The BMW Group is building a high-voltage battery assembly for the Neue Klasse vehicles at its site in Hungary. The battery assembly will be placed on the site of the Debrecen vehicle plant, which began construction about six months ago, per the press release by the company.
The company will open more than 500 additional jobs and invest over €2 billion in the construction and the entire plant’s launch by the end of 2025.
“In Debrecen, we are building the most advanced plant in the world. With our iFACTORY, we are setting new industry standards for vehicle production. Our investments underline our systematic approach to implementing e-mobility.” said a member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Production Milan Nedeljković.
Notably, the new announcements were welcomed by the Hungarian government.
“The BMW Group plant in Debrecen is a symbol of the successful Hungarian economic policy of the past twelve years. The plant combines environmental protection and competitiveness, and that is much more than we have originally planned.” said Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary Péter Szijjártó.
BMW Group hiring and training in Debrecen
“We are currently recruiting new colleagues locally and from all over Hungary, so we can build the future of BMW Group Plant Debrecen together,” explains Hans-Peter Kemser, President and CEO of BMW Manufacturing Hungary Kft.
Together with local partners in education, the plant will launch a dual education programme at its in-house Training Centre in autumn 2023.
“With its investment in Debrecen, in addition to creating new jobs, the BMW Group makes a long-term commitment to the community of our city. We are building a thriving future together.” the Mayor of Debrecen, László Papp, reiterated the role of the BMW Group for the city.
High-voltage battery assembly at the vehicle plant
The assembly of high-voltage batteries will be placed on the site of the Debrecen vehicle plant.
“The BMW iFACTORY is also about ensuring short distances for logistics. The close link between battery assembly and vehicle production is part of our strategy.” explained Markus Fallböhmer, Senior Vice President of Battery Production at the BMW Group.
In Debrecen, the next-gen round battery cells will be assembled into a battery housing, a metal frame, which is later placed into the car’s underbody.
In 2025, the official start of production for the sixth-gen high-voltage batteries will occur, parallel with the beginning of vehicle production.
All batteries will be assembled on-site for the vehicles from Plant Debrecen. The new production facility will extend about 140,000 m² of area. Construction work recently started.
Gen6 batteries: major steps in consumer benefit and sustainability
The battery is decisive for an electric vehicle’s competitiveness. With the next generation of batteries for the Neue Klasse, the range will improve by up to 30%, and the charging speed will be up to 30% quicker.
Particularly, the BMW Group is focused on keeping the carbon footprint and consumption of production resources as low as possible, beginning in the supply chain.
Cell manufacturers will use lithium, nickel and cobalt that include a secondary material percentage, i.e. raw materials that are not newly mined but already in the loop, in battery cell production.
Combined with the commitment to use only green power from renewable energies for battery cell production, the company will reduce the carbon footprint of battery cell production by up to 60%.
