks to active aerodynamics, the "driving machine" develops a downforce up to of 1.2 tonnes and lateral forces of up to 3g - a dimension on a par with Formula 1 and far beyond the requirements of conventional vehicles in road traffic. The logic behind this: If the hardware and software can tame the brute forces of this test rig, they can easily cope with the demands of everyday use.

In the new functional architecture of the Neue Klasse, the Heart of Joy is the central computer responsible for driving, braking, recharging through recuperation and some steering functions. With fast information processing and direct control of the electric motors, the Heart of Joy not only achieves a new level of agility and driving stability with fewer system interventions, but also enables 98 per cent of braking operations to be carried out using brake energy regeneration. This represents a 25% increase in efficiency compared to today's architectures. The vehicle can also be brought to a standstill more smoothly than ever before.

Innovative, fluorescent paint for the show in Shanghai.

Although the BMW Vision Driving Experience was designed for development purposes only and is not intended for series production, its exterior is based on the design language of the BMW Vision Neue Klasse. The monolithic-looking body, powerful wheel arches, recessed greenhouse and "shark nose" front end are all part of the purist aesthetic that will also characterise the Neue Klasse. A new interpretation of the characteristic BMW radiator grille and twin headlights creates a striking, three-dimensional light signature at the front.

For the presentation in Shanghai, the BMW Vision Driving Experience, which had previously been covered in camouflage film and shown at a preview in the USA, was given an innovative, self-illuminating paint finish. The paint's special light-sensitive pigments recharge in daylight, with even the smallest amount of ambient light sufficient. In the dark, the colour varies from a whitish yellow to an expressive neon yellow, depending on the state of charge. In addition, the rear of the car has been fitted with a "magic film" which, when stimulated by UV light, creates an expressive gradient from yellow to orange to pink from the rear to the front of the car. These special looks underline the uniqueness and innovative power of the car.

In case of queries, please contact:

BMW Group Corporate Communications

Dieter Falkensteiner,
Press Spokesperson Driving Experience
Phone: +49-151-601-51813
E-mail: Dieter.Falkensteiner@bmwgroup.com  

Bernhard Ederer,
Communication Drive Technology, Efficiency, Driving Experience
Phone: +49-176-601-28556
E-mail: Bernhard.Ederer@bmwgroup.com

Almut Stollberg,
Head of Communication Innovation, Design, Technology, Digital Car
Phone: +49-151-601-96543
E-mail: Almut.Stollberg@bmwgroup.com

Munich. The BMW Group is the first automotive manufacturer to launch a completely newly developed digital nervous system for all drivetrain variants and vehicle segments. It is more intelligent, more powerful and more efficient and will be rolled out for the first time in the models of the ##Neue Klasse##. Four high-performance computers, also called "Superbrains", consolidate the computing power for the most important customer functions: infotainment, automated driving, driving dynamics, and basic functions such as vehicle access, climate control, and comfort. The four #Superbrains provide more than 20 times the computing power compared to the current vehicle generation and are already designed for upcoming software and function updates, including AI-powered customer experiences.

"Technology openness is the key to BMW's success. Starting with the first model of the Neue Klasse, we will roll out the technologies of the Neue Klasse across the entire future model portfolio – across all segments and all drivetrains. This also applies to our completely newly developed electronic architecture made up of powerful 'Superbrains' and highly interconnected software platforms. This architecture allows us to decouple the development of the vehicle and software from each other. The advantage: More than ever before, all future BMW models will remain digitally up to date via over-the-air upgrades and will receive updates even from the next and subsequent vehicle generations," says Frank Weber, Board Member for Development at BMW AG.

A fundamental component of the digital nervous system is the radically simplified wiring harness. It is based on a so-called zonal wiring harness architecture, which uses 600 meters less wiring and brings 30% weight savings compared to the previous generation. The wiring harness is divided into four zones: front end, center, rear and roof. The Superbrains are connected via high-speed data connections to smaller control units, the zonal controllers, which manage and consolidate the data flow of the electronics in and out of the zones. The wiring in the vehicle is therefore zone-related and can thus be shorter, thinner, and lighter.

A crucial prerequisite for thinner and lighter wiring are the so-called "Smart eFuses". These are digital fuses that replace up to 150 traditional fuses. ##Smart eFuses## can be intelligently programmed for digitally controlled energy distribution to components. The selective activation of components allows for the design of intelligent power modes for various vehicle states such as driving, parking, charging, and upgrading, in which unnecessary consumers can be identified and switched off. Thus, the eFuses make a significant contribution to the 20% improved energy efficiency.

The completely newly developed electronic architecture forms the basis for the next generation SDV. From the launch of the Neue Klasse, the upcoming BMW model generation will benefit from it. The first fully electric derivative of the Neue Klasse will go into series production later this year at the Debrecen plant (Hungary).

The advanced software architecture of the BMW Group builds on this new electronic architecture. With the multitude of digital functions in SDVs, it is crucial that functions can be continuously developed on stable software platforms rather than being newly developed for every new generation. This is precisely what is achieved with the Neue Klasse. In the vehicle the software platforms run on the respective Superbrains, and the vehicle functions run on top of them. The "Shared Service Layer" acts as a connecting element (middleware) and provides, among other things, state-of-the-art cybersecurity and flexible over-the-air updates. It also enables customer-relevant AI functions thanks to intelligent networking of cross-domain data sources.

"With the introduction of the Neue Klasse, we are entering a mode of software development where we achieve software continuity. This means we continuously develop software rather than starting from scratch each time," says Christoph Grote, Senior Vice President BMW Group Electronics and Software. "Based on our advanced software architecture and the fact that today our global development teams generate 130 times more software than ten years ago, we see ourselves in an excellent competitive position. More than ever, our software developers can focus on product innovations."

For the Neue Klasse, the development teams are working on well over 1,000 software modules, around 40 GB of software, and over 500 million lines of code, which will ultimately be integrated into the Superbrains and the rest of the electronic architecture in the vehicle. To achieve this, the BMW Group has established a solid foundation for future-proof and highly effective vehicle software development in recent years. Innovative methods and tools have been anchored in the continuously growing global developer network. At the heart of vehicle software development is the integrated developer environment: a tailored tool-chain called "CodeCraft." The speed and quality of development have been enhanced with the use of a variety of tools that support the software developer with generative AI. CodeCraft runs in the cloud on up to 75,000 virtual CPUs, supports the simultaneous work of well over 10,000 software developers, and records up to 200,000 software builds per day at peak times. This corresponds to a productivity increase of more than 130 times compared to ten years ago.

Munich/Landshut. The BMW Group is presenting its next leap forward in the field of electric drive technology – and in the process ushering in a new era of all-electric driving. At the Tech Days event in Landshut, the company has provided some initial insights into the development and production of high-voltage batteries and electric drive systems using the sixth generation of BMW eDrive technology. Every fully electric Neue Klasse vehicle will enjoy the benefits. The first Neue Klasse model will go into series production later this year at Plant Debrecen in Hungary. Below is an overview of the technology highlights:

• The Energy Master intelligent central control unit on the high-voltage battery – developed by the BMW Group and produced at Plant Landshut.
• A new high-voltage battery concept that, together with the BMW cylindrical cell, promises to bring about a technological quantum leap – including significant improvements in energy density, charging speed and range.
• The BMW Group also demonstrates its technology-openness with electric drive systems – through the use of different electric motor types: EESM and ASM.
• A modular approach to electric motor production gives the BMW Group an exceptional degree of flexibility.
• The BMW Group pools together expertise from the entire electric mobility value chain in Bavaria and Austria – from development, via purchasing and production, to recycling.
• The BMW Group demonstrates both technology-openness and full expertise across all areas of electric mobility.

Adopting a technology-open approach while setting the pace in electric mobility

“For the BMW Group, electric mobility is the future and a key area of growth. We are leading the way with this drivetrain technology. At the same time, we are deliberately taking a technology-open approach, recognizing that mobility needs vary between different regions of the world,” explains Dr Joachim Post, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Purchasing and Supplier Network. “We want to offer our customers the best drive concept for every need. It is possible to do both: offer the best drive technology for every need and be at the forefront of electric mobility.”

Slimmer, faster, further: the high-voltage batteries for Gen6

With the new sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology (Gen6 for short), the BMW Group is making a technological quantum leap. Improvements on the product side include a 30% faster charging speed and 30% increase in range, with certain models achieving even higher figures. Added to which, the Gen6 high-voltage battery concept benefits from the new 800V technology. Gen6 will make its debut this year in the Neue Klasse and subsequently be used to drive models across the BMW Group’s fully electric product range. The concept for the Gen6 high-voltage batteries is fundamentally new and will find applications in all vehicle segments – right up to the high-performance models from BMW M GmbH. Its new, even slimmer design allows the high-voltage battery to be integrated into a spread of different models, regardless of vehicle height. The high-voltage battery takes on the role of a structural component in the bodies of the Neue Klasse models (“pack-to-open-body”), and the new cylindrical cells will be integrated directly into the high-voltage battery (“cell-to-pack”). The new BMW cylindrical cell has a 20% greater energy density than its predecessor, the Gen5 prismatic battery cell. And charging in both directions will be possible: the BMW Group has confirmed bidirectional charging as an option for Gen6.

Highly intelligent central control unit: the BMW Energy Master

All of the elements that enable this technological leap forward come together in the BMW Energy Master. This central control unit is positioned on the high-voltage battery and provides the interface for high- and low-voltage power supply and for data from the high-voltage battery. It also controls the power supply for the electric motor and vehicle electrical system and ensures the safe and intelligent operation of the high-voltage battery. The BMW Group has filed a whole series of new patent applications for the vehicle electrical system, including its electronic fuses. Both the hardware and software of the Energy Master were developed fully in-house at the BMW Group. This ensures technological developments and updates for vehicles can be implemented independently and in real time via Remote Software Upgrades, providing a particular benefit for customers.

“Local for local” approach for high-voltage battery assembly and supplier network

The high-voltage batteries for the Neue Klasse are assembled in five new production facilities that the BMW Group has located close to its vehicle plants as part of a “local for local” approach. For example, cutting-edge assembly locations for Gen6 high-voltage batteries are taking shape in Irlbach-Straßkirchen (Lower Bavaria), Debrecen (Hungary), Shenyang (China), San Luis Potosí (Mexico) and Woodruff, near Spartanburg (USA). This approach safeguards production even in the event of unforeseen political and economic events. In addition, the existing locations are being strengthened, with jobs both secured and created. The “local for local” principle continues in the supplier network for battery cells: in order to cover the demand for Gen6, the BMW Group has reached contractual agreements for five battery cell factories – spread across Europe, China and the USA – with various partners.

“Cell-to-pack” and “pack-to-open-body”

Production of the Gen6 high-voltage batteries follows the “cell-to-pack” and “pack-to-open-body” principles. “Cell-to-pack” involves positioning the cylindrical cells – manufactured by the suppliers according to BMW Group specifications – directly in the housing of the high-voltage battery, without the intermediate step of a module being produced. “Pack-to-open-body” refers to the high-voltage battery’s new role as a structural component in the vehicle architecture. Numerous innovations patented by the BMW Group can be found here.

Know-how from Bavaria and Austria – in demand around the world

Before series production of the high-voltage batteries gets underway worldwide, the production processes will be developed and pre-series batteries subjected to thorough testing. This will happen at the BMW Group pilot plants for high-voltage batteries in Parsdorf, Hallbergmoos and Munich. The new series production plants around the world will then be ready. The product and process expertise is centred in Bavaria. Production of the Energy Master will take place at Plant Landshut, which will then supply all the high-voltage battery assembly plants around the world. There, the highly intelligent control unit will be installed on the high-voltage battery. The electric motor with sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology is produced at Plant Steyr in Austria, which is also home to a development centre for electric drive systems and thermal management.

Production of the Energy Master at BMW Group Plant Landshut  

A state-of-the-art production system for the BMW Energy Master is taking shape at Plant Landshut. The plant is currently producing the highly complex control unit in pre-series. Series production on the first production line will begin in August 2025, with a further expansion stage to follow in mid-2026. This is the first time the development and production of this central control unit has taken place in-house at the BMW Group. “As the company’s largest in-house component manufacturer, Landshut plays an important role for the Neue Klasse,” says Dr Joachim Post. “The plant is an innovation hub and a driver of transformation.” Around 200 people will be employed in the Energy Master production area at Landshut when production begins, rising to as many as 700 people as it ramps up further. The BMW Group has channelled investment in the high hundreds of millions of euros into the expansion of electric mobility at Plant Landshut since 2020, strengthening both the production facility itself and Germany’s status as an industrial powerhouse for the long term. The modular manufacturing system used to produce the Energy Master was also designed fully in-house by the BMW Group. It is supplied with subcomponents by a supply chain set up by the BMW Group. This extends to the n-tier supply chain for supply-critical components such as semiconductors. The benefits of this set-up can be seen in terms of both costs and supply security. The scalable production system enables the company to respond quickly and flexibly to market requirements. The high degree of automation, involving up to 400 robots in the final expansion stage, maximises efficiency. Comprehensive in-process monitoring, which includes the use of AI-based camera systems, and 100-per-cent end-of-line system checks in a clean-room environment ensure optimum quality.

