BMW Group has officially opened its new battery production facility at Irlbach-Straßkirchen in Bavaria, marking the start of series production of sixth-generation high-voltage batteries for the company's Neue Klasse electric vehicle programme.
The new plant, which represents an investment of around €1 billion, will serve as the central battery production hub supplying BMW's German vehicle plants. Just two-and-a-half years after construction began, the facility is already delivering batteries to BMW's Munich plant for installation in the new BMW i3.
According to the company, stronger-than-expected demand for Neue Klasse models has accelerated the production ramp-up, with the plant immediately commencing operations on a two-shift basis.
Raymond Wittmann, BMW AG Board Member responsible for Production, said: "The new plant plays a key role in our production network: As the central platform, it will supply our German vehicle plants with sixth-generation high-voltage batteries.
"In this way, our high-tech plant in Irlbach-Straßkirchen is making a vital contribution to the ramp-up of the Neue Klasse."
Wittmann described the investment as a vote of confidence in Germany's manufacturing sector.
"With our Plant Irlbach-Straßkirchen, we are sending a strong signal: for our technological competitiveness, for electromobility and for Germany as a business location," he said. "We are convinced that successful industrial production in this country will remain possible in the future."
Construction of the 60-hectare site and installation of its production equipment was completed in less than two years. The first pre-series battery was produced in March 2026, following the start of construction in April 2024.
The facility will eventually employ around 1,600 people and produce several hundred high-voltage batteries each day across two production lines.
BMW says the plant incorporates highly automated and digitally connected manufacturing systems. More than 500 robots operate across a 50,000m² production area, while AI-based software monitors production processes and supports quality control. More than 3,500 data points are reportedly collected and analysed for every battery produced.
The sixth-generation battery architecture features cylindrical cells integrated directly into the battery pack using a "cell-to-pack" design. The battery itself also forms part of the vehicle structure through BMW's "pack-to-open-body" concept.
Rudolf Hummelsberger, Head of High-Voltage Battery Production at Dingolfing and Irlbach-Straßkirchen, said: "This plant demonstrates how quickly we can scale a new battery concept to industrial production. The key factor is the interaction between a skilled and committed team and the continuous sharing of experience within the production network."
The site forms part of BMW's wider "local for local" production strategy, with similar battery assembly plants established near vehicle production facilities in Hungary, China, the USA and Mexico.
Sustainability has also been a key consideration in the plant's design. BMW says the facility operates without fossil fuels during normal production, sources additional energy from renewable supplies and requires no water for battery assembly. Battery cells also incorporate secondary cobalt, lithium and nickel, while the company reports that CO₂e emissions per watt-hour have been reduced by around one-third compared with the previous generation battery.
The plant is the latest addition to BMW's Bavarian battery network, which encompasses battery research, development, production and recycling facilities across the region.