Anlageninstallation im neuen Karosseriebau, BMW Group Werk München (02/2025). Foto: BMW AG

BMW Group Plant Munich: Setting the course for the ramp-up of the New Class 2026

Three new production halls for body construction, assembly and the associated production logistics are currently being built at the BMW Group‘s main plant during ongoing series production. ‘With the start of production of the New Class, we will have a state-of-the-art plant in Munich that is characterised by flexibility, innovation and, above all, efficiency,’ says Plant Manager Peter Weber.

From 2027, the Munich plant will exclusively produce all-electric vehicles, thereby achieving a further boost in efficiency. Forward-looking planning, close collaboration with the development teams and suppliers as well as modern production technology in the new structures will contribute to this. ‘With the new class, we will significantly reduce production costs at the Munich plant,’ says Weber. In addition to optimised production processes and targeted automation, the new vehicle architecture of the New Class also ensures efficiencies. By focussing on just one drive variant, some production steps and parts will be eliminated, for example in the area of wiring harnesses, which previously varied and were complex to install depending on the engine variant.

Pre-series production at the pilot plant
The timetable for the start-up in Munich is tight – also due to the remodelling of the plant. The first pre-series vehicles will be produced this year in the pilot plant of the BMW Group Research and Innovation Centre (FIZ), supported by the production team from the Munich plant. ‘In addition to the pilot plant at the FIZ, we are also using virtual simulations to ensure a smooth ramp-up,’ says Weber, describing the extraordinary situation in the crucial year before the start of production. The experienced ramp-up team at the Munich plant is also working closely with colleagues at the new plant in Debrecen (Hungary), where the first New Class model will celebrate its production launch at the end of the year.

International production network
The BMW Group plants are able to produce different model variants as well as different drive types on one production line. As the ramp-up of electromobility is not linear, but is proceeding at different speeds, the company relies on flex plants that can produce vehicles with combustion engines as well as those with electric drives. ‘This ensures that we are able to deliver in different market situations and that our sites are well utilised,’ explains Production Director Milan Nedeljković.

The BMW Group expects a significant increase in the market share of fully electric vehicles by the end of this decade. For this reason, the plants in Debrecen and, in future, in Munich will be the first locations to be designed purely for fully electric vehicles, thus ensuring greater electrification in the network.

The German plants are the pioneers of e-mobility in the BMW Group’s production network: they all produce at least one fully electric model for the global market alongside traditional drive systems. Even in a volatile environment, the BMW Group is growing at its home base and produced over one million cars there last year. That is a quarter of total automobile production in Germany.

At the same time, the company is focussing on a globally balanced distribution of value creation in production. ‘The strategic and flexible positioning of our production network strengthens our resilience and competitiveness,’ adds Nedeljković.

Qualification for e-mobility
Growing electrification shares also entail changes to the deployment options and skills of employees. The flexible ramp-up of e-mobility at BMW Group plants means that employees can be prepared for new work content step by step.

‘Despite technical and structural innovations, people are at the centre of everything we do. We are proud of the expertise, experience and willingness to improve of our employees. Thanks to their commitment, we are able to deliver premium-quality vehicles day after day,’ emphasises Peter Weber. Further expertise is built up and retained within the company thanks to extensive training programmes and the flexibility of the workforce. Last year alone, for example, there were almost 25,000 participants in e-mobility training courses and the Munich plant is currently running its third additional qualification course for industrial electricians in cooperation with the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

Over the past few years, around 5,500 jobs have been created in the BMW Group’s production network for the current and next generation of e-drives. More than three quarters of these positions have been filled through internal reorganisation.