Different recycling processes within the value chain

As electric mobility ramps up, there is an increasing focus on recycling of high-voltage batteries at the end of their lifecycle. Under a long-term partnership with SK tes – a leading provider of innovative technology lifecycle solutions – cobalt, nickel and lithium from end-of-life batteries are recovered from the BMW Group and integrated into the supply chain for the manufacture of new batteries. This closed-loop approach increases the efficiency and resilience of the BMW Group as part of a circular economy. The BMW Group will follow a similar path in the USA, Mexico and Canada up to 2026 with a separate partnership.

Innovative direct recycling at the BMW Group

The BMW Group is also exploring other recycling options in the value creation process. One example of this is the direct recycling method developed in-house. The BMW Group is working with its joint venture Encory to set up a competence centre for battery cell recycling in Lower Bavaria, where the company will put its direct recycling ideas into practice. This innovative process will enable residual materials from battery cell production and whole battery cells to be mechanically broken down into their valuable constituent components. The raw materials obtained in this way will be re-used directly in the pilot production process for battery cells at the company’s competence centres.

Technology-open approach for electric mobility: the new e-drive system of Gen6

The BMW Group has retained the principle of an electrically excited synchronous motor (EESM) for its Gen6 power unit. On this type of synchronous motor, the magnetic field in the rotor is generated by windings fed with direct current rather than permanent magnets. In this way, the strength of the rotor’s magnetic field can be optimally adjusted to the prevailing load conditions. This results in both excellent levels of efficiency at customer-relevant operating points and constant power output at high rotational speeds. As with the Gen5 version, the synchronous motor will be positioned above the rear axle and feature a compact housing incorporating the electric drive unit, power electronics and transmission. Many of the motor’s technical details were created with the help of patented expertise, with the rotor alone accounting for more than ten patent applications.

Neue Klasse additionally incorporates ASM technology

The Gen6 powertrain employs a second, additional electric motor technology in the form of the asynchronous motor (ASM). Here, instead of being generated by permanent magnets (PSM) or electrical excitation (EESM), the rotor’s magnetic field is induced by the stator. On this type of motor, the rotor takes the form of a metal cage. The asynchronous motor offers the advantage of a more compact design and superior cost efficiency. The ASM motor variants will be fitted at the front axle of Neue Klasse cars with BMW xDrive.

Extensive improvements to EESM technology

Besides the addition of ASM technology, the EESM technology has also undergone a major upgrade for Gen6: rotor, stator and inverter have all been fully designed for the new 800V architecture of the Gen6 tech in order to maximise drive system performance and efficiency. This has been further helped by a complete redesign of the oil and water cooling systems. In addition to this, the experts from the BMW Group have also succeeded in improving the electric motor and central housing in terms of their weight and rigidity too. The transmission still uses a two-stage helical design, but has been further optimised by enhancements to its geometry and cooling, lower friction levels and more pleasant acoustics. The electrically excited synchronous motor’s “brain”, the inverter, now features 800V technology along with silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors to boost efficiency. The inverter is completely integrated into the electric motor’s housing. Its task is to convert the DC power supply from the high-voltage battery to AC for use in the electric motor. The inverter was developed in-house by the BMW Group and is produced at Plant Steyr in Austria.

Lower weight, costs and energy losses – greater efficiency in the vehicle

The results obtained from intelligently incorporating new technologies into the electric powertrain while consistently enhancing existing systems make impressive reading. When compared to a Gen5 xDrive model, a future Neue Klasse model complete with EESM and ASM technology boasts the following improvements: energy losses have been reduced by 40%, costs by 20% and weight by 10%. By combining different types of electric motor, the BMW Group’s technology-open approach is therefore clearly in evidence within the field of electric mobility. In future, customers will be able to choose from models equipped with one, two, three or four electric motors to suit their individual preferences and requirements. The sixth generation BMW eDrive technology is a significant factor in the gain in overall vehicle efficiency of around 20 per cent for the Neue Klasse. This figure is based on a comparison with the current generation of all-electric vehicles from the BMW Group.

Modular concept provides crucial advantage for manufacturing electric motors

The manufacturing concept for the Gen6 electric drive system uses the principle of modular building blocks. This forms the basis for highly flexible manufacturing of various electric drive variants across the entire Neue Klasse model range. The modular "building block” concept leads to positive economies of scale and cost savings in development and production. It also has the effect of improving the scalability of production volumes. The modular approach ensures a high degree of flexibility in production, the supply networks and procurement.

The Gen6 electric drive systems: made in Steyr

Series production of the Gen6 electric drive systems will commence at BMW Group Plant Steyr in summer 2025. Pre-production already got underway at the Austrian facility in September 2024. The pre-production motors are undergoing rigorous testing and some are already being fitted in Neue Klasse test vehicles from Plant Debrecen. By 2030, the BMW Group will have invested over one billion euros at the site since the project’s launch in 2022 to expand its development and production expertise for electric drive systems. Thanks to the increase in capacity, the plant will retain its status as the BMW Group’s leading facility for drive systems. The plant has been developing and building combustion engines for the BMW and MINI brands for over 40 years. Plant Steyr’s many years of experience and high level of expertise in the field of drive systems make it the ideal site for manufacturing the Gen6 electric motors. Diesel and petrol engines continue to be manufactured there alongside the electric motors. By 2030, around half of the on-site employees should be working in electric mobility – a vital step for safeguarding the more than 4,700 jobs at the plant in the long term. In future, all key components of the innovative, highly integrated electric drive unit – i.e. the rotor, stator, transmission, inverter and housing – will be produced at Steyr. This will include manufacturing the inverters in an in-house clean room environment for the first time, thereby taking the engine plant into the realm of electrical engineering. The electric drive components will be built on two new assembly lines at Steyr.

Thermal management: complex interaction, crucial for performance
Thermal management involves highly complex interaction between various systems in an electric vehicle and is of critical importance for a host of performance parameters, including range, real-world consumption, acceleration and charging time. Thermal management is a question of constantly keeping the temperature of the electric motor, power electronics and high-voltage battery in the optimum range, while maintaining standards of passenger comfort at the same time. Efficient thermal management is important for fast charging too. Here, the battery temperature must be kept within a defined window in order to make optimum use of the available charging capacity. Unlike combustion engines, electric motors give off little heat. This means that, depending on the operating state, the battery and the passenger cell have to be not only cooled, but heated too. The Steyr site develops the thermal management systems for all electric vehicles from the BMW Group. The plant’s development centre is also responsible for the brain at the heart of the electric motor – the inverter.

BMW Group Plant Landshut – a multi-talented component manufacturer

BMW Group Plant Landshut is the BMW Group’s largest component plant anywhere in the world, supplying components to all the company’s vehicle and drive system plants. Its workforce of around 3,700 employees produces a broad spectrum of cutting-edge components for vehicles from the BMW Group. Working closely with the BMW Group’s Research and Innovation Centre (FIZ) in Munich, Plant Landshut plays a pivotal role as a hub of innovation for the automotive industry. It develops pioneering technologies and manufacturing processes that serve to maintain the company’s competitive edge. Over the course of the Neue Klasse project, the site is investing some €200 million in its light metal foundry to increase annual production capacity for the electric motor housings. The Injector Casting (ICA) process developed and patented in Landshut is a prime example of the plant’s innovative strength. This globally unique process is used to manufacture the electric motors’ highly complex aluminium housings that set new standards for lightweight design and functional integration.

In the event of enquiries please contact:

Corporate Communications

Christian Marxt

Spokesperson Production Network, Powertrain and High-voltage Batteries

Mobile: +49-151-601-79158

E-mail: Christian.Marxt@bmwgroup.com

Carolin Seidel

Spokesperson BMW Group Plant Landshut

Mobile: +49-151-601-90340

E-mail: Carolin.Seidel@bmwgroup.com

Florian Moser

Team Lead Purchasing and Supplier Network, Spokesperson Dr Joachim Post

Mobile: +49-151-601-62847

E-mail: Florian.Moser@bmwgroup.com

Bernhard Ederer

Spokesperson Drive Technology, Battery, Charging, Efficient Dynamics

Mobile: +49-176-601-28556

E-mail: Bernhard.Ederer@bmwgroup.com

Diana Schaidnagel

Spokesperson Sustainability

Mobile: +49-151-601-38407

E-mail: Diana.Schaidnagel@bmw.de

The BMW Group

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

In 2024, the BMW Group sold 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.

Munich. The BMW Startup Garage is celebrating its tenth anniversary. Its achievements so far: 4,700 startups assessed, joint projects with more than 220 fledgling companies from 26 countries, and a total of 30 startups now established as suppliers, service providers and an integral part of the BMW Group network.

The BMW Group’s venture client unit was founded in February 2015. The aim was to provide support for startups that could significantly benefit the company’s products, services and processes. But what’s special about this type of collaboration is that the business founders get to keep their stake in their company, as the BMW Group is involved not as an investor but as their client – a venture client. It assesses and accelerates their development with a view to making them suppliers and long-term partners.

“For the BMW Group, integrating innovative startups for a specific purpose is crucially important,” says Robert Hein, Head of the BMW Startup Garage, summing up his team’s first ten years of work. “We benefit from new ideas and perspectives we get from the collaboration and from the dynamism and agility of the startups. This allows us to make focused contributions to strong innovation development at the BMW Group.” But the startups themselves also reap the rewards: they have the backing of a strong partner who supports them as they develop their technologies and business models, and smooths the way for them to enter the automotive industry.

“In our anniversary year, we are going to continue our successful work and develop our global focus even further,” Hein announced. “We’re on the lookout across the globe for innovative startups working closely on future mobility.” Emerging companies can apply for a place on the venture client programme at any time via bmwstartupgarage.com.

Born in Garching, at home around the world

The BMW Startup Garage was launched in 2015 in Garching, just outside the city of Munich. Today it operates offices in Mountain View, Shanghai, Seoul, Tokyo, Tel Aviv and, since 2024, Greenville (USA). 18 employees currently work in the  global BMW Startup Garage network which, in combination with the venture capital arm BMW i Ventures, forms the startup ecosystem of the BMW Group. BMW i Ventures is based in Silicon Valley and Munich and invests in emerging startups with a formative influence on the future of the automotive industry, production and the supply chain.

From startup to BMW Group logistics partner. The Embotech success story

One example of how close collaboration between the BMW Startup Garage and a fledgling business can lead to a lasting cooperation is Embotech AG. The Swiss-based company developed a solution known as automated vehicle marshalling (AVM), which allows vehicles to move around BMW plant premises automatically. AVM is now an integral part of the BMW Group’s state-of-the-art production logistics, and Embotech – supported by the BMW Group since 2018 – is an established global logistics partner in which BMW i Ventures has held a stake since December 2024.

Spartanburg / Munich. Showcasing driving pleasure up to the physical limits is the BMW Group’s mission with its new high-performance test vehicle – the ##BMW Vision Driving Experience##. This Vision Vehicle is not destined for series production, but is instead serving as a rolling test rig for drivetrain and driving dynamics management technology developed specially for the Neue Klasse – the next generation of BMW vehicles – and referred to by BMW as the ##Heart of Joy##. The prototype car put the capabilities of the Heart of Joy to the ultimate test of endurance at the BMW Performance Driving Center in Spartanburg, USA. And the company provided exclusive insights into its development programme for the electric driving experience on board the Neue Klasse as part of a preview presentation. Every fully electric Neue Klasse model will benefit from the Heart of Joy. The first taller Neue Klasse electric model will go into series production later this year at Plant Debrecen in Hungary. The new Heart of Joy adds a fourth dimension – BMW’s hallmark Sheer Driving Pleasure – to the existing trio of Neue Klasse characteristics (electrical, digital, circular). Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, took to the stage at the IAA 2023 show holding the small black box. It is important to note that the control unit will go into series production, but the Vision Vehicle will not.

“The Heart of Joy enables us to take driving pleasure not just to the next level, but another one beyond that,” says Frank Weber, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Development. “In addition, we are further increasing efficiency, and therefore boosting range, as in future the driver will brake almost exclusively using energy regeneration. This is Efficient Dynamics squared.”

Computer processing now ten times faster

The Heart of Joy control unit for the drivetrain, brakes, charging, recuperation and steering subfunctions processes information ten times faster than previous systems. Working in tandem with the BMW Dynamic Performance Control software, the Heart of Joy computes all the driving dynamics functions with a whole new level of speed and precision. The software has been developed entirely in-house on the back of experience in the field of driving dynamics amassed by BMW engineers over more than a century. The Vision Vehicle develops 18,000 Newton metres (13,269 lb-ft) of torque. The reasoning behind this is that if the control system can deal with an explosion of power of this magnitude, it will be able to handle the demands of everyday driving with ease.

