AUTONEWS

Series production of the all-electric BMW i3 begins in Munich

Series production of the all-electric i3 is starting at BMW's main plant in Munich, making it the first "Neue Klasse" model to be mass-produced in Germany, the company said on Thursday.

BMW said in a statement that strong demand for the i3 had led to a "steep growth curve at the plant."

Before that, the plant, which builds the 3 Series and 4 Series models, underwent renovations for several years while production resumed.

Production board member Raymond Wittmann said the move ushered in a new era for the main plant.

"With the all-electric BMW i3, we are bringing together what belongs together: The 3 Series embodies BMW more than almost any other model - and the Munich plant represents our brand more than almost any other production location," Wittmann said in a statement.

With the start of production of the i3, production costs in Munich will be reduced by 10%, said plant boss Peter Weber.

From 2027, the company's Munich headquarters will produce only fully electric vehicles. New "Neue Klasse" models will follow, but it is not yet known which ones.

From 2027 BMW Group Plant Munich will exclusively produce fully electric vehicles. With further Neue Klasse models set to follow the BMW i3, the plant will be well-prepared to meet the challenges of electromobility over the coming decades.

The transition, however, will be driven not purely by digital tools and systems but first and foremost by people. They will continuously enhance and establish processes in day-to-day production.

“The future viability of our plant will be ensured above all by the people who drive change and innovation with enthusiasm. Together, we continue to challenge ourselves every day, harnessing digitalisation and automation and gradually making Plant Munich even more efficient – without compromising our high quality standards,” says Peter Weber, Plant Director at BMW Group Plant Munich.

Following its transformation, BMW Group Plant Munich now embodies the BMW iFACTORY vision. Implemented across technologies, this approach focuses on efficiency, sustainability and digitalisation, with site-specific solutions strengthening the global production network and ensuring the BMW Group can deliver reliably to customers around the world.

The transformation of Plant Munich has resulted in more flexible and digital operations and a facility that is now well-equipped to meet the demands of electromobility. At the same time, it will share its insights from the production launch of the Neue Klasse with other BMW Group plants across the globe.