International. BMW ushers in an era of all-electric driving with the launch of its new generation of high-voltage batteries.
The BMW Group has announced a global expansion to manufacture its sixth-generation batteries, with the construction of five plants on three continents.
"We are building five facilities in Irlbach-Strasskirchen (Germany), Debrecen (Hungary), Woodruff (USA), Shenyang (China) and San Luis Potosi (Mexico) to ensure local and efficient production of our high-voltage batteries," said Milan Nedeljković, Member of the Board of Management for Production at BMW AG. This "local-to-local" approach not only optimizes the supply chain, but also strengthens resilience to economic and political fluctuations.
The BMW 1 Series will be the firstto integrate the new cylindrical cells, which offer significant improvements in energy density, charging times and range. The new plants are designed to assemble these batteries as close as possible to vehicle factories, thus reducing the carbon footprint and ensuring more sustainable production.
The plant in Debrecen, Hungary, will be the first to start manufacturing Neue Klasse vehicles in 2025. The facility already has a training and communication center in operation, and the last buildings are expected to be ready by the end of the year. The Irlbach-Straßkirchen factory in Lower Bavaria is also up and running and will supply high-voltage batteries to German factories. Construction of the plant, which began in April 2024, is progressing rapidly.
In China, BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA) in Shenyang will start producing vehicles from the Neue Klasse in 2026, with a plant being completed in November 2023. In Mexico, the new plant in San Luis Potosí will start operating in 2027, significantly expanding production capacity and establishing BMW as the first premium vehicle manufacturer to produce electric batteries in the country.
In the United States, BMW's plant in Woodruff, South Carolina, is preparing to assemble high-voltage batteries for the nearby Spartanburg plant, creating more than 300 new jobs by 2026.
BMW is not only expanding its production network globally, but is also focusing its efforts on battery research and development. In Munich, the Cell Manufacturing Competence Centre (CMCC) and the Battery Cell Competence Centre (BCCC) are at the forefront of developing advanced battery technologies.
This global expansion reinforces BMW's commitment to electrification and sustainability, delivering a cleaner and more efficient future for global mobility. The "local-for-local" production strategy underlines BMW's intention to lead the shift to a greener future, while continuing to innovate and create jobs at its new facilities around the world.