Energy recovery under braking (also known as recuperation) sees the drivetrain and braking functions of electric vehicles forming a symbiosis. In the innovative electronics architecture of the Neue Klasse, the Heart of Joy is one of four central control units and combines drivetrain and driving dynamics functions for the first time. These innovative control functions are protected by several patent applications. The high-performance unit controls acceleration and braking, vehicle stabilisation, dynamic steering functions and charging management. The central processing unit and perfectly coordinated BMW Dynamic Performance Control software developed in-house enable all connected actuators to respond directly and with minimal delay: latencies are in the millisecond range. By contrast, conventional systems have separate control algorithms for the drive system and brakes. This means the full handling potential of vehicles with powerful electric drive systems cannot be fully exploited.

Precise cornering and the smoothest stopping process in the history of the car

The driver and passengers here experience a harmonious and noiseless driving feeling – regardless of the situation and speed they are travelling at. In dynamic driving scenarios, the new Heart of Joy / BMW Dynamic Performance Control combination serves up cornering poise and assurance beyond compare. The car generates impressive traction and can be threaded through corners with exceptional precision. Fewer control inputs are required and the car’s line can be maintained with greater precision and stability. This helps the car to develop consistent, reproducible cornering behaviour and allows it to be steered more intuitively and smoothly. At low speeds – such as in stop-start driving or when parking – direct signal transmissions and rapid information processing ensure an even more compelling driving experience. In driving modes D or B, or when using Active Cruise Control, the parking brake or parking lock, stopping and restarting merge seamlessly into one another.

Recuperation fuels a 25 per cent increase in efficiency

Furthermore, integrated drivetrain, braking and energy recuperation control allows energy to be used more sustainably. 98 per cent of drivers do not need to make any inputs using the conventional brakes. The braking power generated using energy recuperation is sufficient for normal, everyday driving. Only under heavy braking, e.g. in an emergency situation, is intervention required from the friction brakes. All in all, this system increases efficiency by up to 25 per cent.

The BMW Vision Driving Experience test vehicle demonstrates how the Heart of Joy works using illuminating colour codes on the wheel rims: acceleration is indicated in green, energy recuperation in blue and braking using the friction brakes in orange.

Four totally new super-brains will go to work in the BMW of the future. These high-performance computers cleverly combine various elements that previously ran separately. The Heart of Joy was developed 100 percent within the company. It allows four important control units to be brought together within a single high-performance computer.

Another three super-brains are responsible for features including automated and highly automated driving, infotainment and basic functions such as climate control and comfort-enhancing systems, vehicle access, interior and exterior lighting.

World Premiere at Shanghai Auto Show

The BMW Vision Driving Experience will celebrate its official world premiere at ##Auto Shanghai## 2025.

Munich/Las Vegas. The BMW Group presents the driving and user experience of the future at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025 in Las Vegas. BMW is providing the first opportunity to experience the close-to-production version of the new BMW iDrive – complete with its centrepiece, BMW Panoramic Vision – at the event. The software underpinning it all is the new BMW Operating System X, which acts as the intelligence hub behind the new display and operating concept. The holistic system, with its modern, style-shaping design, will be introduced in all new BMW models from the end of 2025.
“High tech meets highly intuitive operation – a quarter of a century of pioneering work and technological leadership in operating concepts has been channelled into the new BMW Panoramic iDrive,” says Frank Weber, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Development.
“The foundations are provided by the new BMW Operating System X. With this advance, we are giving one of the world’s best and most comprehensive infotainment systems even greater capability and once again setting the industry benchmark in multimodal interaction. Starting with the first series-produced Neue Klasse model at the end of this year, the new BMW Panoramic iDrive will form an integral part of all future BMW models.” 

Four elements, one goal: consistent driver focus in characteristic BMW style.
The new BMW iDrive merges four central elements into a unique display and operating concept.

• BMW Panoramic Vision – a Head-Up Display concept newly developed by BMW for projecting content – reflects visible information from A-pillar to A-pillar onto a black printed surface in the lower section of the windscreen. This information is visible to all occupants.
  The most important driving information is projected directly into the driver's line of sight on the left-hand side of the BMW Panoramic Vision (in left-hand-drive cars), above the steering wheel. The driver can personalise the content in the central and right-hand areas of the BMW Panoramic Vision via the central display. The integration of the BMW Panoramic Vision creates a 3D effect for the driver and passengers.
• The new and optional BMW 3D Head-Up Display above the BMW Panoramic Vision now shows integrated navigation and automated driving information directly in the driver’s field of vision. The content in the BMW Panoramic Vision and BMW 3D Head-Up Display is presented in a neatly coordinated way.
  The level of innovation achieved by the two Head-Up display technologies is underlined by several patent applications from the BMW Group resulting from the development of these projection technologies.
• On the central display with matrix backlight technology, the familiar, updated menu structure with QuickSelect ensures optimal operation of the functions and content by touch. Operation is very easy and convenient, as the free-cut-design display is located close to the steering wheel in an ergonomically ideal position. Selected content (widgets) can be carried over to the BMW Panoramic Vision with a swipe on the central display. As many as six widgets are possible and they can be arranged as desired in the BMW Panoramic Vision.
• The new multifunction steering wheel uses BMW’s shy-tech approach, whereby the relevant buttons are illuminated to highlight available functions. The steering wheel serves as the primary physical control, and its buttons provide active haptic feedback. The buttons have a well-judged, relief-like surface, which makes them extremely easy to locate and means the driver can press them without needing to divert their gaze away from the road.
  The arrangement of the buttons follows the familiar principle of driver assistance functions being positioned on the left-hand side of the steering wheel and content-controlling functions on the right-hand side.
  
  

The combination of these four elements re-interprets BMW’s customary “hands on the wheel, eyes on the road” approach, with which BMW sets the benchmark for driver focus and presents a unique form of intuitive, use-friendly and ergonomically optimised operation. The BMW Panoramic iDrive always gives the driver the right information in the right place and at the right time. The system continues the approach of using an optimal combination of analogue and digital controls through the use of switches, buttons, touch and voice control. There are haptic switches for the windscreen wipers, turn signal indicators, exterior mirrors, volume control, gear selectors and window de-icers. Other functions are optimised for operation using touch/voice control or via the multifunction steering wheel, such as telephone functions, media control systems, navigation, assisted driving, personalisation of displays, selection of MyModes and much more besides.

Alongside data-driven learnings on the use of BMW Operating Systems across the global fleet of now more than 22 million connected BMW vehicles, the development phase of the new BMW Panoramic iDrive also included numerous studies conducted in the BMW Group’s usability labs, in which around 3,000 customers were involved. Every decision on the various aspects of the operating logic is therefore based on data and made in a structured manner. Here, the user experience’s extended scope for personalisation has also been aligned with customer preferences and requirements.

BMW Operating System X: intelligent, versatile, fit for the future.
The new BMW Operating System X represents an update of the latest operating system, as used in many BMW models, and is a wholly in-house development from BMW. Like BMW Operating System 9, it is based on an Android Open Source Project (AOSP) software stack. It offers even greater update and upgrade capability than the predecessor system, making it both fit for the future and backwards compatible. It is ready to accommodate additional functions and will keep vehicles equipped with the new BMW Panoramic iDrive at the cutting edge of technology over a long period of time.
“The overall concept of the new BMW Panoramic iDrive with Operating System X has been enabled by a large technological leap forward,” says Stephan Durach Senior Vice President Connected Company BMW Group. “It offers intuitive operation, emotionally engaging experiences and specific personalisation. The new BMW iDrive with Operating System X demonstrates the potential of a software-defined vehicle.”

The expanded intelligence of BMW Operating System X makes it possible to combine the BMW Panoramic Vision, optional BMW 3D Head-Up Display, central display and multifunction steering wheel with one another in such a way that physical and digital experiences merge. For example, an incoming call initially brings up a graphic on the BMW Panoramic Vision. At the same time, a symbol on the relevant steering wheel button that was not previously visible is illuminated in green, indicating the option of taking the call by pressing the button or rejecting it with a swipe on the right-hand side of the steering wheel.
When a navigation destination is entered by touch control or voice command, route guidance alerts are shown on the BMW 3D Head-Up Display and further information on roads and junctions on the BMW Panoramic Vision. A whole map overview can be shown on the central display at any time for broader-scale orientation.

The personalisation of content reaches a new level with BMW Operating System X. The displays in the Panoramic Vision can be adapted to personal preferences. In addition, drivers now also have the option of choosing their own settings for driving attributes such as response and steering characteristics in the My Mode “Personal”. Moreover, pictures chosen by the user can be uploaded as backgrounds for the Central Display and the colourway of the Ambient Lighting and user interface design adjusted to their particular preferences, creating an even more personalised driving experience.

The BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant responds in the accustomed way to the prompt “Hey BMW” or can be called up by pressing the respective button on the multifunction steering wheel. The capabilities of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant are being constantly enhanced and will be taken to a whole new level for the Neue Klasse through the integration of Large Language Models (LLM). The use of this technology is focused initially on navigation, allowing the customer to give more extensive spoken commands using natural language: for example: “Take me to a charging station which is close to a food store.” At technology partner Amazon’s booth at CES 2025, visitors can get an initial impression of these capabilities using a beta version of this build of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant in a BMW X3. 

As with the current infotainment systems from BMW, the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant can – if the driver desires – make suggestions proactively based on user behaviour. This intelligence expands further with BMW Operating System X. In relevant situations, the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant highlights driver assistance systems, which are rarely used by the driver. As a kind of reminder, the system suggests activating Sport Mode on suitable routes if the driver has already activated Sport Mode independently beforehand. If the driver doesn’t respond to or ignores these proactive suggestions several times, the system learns and refrains from making suggestions from then on. 

BMW Operating System X carries over the scope for integration of third-party apps from the previous infotainment generation. As things stand, the BMW ConnectedDrive Store offers more than 60 apps worldwide for BMW Operating System 9. The selection will continue to grow, e.g. with productivity apps such as video conferencing service Zoom.

Design and technology for a unique user and driving experience.
The new BMW Panoramic iDrive is scalable and will be integrated into all new BMW models – across all vehicle segments and with all drive system technologies – from the end of 2025.

The driving experience takes centre stage. The driver should feel at ease and have full control over the vehicle. This principle is reflected in the design of the new BMW Panoramic iDrive. Particular attention is paid to the details: the user interface has been designed as intuitively and adaptively as possible to ensure seamless interaction. The result is a holistic experience enhanced by a harmonious combination of sound, light and innovative design. Every journey becomes a special moment of connection between human and vehicle.
“Technology and customer preferences are changing more quickly than ever. The design of digital experiences and sound is playing an ever more important role,” says Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design. “The new BMW Panoramic iDrive not only makes our vehicles smarter and more user-friendly, it also enables much more extensive personalisation, which turns every new BMW into a car that is very much the user’s own.”
Another element in the holistic experience provided by the BMW Panoramic iDrive is the new HypersonX sound experience in the Neue Klasse models. Developed by the BMW Group Sound Design Studio, it comprises 43 sound signals and special driving sounds for Personal Mode and Sport Mode. The multi-dimensional spectrum adapts the sounds precisely to the driving situation at hand and, in so doing, creates an emotional interaction between the driver and their BMW.

Santa Clara, CA (US). The BMW Group and Airbus have pushed quantum computing forward another step to leverage its significant potential for future mobility solutions. At the Q2B Conference in Silicon Valley, the companies have unveiled the winners of the Quantum Computing Challenge, an international initiative to identify and mature quantum solutions for the most promising mobility applications.

Quantum computing has the potential to impact various industries by speeding up our responses to an array of computational challenges, from optimising supply chains and manufacturing processes to improving vehicle and aircraft engineering. Quantum-inspired algorithms, already able to run today on classical high-performance computers, can be used to impact the design of the next generation of mobility solutions and give us a glimpse of the significant impact real quantum algorithms will have on future mobility solutions.

"Quantum technology has the power to redefine innovation across industries. This year’s Airbus and BMW Group Quantum Computing Challenge underscores the importance of cross-industry partnerships in accelerating the journey from groundbreaking research to practical applications," said Robert Bruckmeier,General Manager Computing & Network Artificial Intelligence at BMW Group. "While we are still in the early stages, the progress made in this challenge reaffirms our belief in quantum technology’s potential to drive extraordinary advancements for the automotive industry.”

“The teams have achieved outstanding progress, and the results of this challenge confirm that quantum technologies have the potential to shape the next generation of aircraft,” said Isabell Gradert, Vice President Central Research and Technology at Airbus. “Quantum technology is no longer confined to only fundamental research. Even if it might still be a long way off, it’s clearly advancing towards industrial applications, and we must collaborate with the best experts in the world so that we can fully leverage its potential as soon as it becomes viable,” she added.

The results of the challenge will enable both companies to identify the most promising quantum computing applications to improve the way aircraft and cars are designed, manufactured and operated. A winning team was selected for each of five competition categories:

1. Quantum simulation: The team from the University of Southern California in the U.S. demonstrated that material behaviour such as energy absorption and binding properties can be better understood by using quantum technologies.
2. Quantum solvers: The team from the University of Hamburg in Germany credibly showed how quantum computing could be combined with classical computing solutions to solve complex equations to minimise aircraft noise and maximise aerodynamic efficiency.
3. Quantum-powered logistics: The team from 4colors Research, a start-up from the UK, used quantum computing to minimise CO₂ emissions and other costs required in the supply chain logistics process, a particularly complex challenge for the mobility sector.
4. Quantum machine learning: The team from Quandela, a start-up from France, explored to what extent quantum computing can enhance critical scenario generation, such as transforming limited daytime data into precise and realistic nighttime conditions. The potential application for mobility would be to improve the reliability of autonomous systems in diverse environments.
5. Open category: The team from TU Delft in the Netherlands provided a novel solution in q​uantum composite design. Their work stood out for its real-world applicability, specifically addressing optimisation techniques in the layering of carbon fibre materials. The weight-saving properties of carbon fibre are particularly important to reducing fuel consumption in the aviation and automotive industries.

All finalists in this competition were given access to quantum resources through Amazon Web Services (AWS) to run their algorithms, as well as an opportunity to work with aerospace, automotive and quantum experts from the BMW Group and Airbus.

Launched in December 2023 and hosted by The Quantum Insider, the Quantum Computing Challenge aims to inspire the global quantum computing community to take solutions out of the lab and put them into practice in the field of transportation. A jury composed of world-leading quantum computing experts – from academia to industry – teamed up with the BMW Group and Airbus to select five winners from more than 100 submissions. Each of the five winners was awarded a prize of €30,000.

Irlbach-Strasskirchen. The 1066th and thus the last pillar of the BMW Group's new assembly plant for high-voltage batteries is in place. Just 16 weeks, around 100 working days after the official start of construction at the end of June, a mobile construction crane brought the final concrete pillar of the central production building vertically. Overall, the assembly plant is clearly taking shape: prefabricated elements for fire-, interior- and outer-walls as well as stairwells have already been installed, concrete ceilings, roof structures including roof sheets and seals have already been built in. The concreting of the hall floor has begun in the already covered areas. Preparatory work has been carried out for the installation of the first façade elements. Despite difficult weather conditions in recent weeks, construction progress has thus been achieved according to plan.

Alexander Kiy, overall Project Manager Plant Construction in Irlbach-Strasskirchen: “We received construction permission for our new assembly plant just six months ago. In cooperation with the authorities, we were able to successfully complete one of Germany's fastest building permit processes in April 2024. In less than half a year, all pillars are now in place. The structure of the central production building is clearly visible.”

In the future, the sixth-generation high-voltage batteries for the Neue Klasse will be manufactured in the approximately 150,000 square meter building. The assembly site in Lower Bavaria is making a significant contribution to the expansion of e-mobility and will supply the Munich, Regensburg and Dingolfing vehicle plants with the latest, sixth generation of high-voltage batteries. The BMW Group is thus securing employment at its Bavarian plants and further expanding the pioneering role of e-mobility in Germany. When completed, around 1,600 people will initially be employed at this production site.

The Irlbach-Strasskirchen site is one of a total of five assembly plants worldwide for the new generation of high-voltage batteries.

Digital construction planning and cross-functional collaboration

Silvia Meyer, Head of High-Voltage Battery Real Estate Management in Lower Bavaria: “Cooperation across locations helps us a lot to implement the five similar construction projects worldwide at high speed. We benefit from the experience of projects with different degrees of progress. Beside us, our colleagues, who plan the assembly process and logistics, are already using digital production planning. It helps all of us. We identify interfaces at an early stage and discuss solutions in virtual space and can counteract potential collisions at an early stage.” In concrete terms, all processes, including transitions between the assembly stages, are simulated. For example, it is necessary to coordinate the space required for interim storage, which is necessary for the timely provision of the required parts at the respective location. The way in which these parts are delivered must be considered, as well as technical connections and free space for plant maintenance work.

Site operation functions located in side-buildings

As planned, construction of the side-buildings began in summer 2024. Construction work has begun for the company catering, the non-series material warehouse and the disposal center. The so-called terraced house houses the energy center, service center and the factory fire department.

The structure, including roof work, of the central production building is to be completed by the end of 2024. In 2025, the interior construction will be continued and the production systems for assembling the high-voltage batteries are being installed. After trial operation, series assembly will start in 2026.

Further information about the new location in Irlbach-Strasskirchen can be found on the project website — at www.bmwgroup-werke.com/irlbach-strasskirchen. The next opening dates for the information container on the construction site: October 25, November 15 and December 13 from 3 pm to 5 pm.

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.

Paris. Parallel to the market launch of the new BMW 1 Series, the new BMW X3 and the new BMW M5, the BMW Group will present the next steps in its unchanged product strategy at the Mondial de l'Auto Paris 2024. The focus is on the world premieres of the first all-electric MINI John Cooper Works models and the first joint motor show appearance of the latest concept studies of the BMW Neue Klasse, which will go into series production in 2025.

“The BMW Group is demonstrating its pioneering role in electric mobility at the Mondial de l'Auto Paris with a cross-segment range of electrified vehicles. Thanks to our attractive BEV product portfolio, we are able to grow our all-electric sales even in a demanding market environment. In the European market, we were even able to gain market share with the BMW brand,” says Jochen Goller, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Customers, Brands, Sales.

What BMW M is to BMW, JCW is to MINI. 
The new all-electric MINI John Cooper Works models.
With the world premiere of the all-electric MINI John Cooper Works Electric and the MINI John Cooper Works Aceman, the brand's long racing history is transferred to the here and now with innovative power. The two models effortlessly transfer motorsport expertise from the race track to the road. In addition to the exclusive, sporty design

and optimised aerodynamic driving characteristics, MINI fans can also look forward to the brand's hallmark agile handling. Click [here] for more information.

The roll-out of electrification to the John Cooper Works brand within MINI transmits another strong signal on how the BMW Group is committed to electric driving as a strategic direction.

At the same time, the Mondial de l'Auto Paris 2024 marks the ideal starting point for intensified communication in the further ramp up for BMW Neue Klasse, due for launch in 2025.

First joint appearance of the BMW Vision Neue Klasse and BMW Vision Neue Klasse X.
BMW is showing two Neue Klasse Vision Vehicles in Paris, which provide an outlook on the wide range of BMW's future model portfolio.
The BMW Vision New Class is a sporty electric sedan for the premium mid-range. The BMW Vision New Class X transfers the philosophy and technology of the future generation of vehicles to the Sports Activity Vehicle segment.

"With the two vision cars for Neue Klasse we are showing how we are going to change the look & feel of the BMW brand. Many aspects of our cars will be completely new and yet we believe that the Neue Klasse will reflect the very essence of the BMW brand", says Adrian van Hooydonk, head of BMW Group Design.

Both vehicles are characterized by a clear, reduced design language. In the interior, the next generation of BMW iDrive enables intuitive interaction between driver and vehicle. The combination of BMW Panoramic Vision, 3D Head-Up Display, Central Display and the new multifunction steering wheel redefine the BMW driver orientation. Click [here] for more information.

The new BMW iX2 features in-car entertainment highlight UNO® Car Party! And Paramount+.
With UNO® Car Party! in the BMW iX2, the BMW Group is showing the next in-car gaming highlight. Since the end of August 2024, the game has already been available in over 500,000 BMW and MINI vehicles via the AirConsole platform. In addition, it was only at the beginning of October that the BMW Group brought the popular subscription streaming service Paramount+ into the vehicle, offering subscribers access to a wide range of blockbusters, new originals and hit series such as Star Trek Discovery. Customers have access to in-car entertainment highlights in their vehicles with BMW and MINI Operating System 9 in conjunction with BMW Digital Premium or the MINI Connected Package*.

*Paramount+ subscription is not part of BMW Digital Premium/MINI Connected Package.

In addition to the outlook for the BMW Neue Klasse and new digital services, also hydrogen technology is key topic at the Mondial de l'Auto Paris 2024, as a further expression of the BMW Group's open technology drive strategy.

BMW will launch its first hydrogen-powered production model in 2028. 
After successfully testing the BMW iX5 Hydrogen pilot fleet worldwide, the BMW Group is now preparing for series production of vehicles with hydrogen drive systems in 2028. The series production models will be integrated into BMW’s existing portfolio. Hydrogen is recognized as a promising future energy carrier of the future, actingas an effective storage medium for renewable energy sources, helping to balance supply and demand and enabling a more stable and reliable integration of renewables into the energy grid.

Click [here] for more information.

The BMW Group is also showing the complete all-electric BMW and MINI product portfolio at Mondial de l'Auto Paris 2024. It now consists of more than 15 models, which cover all major market segments.

The motor show presentation is rounded off with the electric two-wheelers from BMW Motorrad for urban areas. Click [here] for more information.

The BMW Group stand at Mondial de l'Automobile Paris 2024 covers an area of 1,300 square metres. The fair is open to trade visitors on 14 October and to the general public from 15 to 20 October 2024.

Munich. The BMW Group is expanding its revolutionary driving experience with BMW M Mixed Reality, which breaks down the boundaries between the physical and virtual worlds through state-of-the-art VR/MR technologies. The vehicle itself becomes the controller - a unique 3D interaction between driver, vehicle and environment.

"Mixed reality" refers to the fusion of of physical and digital worlds into a seamless experience. BMW M first presented mixed reality technology at the Web Summit in Lisbon in November 2022 and has been continuously developing it ever since.

With BMW M Mixed Reality, fans and first movers can immerse themselves in a digital world while physically sitting at the wheel of a BMW M vehicle and controlling it.

First-ever multisensory multiplayer

The possibilities of virtual reality are boundless: On a secret mission, you enter the BMW M Garage and from there, you ascend to the top of the BMW M Rooftop Circuit. Surrounded by skyscrapers, two BMW M Mixed Reality customers now race against each other virtually in a multiplayer mode A new feature is that spectators with personified avatars can virtually watch the race live from the BMW M Mixed Reality Bridge. They do not have to be physically present in the area where the multiplayers are driving. They can be virtually connected using devices like the Meta Quest or Apple Vision Pro.

BMW M Mixed Reality will be presented again in Lisbon this year. For BMW M fans, BMW M Mixed Reality has been available in the singleplayer mode since autumn 2023 as part of the BMW M Driving Experience in Maisach, the world's first driving experience for customers.  

For BMW M fans, BMW M Mixed Reality has been available in the singleplayer mode since fall 2023 as part of the BMW M Driving Experience in Maisach, the world's first driving experience for customers.  The pilot project began this year at the BMW M Performance Driving School in California, USA.

Merging reality and the virtual world

The new BMW M Mixed Reality Rooftop Circuit was also a highlight at the presentation of BMW M Mixed Reality. Drivers had to evade virtual obstacles and collect BMW M coins in a shimmering metropolis. The BMW M135 vehicles were used, which thanks to technical refinements can be used as M Mixed Reality vehicles.

This includes very precise GPS positioning on the road surface in order to transfer position and movement to the virtual world. Every acceleration, every turn and every braking manoeuvre is transmitted to the virtual world without latency thanks to precise sensor technology and signal processing. Not only the movements of the vehicle are transmitted, but also those of the driver.

The technology for this is already integrated into the standardised in-vehicle systems of all BMW and BMW M automobiles. These systems are so precise that no additional sensors are required.

Another key element is the VR headset that the driver wears to experience the digital world. This headset must be connected to the vehicle's internal systems in order to synchronise movements and data in real time. Thanks to this equipment, various BMW M models can be used for BMW M Mixed Reality, regardless of the drive system. This includes vehicles with a conventional combustion engine such as the BMW M2 or BMW M4 as well as models with a fully electric powertrain such as the BMW i5 M60. In the future, BMW M can also imagine offering the new BMW M5 with M Mixed Reality. The technology is flexible and can be adapted to different vehicle platforms to provide a consistent and immersive mixed reality experience.

Digital innovations for the driving experience

BMW Group Mixed Reality is an answer to what future virtual experiences in the automotive sector could look like. At the current stage of development, it enables perfect controllability in every driving situation. Drifting will also be possible in the future, although no date has yet been set for when customers will be able to have this experience.

MINI also benefits from the BMW Group Mixed Reality umbrella: There are also plans to offer customers a multi-sensory mixed reality driving experience.

In addition, further applications in the field of vehicle development and professional training are already being investigated. For example, there is potential as a valuable addition to existing simulator driving in the dynamic driving area, without compromising driving safety, or in the development of driver assistance systems. On existing racetracks, a Professional Track Trainer could in the future display content such as the ideal line and braking points to drivers in order to train them to drive even more precisely. Current AR headset technology is not yet accurate enough for this ambitious use case.

In the event of enquiries please contact:

Corporate Communications

Christophe König, Head of BMW M GmbH and BMW M Motorsport Communications

Telephone: +49-176-601-56097

E-mail: Christophe.Koenig@bmw.de

Alexandra Landers, Head of Product and Brand Communication BMW

Telephone: +49-89-382-30871

E-mail: Alexandra.Landers@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 and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

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

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

www.bmwgroup.com

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Munich/Zagreb. Innovations often arise where experts from different areas and organizations come together. This is exactly what is happening now as part of a research cooperation between the BMW Group's Battery Cell Competence Center (BCCC) and the University of Zagreb's Regional Center of Excellence for Robotic Technology (CRTA).

The two partners are jointly developing solutions to improve the production of battery cells using artificial intelligence (AI). Doctoral candidates and students at the University of Zagreb are collecting and structuring existing production data. Based on this data, AI models are created that can identify certain patterns in the data. This allows them to make predictions on how production can be further optimized in terms of performance, quality and costs.

Battery cell know-how along the entire value chain

The BMW Group bundles its battery cell know-how in its competence centers in Munich and Parsdorf. At the Battery Cell Competence Center (BCCC) in the north of Munich, battery cells for future generations of high-voltage batteries are developed and manufactured in small quantities. State-of-the-art laboratories, research facilities and prototyping facilities cover the know-how along the entire battery cell value chain. The BCCC is complemented by the Cell Manufacturing Competence Center (CMCC) in Parsdorf. The best battery cell from the BCCC is scaled towards a series process at the pilot line in Parsdorf. The close, cross-departmental cooperation between development, purchasing and production uniquely links product and process at the BMW Group.

The importance of European knowledge exchange

The University of Zagreb contributes its expertise in the fields of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and computer science to this project. Both partners benefit from the continuous exchange of knowledge: "As a university, we offer the BMW Group access to the latest research results and innovative ideas, while our students benefit from the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge in practice," says Zdenko Tonković, Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture at the University of Zagreb.

Promoting young talents

Another aspect of this cooperation is the promotion of young talents. "Through this joint project, we inspire students for the BMW Group and the innovative work in our battery cell competence centers," explains Moritz Poremba, Head of Battery Cell Recycling Technology Development at the BMW Group. "Of course, we also hope to attract young talents to our company." The students benefit from the cooperation through intensive mentoring and the opportunity to expand their professional network in the industry. This increases their attractiveness on the job market and offers them excellent career opportunities. The cooperation between the BMW Group and the University of Zagreb strengthens the innovative power and competitiveness of both partners.

Munich. The BMW Startup Garage and the Munich-based company DeepDrive are set to road-test a revolutionary electric motor. The concept features dual rotor technology and is expected to enable super-efficient, powerful drives that offer plenty of range. After a successful pilot project with promising results on the test rig, the BMW Group and DeepDrive are now planning their first field test. Various versions of the new drive will be installed into BMW Group models and their handling tested out on the road.

DeepDrive’s innovative concept more or less melds two electric motors into a single unit, creating an extremely compact drive that’s energy-efficient and has a high torque density. In a conventional electric motor, the stator moves either an internal or an external rotor; with DeepDrive’s dual rotor concept, the stator drives both rotors simultaneously. The compact design and light weight of the unit allow for an in-wheel drive system, in which each wheel hub has its own electric motor. The technology can also be used in a traditional, centralised drive system, where a central motor block powers the vehicle.

BMW values the maturity level and scalability potential of the DeepDrive innovation.
BMW was the first major manufacturer to discover DeepDrive and has been intensifying collaborations with them since the IAA 2021. Their technology is already remarkably mature: “DeepDrive’s prototype parts largely exceeded our specifications,” says Karol Virsik, Head of Research Vehicle Concepts and Technologies at the BMW Group. “That’s really unusual at such an early stage and with a completely new technology.”

After a stint on the test rig, the proof of concept was deemed successful, delivering top results. The next step is to perform a real-world validation out on the road. The in-wheel motors will require less space and be more energy-efficient, lighter and less costly, making them an attractive option for a wide range of vehicle models and potentially highly scalable. “DeepDrive has developed an exciting vision for the electric drive of the future,” said Virsik. “The Startup Garage allows us to experiment with DeepDrive and work out what drives might look like in the generation after next.”

DeepDrive is now collaborating with other manufacturers and major suppliers as well, such as Continental. In 2024, their motor concept was honoured with the German Innovation Award. “Collaborating with BMW gave us a springboard really early on,” said Felix Pörnbacher, co-founder and co-CEO of DeepDrive. “It helped us navigate the complex corporate world and meet and exceed the rigorous standards of the automotive industry. Our goal now is to get it integrated into a production model.”

Collaborating with startups accelerates innovations at the BMW Group.
The BMW Startup Garage operates as a venture client, implementing groundbreaking technologies developed by startups and enhancing the BMW Group’s capabilities in innovation, sustainability and operational performance. The venture client model was established in 2015, with BMW acting as a customer and working closely with young companies to develop their technologies. “The BMW Startup Garage is an excellent opportunity to connect with startups. We then carry on working with the best of them,” said Virsik. “Startups are really important to us because they think unconventionally and out-of-the-box. They give us new perspectives.”

Munich. BMW is the first carmaker in the world to receive approval for a combination of a Level 2 driving assistance system (the BMW Highway Assistant) and a Level 3 system in the form of the BMW Personal Pilot L3 in the same vehicle. The new BMW 7 Series therefore sets a milestone in the field of automated driving by offering a unique opportunity to enjoy the benefits of both systems in the same car.

BMW Highway Assistant (Level 2): greater comfort on long journeys.
This advanced Level 2 feature enhances comfort significantly on long-distance journeys especially thanks to its ability to operate at speeds up to 130 km/h (81 mph). The BMW Highway Assistant is an additional function of the Steering and Lane Control Assistant that can be used on motorways with structurally separated carriageways. On such stretches of road, the driver is able to take their hands off the steering wheel for longer periods and position them comfortably, provided they continue to pay attention to what is happening on the road and are able to take over the steering again at any time.

While driving in partially automated mode, the BMW 7 Series Sedan is also able to make lane changes without the driver having to take hold of the steering wheel again. This is made possible by the Active Lane Change Assistant, which performs the necessary steering movements for the overtaking manoeuvre and adjusts the vehicle’s speed as required as soon as the traffic situation permits. Plus, the driver is able to initiate a lane change suggested by this system by simply looking in the exterior mirror to confirm it.

BMW Personal Pilot (Level 3): allowing other in-car activities in traffic jams.
Highly automated Level 3 driving means drivers can take their hands off the steering wheel and temporarily turn their attention away from the road. The BMW Personal Pilot L3 feature in the 7 Series offers a whole new driving experience by enabling drivers to fully delegate the task of driving to their car under certain conditions at speeds up to 60 km/h (37 mph) and look away from the road. Highly automated systems are capable of completely taking over the driving in specific situations, e.g. in traffic jams on the motorway. This even lets drivers carry out other in-car activities, such as making phone calls, reading, writing messages, working or streaming videos. However, the driver must always be prepared to reassume control within a few seconds when prompted by the car, for example when there are roadworks.

The combination of all these driving assistance systems within a single vehicle represents a significant advance and offers a comprehensive set of functionalities for a more comfortable, more relaxing drive over both long and short journeys. “We are setting new standards in the automotive industry by combining both technologies in the new BMW 7 Series,” says Dr. Mihiar Ayoubi, Senior Vice President Driving Experience BMW Group. “In the process, we are underlining our commitment to offering our customers a safe, comfortable and innovative driving experience.”

The BMW Highway Assistant and Driving Assistant Professional are both part of the optional BMW Personal Pilot L3, which is available exclusively in Germany priced at € 6,000 (incl. VAT). Drivers of cars equipped with the optional BMW Personal Pilot L3 that have already been delivered will be able to add the BMW Highway Assistant to its range of functions free of charge from 08/24.

Munich/Basel. Hydrogen as a sustainable source of energy and movement is the central theme of BMW's program at this year's Art Basel in Basel. BMW, which has been a partner of Art Basel for 20 years, has commissioned London-based artist Es Devlin to create a series of multi-media works which will be unveiled on 10 June. In Hall 1.1 of the art fair Devlin has created a booth displaying four works: Surfacing (2024), Surfacing II (2024), Mask (2018), and Mask in Motion (2018). As an opening chapter, Devlin and BMW also present a series of mobile sound installations within a pilot fleet of BMW iX5 Hydrogen vehicles* which have been enveloped in prints of Devlin’s collaged paintings. Passengers are invited to listen in on the artist’s conversation with BMW engineers about the potential of hydrogen.

“The works on innovation and mobility created by Es Devlin for Art Basel offer an impressive example of how technology can serve as inspiration for art,” says Michael Rath, Head of Hydrogen Vehicles, BMW Group. “We are very proud of the radiance of the BMW Group's pioneering hydrogen technology.”

The BMW iX5 Hydrogen: Pioneer and trailblazer of BMW’s technological expertise.
As a versatile energy source, hydrogen will play a key role in the energy transition and thus in climate protection. The BMW iX5 Hydrogen combines the advantages of locally emission-free electric drive with the driving pleasure typical of the brand. Another advantage: the quick and uncomplicated refuelling process. The company is currently testing the vehicle with hydrogen fuel cell technology in selected countries under everyday conditions. The world tour of the pilot fleet will now make a stop at Art Basel 2024, where the innovative hydrogen vehicles will be available as a shuttle service.

For the BMW Group, the pilot project is an expression of its open-technology approach to the mobility of tomorrow. The hydrogen fuel cell technology provides an additional supplement to battery-electric drive systems.

The powertrain of the vehicle developed on the basis of the BMW X5 consists of an innovative combination of fuel cells with an output of 125 kW/170 hp, which uses energy from gaseous hydrogen to drive an electric motor from the BMW Group's Gen 5 programme together with a specially developed battery. This generates a maximum system output of 285 kW/401 hp. The hydrogen tanks of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen can be refuelled within three to four minutes and enable a range of 504 kilometres according to the WLTP test cycle.

Es Devlin to create a series of multi-media works which will be unveiled on 10 June at Art Basel in Basel 2024.
In Hall 1.1 of the art fair Devlin has created a booth displaying four works: Surfacing (2024), an illuminated cube of rain penetrated by a line of light and Surfacing II (2024), a pair of painted televisions in which a dancing figure appears to displace pixels and pigment, are flanked by Mask (2018) a projection-mapped model city fusing hands and river, and Mask in Motion (2018) a revolving illuminated translucent printed city which meshes viewers within its kinetic shadow.

Each work continues Devlin's 30 year exploration of the entangled dance between humans and technology. The booth surprises visitors each hour as Surfacing's box of rain, like a magician's apparatus, conjures a 7 minute dance work by renowned Paris-based choreographer Sharon Eyal with music composed by London-based duo Polyphonia. 

A meeting of artist and engineers.
Devlin has spent the past year engaging with engineers at BMW, learning the mechanics behind the hydrogen fuel cell technology and its implications for the future of sustainable energy systems. As an opening chapter to the works on view in Hall 1.1, she has created a simple soundscape drawn from their conversations and underscored by composers Polyphonia which is played to guests in the pilot fleet of BMW iX5 Hydrogen vehicles.

Devlin says: “I learned from the BMW engineers the beautiful symmetry of the system at work within the hydrogen fuel cell: the energy that is used to separate hydrogen atoms from oxygen is recreated when the oxygen is reunited with hydrogen within the car. The by-product is not only the energy which propels the vehicle, but water.”

The exterior of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen has been wrapped in a painted blue and white collage in which Devlin overlays paintings and text made in response to the prints and literature which populated her wall and bookshelves as a teenager. Painted gestures echoing the 1831 woodcut ‘The Great Wave off Kanagawa’ by Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai, are superimposed over hand written extracts from literature’s longest sentence about water drawn from James Joyce’s seminal novel ‘Ulysses’. Underlying the collage are excerpts from BMW Group publications on hydrogen fuel cell technology.

SURFACING.
Visitors can sign up to book their seat at the hourly rituals here.
Thursday, 13 June - Sunday, 16 June 2024
Art Basel in Basel, Hall 1.1
Messeplatz 10, 4005 Basel, Switzerland

Landshut. BMW Group Plant Landshut is continuing to ramp up production capacity – by expanding the manufacturing facilities for the central housing of the highly integrated electric drive unit to be fitted in Neue Klasse models. The BMW Group is investing a further €200 million to this end, bringing the total channelled into the German factory site since 2020 to around €1 billion.

Of this, some €500 million has been used for the plant’s expansion to cover electric mobility. Annual production capacity for fifth-generation and sixth-generation aluminium housings increases by around 30 percent. The new model generation will therefore benefit from the know-how of the company’s largest component manufacturing site.

“We are continuously expanding our site’s expertise in both the production of our cutting-edge components and the development of new technologies,” says Thomas Thym, Head of BMW Group Plant Landshut. “This skill set provides us with the flexibility we are going to need in the future.” Manufacturing the central housing for the sixth-generation drive technology in the Neue Klasse represents a further step in the plant’s transformation to electric mobility.

A brand new production hall is currently being built that will be spread over three levels. In future, production will take place here on two production lines covering an area of 12,000 square metres using the pioneering injector casting process. Injector casting ensures that parts are cast with optimum mechanical properties. It has the additional effect of shortening the cycle time and, as a result, reducing energy consumption considerably while also cutting carbon emissions due to the lower casting temperature. This method results in reduced consumption of resources too as it requires less return material.

In January of this year, the BMW Group purchased a plot of land directly adjacent to Plant Landshut that is about 30,000 square metres in size and has been earmarked for further expansion of production in the future. This strategic acquisition is a key element in the plant’s ability to respond to future demand. A final decision on how exactly the new land is to be used will be made at a later date. 

3D printing technology for large-scale production of complex sand cores
Besides the major expansion of production space in the light metal foundry, the plant is also investing in a state-of-the-art technology for manufacturing its sand cores. These sand cores are deployed in six different cylinder head variants for production of BMW engines worldwide. The plant makes up to 4,500 units on 17 printers daily in a large-scale 3D printing process. The sand cores are moulded by printing them layer by layer on a print head system using emission-free and environment-friendly inorganic binders.

Ongoing training programme forms backbone for transformation
A broad-based training initiative is being put in place to accompany the site’s gradual transformation. In order to meet future technological needs, the plant is focusing primarily on skills in the areas of robotics, quality and process management, electrical and electronic analysis, maintenance and logistics.

Anna Sponsel, Head of Human Resources at BMW Group Plant Landshut, says: “I am convinced that targeted training modules are exactly what we need to address the changing skill requirements in our industry and counter the shortage of specialist workers.” One such module is a twelve-month electrics and electronics retraining course to qualify as an industrial electrician, which the company is offering to both internal employees and external applicants who take up a position with the BMW Group. Since last year, Plant Landshut has also been setting new standards with its own quality management dual study programme. 17 students per year can commence their dual programme of studies at Plant Landshut and then complete them over the course of national and international assignments.

Last year, Plant Landshut recruited more than 250 new employees and currently has a workforce of around 3,700 people. During 2024, the region’s largest employer is again set to take on hundreds of new people, focusing mainly on temporary employees who are already working at the site.

Production volumes last year 
As well as manufacturing components for the company’s all-electric models, Plant Landshut also stands out with its highly flexible production system. The site in Lower Bavaria continues to manufacture propeller shafts, crankcases, cylinder heads and engines on a demand-driven basis for the efficient ICE models in the product portfolio. 

In 2023, BMW Group Plant Landshut produced a total of around 3.6 million cast components, 430,000 plastic components for vehicle exteriors, over 300,000 CFRP parts, 286,000 cockpits, 1.4 million propeller shafts and 20,000 special engines. Cockpits for the BMW 5 Series, BMW 6 Series, BMW 7 Series and BMW iX and instrument panels in base, artificial leather, leather, microfibre and fabric trim are made in Landshut, together with structural components, roofs and bonnets made from CFRP, glove compartments, bumpers, spoilers and trim elements.

As well as Plant Landshut, the BMW Group’s in-house component manufacturing network also includes the facilities in Dingolfing, Wackersdorf, Munich, Leipzig, Berlin and Shenyang (China). Together these supply components to the company’s Digital, Powertrain, Driving, Exterior & Interior and High-voltage battery & Charging technology clusters. Purchasing, Development and Production work closely with one another to ensure the transfer of technology within the company when it comes to product, development and manufacturing innovations.

Munich, Pune (India). The BMW Group and Tata Technologies, a global product engineering and digital services company, have announced that they have signed an agreement to form a JV with the aim to establish a software and IT development hub with locations in Pune, Bangalore and Chennai, India. The main development and operations activities shall be established at Bangalore and Pune. In Chennai, the focus shall be on business IT solutions. The execution of the JV agreement is subject to review and approval by the relevant authorities.

Embodying the ethos of ‘Engineer in India for the World’, the JV will leverage Tata Technologies’ digital engineering expertise and talent pool in India to contribute to the BMW Group’s strategic expansion of software coding capabilities across global IT hubs and 24/7 operations. The JV will focus on strategic software development, including solutions for software defined vehicles (SDV). In automotive software, the focus will be on automated driving, infotainment and digital services. In business IT, the emphasis will be on digitalization and automation of product development, production and sales. From the inception of this JV, 100 trained and experienced TATA Technologies professionals will ensure robust and immediate contribution to software projects. The JV is likely to grow quickly to a four-digit number in the following years.

Christoph Grote, Senior Vice President of Software and E/E Architecture at BMW Group said: “Our collaboration with Tata Technologies will accelerate our progress in the field of the software defined vehicle. In international comparison, India boasts a large number of talents with outstanding software skills, who can contribute to our software competence. Developing vehicle software for the BMW Group means working with top-class processes and tools, which in turn gives Indian software engineers the chance to shape state-of-the-art, premium automotive experiences in future fields such as highly automated driving and artificial intelligence.”

“The expansion of international DevOps* hubs has clearly proved to be a successful model for the BMW Group,” said Alexander Buresch, CIO and Senior Vice President of BMW Group IT. “I am therefore extremely pleased that we have found a strong and valued technology partner with Tata Technologies and are now also expanding our footprint in India.”

Commenting on the collaboration, Warren Harris, CEO and MD of Tata Technologies, said, “Our collaboration with the BMW Group demonstrates our commitment to providing top-tier solutions in automotive software and digital engineering to customers across the world. Aligned with our vision of engineering a better world, we’re excited to bring our expertise to the forefront, aiding BMW Group in engineering premium products, delivering great digital experiences for their customers and propelling its digital transformation journey in Business IT.”

Nachiket Paranjpe, President of Automotive Sales at Tata Technologies, commented, "In the evolving automotive landscape, the journey towards software-defined vehicle represents a pivotal shift in automotive software and vehicle development methodologies. We will leverage our deep domain knowledge and SDV expertise to collaborate with the BMW Group towards engineering vehicles that are not just technologically advanced but deliver exceptional experiences to consumers around the globe."

This collaboration between Tata Technologies and BMW Group represents a shared vision of innovation and excellence in automotive engineering and digital solutions.

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

Consistent, demand-oriented expansion of worldwide software expertise.

Thanks to the global distribution of the BMW Group's software hubs, software is developed and integrated in real time in the cloud around the clock. The global development team for vehicle software is already creating up to 140,000 software builds per day across the entire ECU software (1 build = 1 source code change/creation that can be executed in the vehicle software, including automated testing).

The BMW Group started its own automotive software development over 20 years ago. Since then, it has continuously expanded its global network of development teams for both automotive software and business IT solutions. For several years now, IT- & Software Hubs in Germany, the US, 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. Combining software for digital vehicle environments and business IT synergistically according to the DevOps principle provides major advantages, particularly when it comes to backend and application development and operation. In total, over 9,400 people work in IT and software development for the BMW Group and its Joint Ventures worldwide and the company continues to build up skills successively and demand-based.

Just recently, the BMW Group had announced the signing of a JV contract with regard to the establishment of a new IT and software hub in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. In the future, this JV will provide development services for business IT in Europe, including software development for human resources, production, sales and BMW Group Financial Services. Execution of this contract is still subject to review and approval by the relevant authorities.

* DevOps is a method of software development that improves collaboration between developers (Dev) and operators (Ops) to enable faster and more efficient delivery of software and services.

Munich. Starting today, BMW customers in France and Germany can activate the Personal eSIM of their vehicle with Transatel’s Ubigi 5G data plans to enjoy additional infotainment features and WiFi connectivity, irrespective of their primary network operator for their regular smartphone subscription. The service will be available for BMW vehicles with BMW Operating System 8, 8.5 and 9* with the option Personal eSIM (SA6PA). Depending on the vehicle model, the Personal eSIM enables the in-vehicle WiFi-Hotspot, first-row video streaming services and in the case of 7 series vehicles equipped with the BMW Theatre Screen, a wide variety of entertainment powered by Amazon Fire TV.

Following Germany and France, the service will soon be rolled out to other European countries, too. To activate it in eligible BMW vehicles, owners can conveniently configure their Personal eSIM through the My BMW App and subscribe to Ubigi’s European data plans (EU 27 + UK + CH). Cost of the service is €10 per month for unlimited data allowance**.

Dr. Céline Laurent-Winter, Vice President Connected Vehicle Platforms at BMW Group: “The partnership with Ubigi now offers our customers additional flexibility connecting their vehicle with an unlimited data plan. This enables even more digital content in our BMW fleet.”

“Since 2018, our footprint in the connected car industry has been significantly growing and we look forward to our extended connectivity partnership with BMW Group in the coming years,” said Jacques Bonifay, CEO of NTT DATA’s global MVNO Transatel.

* The function Personal eSIM is not yet active in vehicles with BMW Operating System 9. It is expected to be enabled over-the-air at a later point in 2024.

** Fair Use Policy with 100 GB high speed and roaming in 27 countries in Europe. 

Munich. The BMW Group is endowing RWTH Aachen University with a new professorship in "Quantum Information Systems" in the Department of Computer Science. Last Wednesday saw the official inauguration of Prof Dr Dominique Unruh, who will head the chair. In addition, the funding of an endowed chair at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has already been approved for 2021. The Chair of Quantum Algorithms and Applications will be headed by Prof. Dr Barbara Kraus.

Alexander Buresch, Senior Vice President BMW Group IT, explains the BMW Group's commitment: "Our goal is to create an open software ecosystem that optimally integrates quantum software and hardware and thus accelerates the industrialisation of automotive applications. This is precisely where endowed professors at universities such as the Technical University of Munich and RWTH Aachen make an important contribution to jointly creating pioneering innovations." While the TUM chair lays the algorithmic foundations for industry-relevant applications, the RWTH chair creates concrete software solutions and the necessary software expertise.

Over the past seven years, the BMW Group's commitment to research into quantum computing has led to an increasingly far-reaching understanding of the technology. At the same time, the company is reaching the limits of conventional hardware due to ever larger and more complex optimisation problems, simulations and applications of artificial intelligence. The BMW Group is an established part of the quantum computing ecosystem and an innovation leader in the automotive sector. With a targeted collaboration strategy, the BMW Group is utilising synergies and driving forward the field of quantum computing research while already exploiting the advantages of this technology in its value chain.

"For years, we have been involved in many consortium projects in the fields of battery production, artificial intelligence and system engineering, in bilateral contract research and in the joint organisation of education and research, and now we are also increasingly active in the promising field of quantum computing technology. As a mentor for this exciting and important future topic for the BMW Group, I am looking forward to working with Prof Dr Unruh and Prof Dr Kraus and to the results of our joint research," says Stefan Floeck, Senior Vice President Product Line MINI and Compact Class BMW.

Powerful optimisation algorithms, simulations and artificial intelligence in the areas of planning, production and logistics - this requires more and more computing power due to the growing complexity and problem sizes. Quantum computing was identified back in 2017 as a potential answer to the end of Moore's Law, which means that the computing power available worldwide will no longer continue to increase exponentially as before. The BMW Group therefore established a dedicated quantum computing team that is already contributing to the company's value creation by reformulating real-world problems from development, production, distribution and many other areas and solving them with quantum (inspired) algorithms. In collaboration with Amazon Web Services, for example, the movements of robot arms during the sealing of the underbody were optimised and it was discovered that quantum computing-inspired algorithms have the potential to reduce the cycle time at the Munich plant by up to 10%.

Other promising use cases include the simulation of battery and fuel cells, numerical simulations of vehicle aerodynamics and acoustics, efficient training of machine learning models and many other areas. Today, the processing of such computationally intensive processes often represents the bottleneck in the development of new applications and products.

The BMW Group is a co-founder of the QUTAC consortium, in which eleven of the largest German companies are working together to advance quantum computing from an industrial perspective and conduct application-related research. The BMW Group is also a member of a total of four funded projects that bring together excellent academic partners with commercial enterprises and start-ups with different focuses in order to investigate the potential of quantum computing using real industry use cases.


In the event of enquiries please contact:

BMW Group Public Communications

Janina Latza, Spokesperson BMW Group IT: Emerging Technologies, Innovations & Cyber Security
Telefon: +49-151-601-12650
E-Mail: Janina.Latza@bmw.de


Christophe Koenig, Head of Digital and Driving Experience Communications
Spokesperson Digital Car, Automated Driving & Driving Assistance Systems
Telefon: +49-89-382-56097
E-Mail: Christophe.Koenig@bmwgroup.com


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

E-Mail: presse@bmw.de

BMW Group Technology Office USA Celebrates 25 Years in Silicon Valley with the North American Debut of the BMW 
Vision Neue Klasse. 

• Advanced R&D facility is one of six BMW Group offices located in key technology hotspots around the world focused on emerging technologies, user-centered thinking, and product design to envision the future of BMW Group products.
• BMW Group Member of the Board of Management, Development, Frank Weber to headline a panel discussion entitled “Humanizing Tech,” moderated by David Pogue.
• BMW Group Technology Office USA opens its doors to media, stakeholders, industry leaders, and partners for a series of immersive workshops, exclusive product previews, and mixed reality, multi-sensory interactive driving experiences. 

Mountain View, California – December 2023 The BMW Group Technology Office USA is celebrating 25 years in Silicon Valley with an event featuring immersive workshops, exclusive technology demonstrations, and exciting mixed reality, multi-sensory driving experiences at Levi's Stadium. The celebration will be highlighted by the North American debut of the BMW Vision Neue Klasse and a panel discussion entitled “Humanizing Technology,” with insights from BMW Group Member of the Board of Management, Development, Frank Weber. Weber will be joined by Futurist, Neuroscientist & Technologist Poppy Crum, Head of Trust & Safety at Airbnb Naba Banerjee, and Head of Product at Meta for Work Micah Collins. The conversation will be moderated by renowned technology expert, David Pogue.

“Cutting-edge technological ideas with a lot of potential, developed in the world’s beating heart of high-tech, and perfected in our worldwide innovation network. This is how our BMW Tech Office in Mountain View works,” said Weber. “I am very excited to see what visionary impulses for our ground-breaking innovations our team will keep on creating in the future.”

As an advanced R&D facility, BMW Group Technology Office USA is focused on emerging technologies, user-centered thinking, and product design to envision the future of BMW Group products.  A team of creative thinkers, visionaries, and engineers are charged with exploring what’s possible, and pushing the envelope to create the best, and most innovative experiences for BMW Group customers. For the first time the BMW Group Technology Office USA opens its doors to media, stakeholders and partners for an inside look and showcase of some of their past, present, and future projects.

„Innovation is in the core of the BMW brand. Our global Technologies Offices Network connects us with the TOP tech regions worldwide. 25 years ago the BMW Technology Office USA has initiated this successful collaboration model. Our team in California has established a large number of fruitful collaborations and many meaningful innovations for our products and services. When I think of the multitude of projects that are currently in the pipeline there are a lot more awesome things to come.” says Rudolf Bencker Senior VP BMW Group Inventions and Innovations Management.

Global Network. 
BMW Group Technology USA became the first BMW Group technology research and development office located outside of Munich when it first opened in Silicon Valley in 1998. Originally based in Palo Alto, the office moved to its current location in Mountain View in 2011.
Today, BMW Group Technology Office USA it is part of a global network of BMW Group technology offices, which are strategically based in key technology hotspots around the world and a critical aspect of the company’s open innovation approach. In addition to Silicon Valley, and Munich, locations include Seoul, Shanghai, Tel Aviv, and Tokyo.

The goal and collective mission of this expansive network is to collect local insight, identify emerging technologies, and work with key partners to envision the future of BMW Group products and customer experiences.

The North American Premiere of the BMW Vision Neue Klasse.
First shown at the International Auto Show (IAA) in Munich in September, the BMW Vision Neue Klasse will make its North American debut. Built on the three pillars of electrification, digitalization, and circularity, the Vision Neue Klasse represents a “New Class” of BMW vehicles which will begin arriving in 2025.

Immersive Workshops – what will be presented:
In a series of workshops, participants will get a behind-the-scenes look at some of the past and present projects developed at the facility, including:

• The AR/VR Journey and its Evolution: Explorations in augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), and potential future applications - including hands-on demonstrations of early product prototypes.
• Intelligent Personal Assistant (IPA):  A preview of BMW Group’s next generation in-vehicle voice assistant technology.

• Innovation Mindset: Insight from the office’s team of explorers, creators, and builders, and how being located in the U.S. and Silicon Valley impacts their work, featuring a rare look at some previously unreleased projects.
• Electric Vehicle Battery Development: A discussion on future electric vehicle battery technology with BMW Group’s independent venture capital firm, BMW i Ventures, focused on their strategic investments in this space and collaboration with BMW Group Technology Office USA.

In addition: Interactive Driving Experiences.
A series of interactive driving experiences at Levi’s stadium - from a mixed-reality driving experience and a multi-sensory dynamic scent journey, to a first-ever in-car demonstration of Meta’s Quest headset.

• Mixed Reality Driving Experience: A demonstration of how BMW can use mixed reality technology to bring real cars onto virtual racetracks. In this interactive experience, participants will get behind the wheel of a BMW M4 and drive on a closed course while wearing a VR headset to experience the merging of the virtual and physical worlds.
• Innovation Mindset – Intelligent Dynamic Scent Journey: Attendees will go on a dynamic scent journey during this demonstration of project developed at BMW Group Technology Office USA, that went unreleased so far.  Passengers will enjoy a multisensory experience that is shaped by the context of the drive and the world around them. 

• Mixed Reality Meta Quest Driving Experience: BMW Group and Meta are pioneering research and exploring potential use cases for extended reality devices within the digital vehicle ecosystem. This is a first-time, in-vehicle demonstration of the ability to accurately display stable virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) content to passengers in a fast-moving car, even when making turns, going over speed bumps, and accelerating. By integrating Meta Quest’s tracking system with BMW’s sensor data, the researchers enabled a series of stable “car-locked” gaming, entertainment, productivity, and meditation experiences.

• Digital Key Demonstration: This session will discuss BMW’s critical role in developing an early proof of concept for using smartphones as a digital vehicle key, which has enabled an industry standard and opened the door for additional vehicle-related smartphone functionality.

 
In the event of enquiries please contact:
BMW Group Corporate Communications

Christophe Koenig
Head of BMW Group IT, Digital and Driving Experience Communications
Mobile: +49-176-601-56097
E-Mail: Chrsitophe.Koenig@bmw.de


Bernhard Ederer
Communication BMW Group Innovation, Powertrain Technologies
Mobile: +49-176-601-28556
E-Mail: Bernhard.Ederer@bmwgroup.com


Almut Stollberg 
Head of Communication BMW Group Innovation, Design, Technology, Digital Car
Mobile: +49-151-601-96543
E-Mail: Almut.Stollberg@bmw.com

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

Santa Clara (CA), 6 December 2023 - Airbus and BMW Group launch a global Quantum Computing Challenge entitled “The Quantum Mobility Quest” to tackle the most pressing challenges in aviation and automotive that have remained insurmountable for classical computers.

This challenge is the first-of-its-kind, bringing together two global industry leaders to harness quantum technologies for real-world industrial applications, unlocking the potential to forge more efficient, sustainable and safer solutions for the future of transportation.

"This is the perfect time to shine a spotlight on quantum technology and its potential impact on our society. Partnering with an industry leader like BMW Group enables us to mature the technology as we need to bridge the gap between scientific exploration and its potential applications. We’re seeking the best-in-class students, PhDs, academics, researchers, start-ups, companies, or professionals in the field, worldwide to join our challenge to create a massive paradigm shift in the way aircraft are built and flown." says Isabell Gradert, Vice President Central Research and Technology at Airbus.

“Following the success of previous editions of Quantum Computing Challenges by BMW Group and Airbus, we are gearing up for a new wave of innovation, exploring the technology capabilities for sustainability and operational excellence.” said Dr. Peter Lehnert, Vice-President, Research Technologies at BMW Group. “The BMW Group is clearly aiming at positioning itself at the crossroads of quantum technology, the global ecosystem, and cutting-edge solutions. By doing so, we strongly believe in major advances when it comes to sustainable materials for batteries and fuel cells, to generate unique and efficient designs, or to enhance the overall user experience in the BMW Group Products”.

Quantum computing has the potential to significantly enhance computational power and to enable the most complex operations that challenge even today’s best computers. In particular, for data-driven industries like the transportation sector, this emerging technology could play a crucial role in simulating various industrial and operational processes, opening up opportunities to shape future mobility products and services.

Challenge candidates are invited to select one or more problem statements: improved aerodynamics design with quantum solvers, future automated mobility with quantum machine learning, more sustainable supply chain with quantum optimisation, and enhanced corrosion inhibition with quantum simulation. Additionally, candidates can put forward their own quantum technologies with the potential to develop native apps yet to be explored in the transportation sector.

The challenge is hosted by The Quantum Insider (TQI) and divided into two parts, a four-month phase where participants will develop a theoretical framework for one of the given statements, and a second phase during which selected finalists will implement and benchmark their solutions. Amazon Web Services (AWS) provides candidates with an opportunity to run their algorithms on their Amazon Braket quantum computing service.

A jury composed of world-leading quantum experts will team up with experts from Airbus, BMW Group, and AWS to evaluate submitted proposals and award one winning-team with a €30,000 prize in each of the five challenges, by the end of 2024.

Registration opens today, and submissions will be accepted from mid-January through April 30, 2024 here: www.thequantuminsider.com/quantum-challenge.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Press and Public Relations

Janina Latza
Spokesperson BMW Group IT
Tel.: +49 (0)151 – 601 12650
E-Mail: Janina.Latza@bmw.de


Christophe Koenig
Leiter BMW Group IT, Digital and Driving Experience Communications,
BMW Group Design, Innovations and Digital Car Communications
Telefon: +49-89-382-56097
E-Mail: Christophe.Koenig@bmwgroup.com

Q: Mr. Lamp, we are here at the BCCC – close to the FIZ. Everything looks very much like a High-Tech Research Facility. Where does the BMW Group stand in terms of Battery Tech today?
I believe we are in a very good position. Like you said - we are here in our BCCC – close to the FIZ and we just opened our CMCC (Cell Manufacturing Competence Center) in Parsdorf. Combining BCCC for research and development of cell technology and CMCC for understanding and establishing the industrialization of the cell production with our experts from all over the world working there, bring us on eye level with the best battery cell producing companies in the world. Remembering our beginnings in 2008 with our first MINI Cooper BEV prototype – we have come a long way.

…and why do you think you were able to make it to this level of expertise?
I strongly believe that we have found the right strategy for BMW very early. And this strategy is rather simple: Develop the in-house competence in both critical fields: battery cell technology and large-scale battery production as fast and consequent as possible. And by doing this, enable BMW to put the best battery into their electrified vehicles.

Q: Mr. Vandeputte, after more than 25 years at Umicore you just started at BMW Group – what is your perspective on the BMW Battery Strategy?
When I was at Umicore we appreciated collaborating with BMW on battery technology, because of the clear strategy focusing on deep understanding and mastering of cell technology and cell production, as this is really the core of the automotive battery business.
Looking at the challenges an OEM faces today by the transformation of the industry – and taking into account the BMW promise to deliver the Ultimate Driving Machine to its customer: I believe the BMW approach is very convincing and clear.

Q3: And the step from a “material tech company” to a German Premium Car manufacturer – how does it feel?
It actually feels really good and energizing. Being part of this iconic BMW family is an honor and the very welcoming attitude of everybody for sure helps as well. Looking at the projects ahead the objectives are exciting and challenging at the same time. Whether our focus is battery performance, cost-competitiveness lowest environmental impact or a combination of these, we need to find optimal interplay of all materials in the cell, so this is back to active materials that I know well. And I worked in a very international, technology-driven environment at Umicore - and the same is true for my new role here at BMW.

Q: Mr. Lamp, talking about projects and challenges: what is the next big step customers can expect from BMW electrified powertrains?
A very significant step will come in our NEUE KLASSE models in 2025. This will be the starting point of what we call our Gen6 eDrive technology. At the heart of this technology will be our new cylindrical cell: 20 percent more volumetric energy density, 30 percent faster charging, 30 percent more range compared to the respective model featuring Gen5 technology.

…but changing from a prismatic cell in Gen5 to a cylindrical cell in Gen6 is a significant move: what triggered this decision?
At the beginning of the process we really started from a white sheet of paper and open to all cell formats and sizes. But with the ambitious performance and safety goals we soon came to the conclusion, that the cylindrical cell is the best format for our next generation. Also it fits best our integration approach for the NEUE KLASSE: cell to pack and pack to open body.

Q: Mr. Vandeputte, ASSB is often considered “the next big thing”. Where does BMW stand? What is the potential of the technology?
I believe we are on a very good path. With our partner Solid Power we are establishing a new process development line in our CMCC in Parsdorf. On this line we will work – in parallel to our partner in the US – on the next steps to bring this advanced battery technology in the car. This line will be up and running in Q2 of 2024. The potential of the technology is there: higher energy densities paired with at least equal safety as today.
But realistically speaking we will need some more years to mature the technology and make it ready for industrialization – not before the end of the decade.

Q: Looking at the automotive battery landscape today – very often new trends or even innovations are discussed in the media. How do you keep up with all developments?
KV: This is actually a very good point – and at the same time something that I have watched BMW doing for years: the close connection from the BMW battery team to the Start-Up scene as well as universities – this is in my opinion a very strong asset and an absolute necessity to be and stay a technology leader.

PL: I agree, and let me add: I believe it is a very strong asset in two ways. First, it ensures that we as BMW are in the loop in all new trends, findings and developments. And secondly, it helps us to find the best talents in the industry – this is one of many reasons why we are very optimistic regarding BMW battery cell technology in the coming years.

Gentlemen, thank you very much for this conversation.

In the event of enquiries please contact:
BMW Group Corporate Communications

Bernhard Ederer
Communication BMW Group Innovation, Powertrain Technologies
Mobile: +49-176-601-28556
E-Mail: Bernhard.Ederer@bmwgroup.com

Almut Stollberg
Head of Communication BMW Group Innovation, Design, Technology, Digital Car
Mobile: +49-151-601-96543
E-Mail: Almut.Stollberg@bmw.com

Munich/Sölden. To round off the year, BMW is inviting international media to Sölden, to Innovation @Summit, on the Austrian glacier. Absolute highlight: in addition to the BMW 5 Series launched in October, innovative highlights in the areas of driverless@Developement, artificial intelligence and highly automated driving will be presented. During intensive test drives under winter conditions, the smart business sedan and Driverless @Developement vehicles can demonstrate their dynamic driving qualities several times over.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Press and public relations

Dieter Falkensteiner, Spokesperson BMW Group Driving Experience
Telephon: +49-89-382-51813
Mail: Dieter.Falkensteiner@bmwgroup.com


Christophe Koenig, Head of BMW Group IT, Digital Driving Experience Communications
BMW Group Design, Innovations and Digital Car Communications
Telephone: +49-89-382-56097
Mail: Christophe.Koenig@bmwgroup.com

Munich. Designworks, the innovation studio of the BMW Group, has been tapped by real estate developer Magnom Properties to partner in creating an emotionally engaging design for the façade of the new Forbes International Tower in Egypt. The tower is to become a milestone in sustainable urban development in the Middle East. The idea behind architects Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill's concept for the 230-metre (755-foot)-tall building was to create a uniquely modern symbiosis between architecture and the environment. In keeping with this concept, the Designworks team will integrate such features as reflection, illumination, and digital interactivity into their design to create a harmonious sense of interrelatedness between the building, the environment, and the building’s occupants and visitors.

Designworks will also be taking on the design of a continuous user journey across all physical and digital touchpoints of the EV charging park. For this project, the team will draw on the BMW Group’s experience design process, which is focused on the needs of the customer. Magnom Properties CEO Maged Marie comments: “The collaboration with Designworks aligns perfectly with our vision of creating an absolutely exceptional experience – one that integrates innovative technologies to give visitors an entirely new sense of the building, from both the outside and the inside.”

The 55-story business tower, planned in partnership with Forbes, will be part of Cairo’s new administrative and financial district. With a total space of more than 100,000 m² (328,000 sq. ft.), it will set a new benchmark for sustainable architecture. The overarching goal is to minimize the building’s carbon footprint and achieve the highest certifications for ecological construction.

"The BMW Group was the world's first car manufacturer to have its own environmental protection officer and today, sustainability is at the heart of the company´s focus – far beyond the automobile," remarks Holger Hampf, head of Designworks. "As a BMW Group subsidiary, we are proud to be involved in the design for the Forbes International Tower. It is our firm belief that high-quality design can contribute to changing customer mindsets and behavior, promoting more responsible action."

The Forbes International Tower in Egypt is scheduled to be completed in 2027. Additional commercial towers of this type are being planned in the United Arab Emirates and in Saudi Arabia.



If you have any questions, please contact:

BMW Group Corporate Communications

Michaela Martinus
Spokesperson Designworks
Telephone: +49-160-963-13773
Email: Michaela.Martinus@bmw.com

Steven Wörns
Spokesperson BMW Group Design
Telephone: +49-151-601-16992
Email: Steven.Woerns@bmw.com

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


About Designworks

Designworks is the BMW Group's innovation studio and a global creative consultancy at the intersection of design, technology and innovation. The "Architects of Future" focus on mobility, product and digital life design, as well as strategic design consulting. The formerly independent creative studio was taken over by the BMW Group in 1995. Designworks acts as a driving force for all brands of the parent company and as an innovation driver for a large number of clients from a wide range of industries, such as IT and consumer electronics, aviation technology, the medical and environmental sectors, and the lifestyle and sports industries.
The studio was founded in 1972 in Malibu, California by Chuck Pelly. Holger Hampf has been at the helm of the consulting agency since 2017.

www.bmwgroupdesignworks.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 and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2022, the BMW Group sold nearly 2.4 million passenger vehicles and more than 202,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2022 was € 23.5 billion on revenues amounting to € 142.6 billion. As of 31 December 2022, the BMW Group had a workforce of 149,475 employees.

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

www.bmwgroup.com
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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.

Munich. The BMW stand at the Japan Mobility Show 2023 in Tokyo centres on the latest innovations and trailblazing visions in the focus areas of electrification and digitalisation. Formerly known as the Tokyo Motor Show, this trade fair provides the stage for the world premiere of the new BMW X2. The compact Sports Activity Coupé (SAC) is also being offered in an all-electric version for the first time in the guise of the BMW iX2 and boasts a wealth of digital innovations. The BMW Vision Neue Klasse will also be making its first appearance on the Asian continent, just a few weeks after its global debut at the IAA Mobility show in Munich. This Vision Vehicle offers a look ahead to the driving and user experience of the future – set to become reality from 2025 with the arrival of the Neue Klasse models.

From 26 October – 5 November 2023, BMW will be presenting a broad selection of its latest new models and innovations to visitors gathering at Tokyo’s Big Sight international exhibition centre. Digital technologies and the ways they can be applied to enhance the user experience are a key point of focus. The upgraded BMW iDrive control/operation system with QuickSelect in the new BMW X2 paves the way for a much wider offering of digital content for information and entertainment. The new BMW ConnectedDrive Upgrades give customers access to innovative offerings in areas such as in-car gaming and video & audio streaming (availability varies according to model, specification and country).

The featured highlight of the next-generation BMW iDrive in the BMW Vision Neue Klasse is BMW Panoramic Vision. From 2025, customers will be able to experience information being projected across the entire width of the windscreen in the Neue Klasse production models.

The BMW press conference at the opening of the Japan Mobility Show 2023 will be broadcast as an on-demand webcast that can be streamed from 8:00 a.m. (CEST) on 25 October 2023 at www.live.bmwgroup.com/.

Ongoing expansion of fully electric model line-up.

With its launch of the BMW iX2, BMW is forging ahead with the ramp-up of electric mobility and the introduction of locally emission-free driving pleasure into new target groups. The brand has at least one fully electric representative in all relevant model segments. Other members of its wide-ranging electric mobility line-up alongside the BMW iX2 are also on display at the Japan Mobility Show 2023 – from the BMW iX1 compact Sports Activity Vehicle to the BMW i4 and BMW i5, the BMW iX and the BMW i7 luxury sedan. At the same time, BMW is clearly demonstrating how electrified drive systems are becoming increasingly important in the luxury segment too. In Tokyo, the brand is exhibiting the BMW i7 M70 xDrive* – the most powerful all-electric BMW yet – as well as the BMW XM Label Red* with M HYBRID drive system and the BMW X7, which employs 48V mild hybrid technology to accelerate the power delivery and boost the efficiency of its internal combustion engines.

World premiere: the all-new BMW X2 and the first-ever BMW iX2.

It was the BMW X2 that first introduced the concept of a Sports Activity Coupé for the premium compact segment. The second-generation model is now even more distinctive and forward-looking and, for the first time, also comes in an all-electric version with the arrival of the first-ever BMW iX2. All details of the new edition of the compact SAC will be released when communications officially get underway on 11 October 2023. The all-new BMW X2 and the first-ever BMW iX2 will make their first public appearance not long afterwards at the Japan Mobility Show 2023 in Tokyo.

Asian premiere: the BMW Vision Neue Klasse.

The BMW Vision Neue Klasse provides a window into the electric, digital and circular future of the BMW brand. The new Vision Vehicle’s design showcases styling elements that will have a formative influence on the various Neue Klasse models. A clear design language pared back to the essentials brings the signature BMW styling features – such as the BMW kidney grille and the Hofmeister kink – even more prominently to the fore.

The user experience presented as part of the BMW Vision Neue Klasse is no less futuristic. The next-generation BMW iDrive merges the real and virtual worlds, while expanding the interaction between user and car. Developed for the Neue Klasse, BMW Panoramic Vision projects information across the entire width of the windscreen. And the central display, the multifunction buttons on the steering wheel and the enhanced voice control via the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant enrich the multisensory user experience offered by the next-generation BMW iDrive.

The BMW Vision Neue Klasse also encompasses major advances in drive technology. Thanks to the sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology on board, efficiency will be increased by 25 per cent, range will be 30 per cent longer and charging will be 30 per cent quicker. The increased use of secondary raw materials as well as resource-efficient production will also have the effect of shrinking the lifecycle carbon footprint of Neue Klasse models.

Driving innovation: the BMW iX5 Hydrogen*.

BMW is also rigorously driving forward the development of hydrogen fuel-cell drive technology as it progresses towards mobility with zero local emissions. The exhibits at the Japan Mobility Show 2023 include the BMW iX5 Hydrogen. Built as a pilot series, the iX5 Hydrogen is currently in use with various target groups around the world for demonstration and test purposes. Developed on the basis of the BMW X5 and manufactured at the pilot plant of the BMW Group’s Research and Innovation Centre (FIZ) in Munich, this Sports Activity Vehicle combines locally emission-free driving pleasure with a long range and markedly short refuelling stops. Its highly integrated drive unit featuring the latest, fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology draws its energy from a high-performance battery that was specially developed for the hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle. The fuel-cell system and high-performance battery combine to generate maximum output of 295 kW/401 hp. Two tanks made from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) together hold six kilograms of gaseous hydrogen and can be filled in three to four minutes. The BMW iX5 Hydrogen achieves a range of 504 kilometres (313 miles) in the WLTP cycle without having to refuel.

The BMW iX5 Hydrogen is further evidence of the BMW Group’s broad-based development expertise and “technology-open” approach in the field of drive systems. The highly efficient fuel-cell systems fitted in the pilot fleet of BMW iX5 Hydrogen models were made at the BMW Group’s competence centre for hydrogen in Munich. The company sources the requisite fuel cells from the Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan. The strategic partnership between the two carmakers – now a decade old – is key to the rapid development of hydrogen technologies and their successful integration into a sustainable powertrain portfolio.

Straßkirchen. The preliminary final results of the Straßkirchen referendum are in: A clear majority of Straßkirchen residents voted in favour of building the new BMW Group facility. With over 75 percent of the vote, the council’s “Yes to a BMW assembly plant for high-voltage batteries” motion was successful. Around 77 percent of the citizens voted.

“The people of Straßkirchen have voted for a joint future with the BMW Group. We are taking advantage here in Bavaria of the opportunities offered by the transformation towards electromobility,” said Milan Nedeljković, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Production. The planned location will secure the future of the Bavarian vehicle plants in Dingolfing, Regensburg and Munich, he continued, by supplying them with the high-voltage batteries required for e-mobility.

“The clear vote in Straßkirchen shows that many residents support investment in future-oriented technologies and jobs,” said Ilka Horstmeier, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Human Resources and Real Estate. “At the same time, we are seeing that, with positive new solutions, a transparent process and open discussion, reliable decisions can be made for a joint future. All in all, this, today, sends an important signal for Germany as a whole as a location for industry.”

The next step on the road to plant construction will already take place in October. The local land-use planning process provides for a second round of public consultation on the construction project, where the BMW Group will also present the many expert opinions it has commissioned on the impact of site development.

Jobs and apprenticeships geared towards the future

Upon completion of the initial construction phase, the BMW Group plans to employ around 1,600 people at the future production site. About 70 percent will come from existing BMW Group locations; these employees will be able to share their know-how during construction of the new site. Around 7,500 BMW Group employees already live within a 20-kilometre radius of the planned location. In cooperation with Plant Dingolfing, the BMW Group will also offer about 50 apprenticeships at the planned site.

Reliable source of business tax

The BMW Group has already registered permanent establishments in the municipalities of Straßkirchen and Irlbach and has therefore been subject to business tax since August of this year – regardless of construction of the plant. Business tax payments are likely to continue to rise as a result of the planned site, reaching a high, single-digit million euro amount per year by the end of the 2020s.

Clear criteria for site selection

In Bavaria alone, the BMW Group evaluated a total of 20 potential sites according to numerous criteria in conjunction with “Invest in Bavaria”, the State of Bavaria's business promotion agency. Among these candidates, the municipalities of Straßkirchen and Irlbach were preferred over other available spaces in a multi-stage process. The decisive criteria included proximity to the BMW Group's Bavarian car plants, exclusion of nature reserves, water protection areas and forests, the size and shape of the plot, combined with a flat topography, and the fact that several thousand employees already live in the immediate vicinity of the site. After careful consideration, the possibility of embedding battery assembly within existing plant sites was ruled out, due to a lack of sufficient space for the required scope.

In February 2023, the BMW Group acquired a plot of 105 hectares in the municipal areas of Straßkirchen and Irlbach. The company also has purchase rights for approx. 29 additional hectares of adjacent land. This option area is currently managed by the respective owners.

Site to play key role in securing Bavaria’s future status as a car-building location

More than 36,000 people in Bavaria are currently employed at the vehicle plants in Munich, Dingolfing and Regensburg alone. The planned location will secure the future of these plants, by supplying them with the decisive component for electromobility: the high-voltage battery. This will not only safeguard existing jobs at the BMW Group’s car plants in Bavaria, but also create new jobs in the innovative field of e-mobility.

The BMW Group’s choice of location will also protect important jobs outside of the company and create new ones. The company currently maintains business relationships with around 1,000 suppliers and service providers from Lower Bavaria, including about 120 from the Straubing-Bogen area.

Close links between battery factory and vehicle production

In line with its “local for local” principle, the BMW Group is locating its high-voltage battery assembly facilities worldwide as close as possible to its vehicle plants: Production facilities for the sixth-generation BMW Group high-voltage battery are currently being built in Debrecen (Hungary), Woodruff, near Spartanburg (USA), San Luis Potosí (Mexico) and Shenyang (China). This approach safeguards production, even in the event of unforeseen political and economic developments. It will also strengthen existing locations, protecting jobs and creating new ones. The short distances involved also reduce the carbon footprint of vehicle production.

Further information on the planned Irlbach-Straßkirchen location

Details and the latest information on the new site can be found on the project website at www.bmwgroup-werke.com/irlbach-strasskirchen.