BMW Group has officially inaugurated its new Plant Irlbach-Straßkirchen in Bavaria, Germany, and commenced series production of sixth-generation (Gen6) high-voltage batteries. The facility has started supplying batteries to BMW Group’s Munich plant for installation in the new BMW i3, marking another step in the company’s Neue Klasse electric vehicle production strategy.
Built on a 60-hectare site with an investment of approximately €1 billion, the facility was completed in around two-and-a-half years after construction began in April 2024. BMW produced the first pre-series battery at the site in March 2026, less than two years after construction commenced. Following strong demand for Neue Klasse models, production ramp-up has progressed faster than initially planned, with operations already running on a two-shift basis.
Raymond Wittmann, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Production, said the facility would serve as a central platform for supplying sixth-generation high-voltage batteries to the company’s German vehicle manufacturing plants.
Advanced Gen6 Battery Manufacturing Technology
The new facility incorporates BMW’s sixth-generation high-voltage battery technology, featuring cylindrical battery cells integrated directly into the battery pack through a cell-to-pack design. The battery housing also forms an integral part of the vehicle’s body structure through the company’s pack-to-open-body concept.
The manufacturing facility uses approximately 500 robots across a 50,000-square-metre production area. Artificial intelligence assistants and agents analyse production data in real time, supporting quality management and improving overall equipment effectiveness. More than 3,500 data points are collected and monitored for each battery during manufacturing.
The production process includes cell clustering, laser cleaning, precision welding, protective foaming and automated inspections. Each battery undergoes a complete end-of-line inspection before leaving the facility.
BMW has also filed patent applications for more than 500 innovations developed as part of its sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology.
Once fully operational, Plant Irlbach-Straßkirchen is expected to employ approximately 1,600 people and manufacture several hundred high-voltage batteries daily across two production lines.
Gen6 Batteries to Power the New BMW i3
The batteries manufactured at the German facility will initially supply BMW’s Munich plant for the new BMW i3. The BMW i3 50 xDrive First Edition features a 108.7 kWh high-voltage battery and offers a driving range of up to 906 kilometres under the WLTP test cycle.
The vehicle incorporates 800-volt technology and supports DC fast charging at up to 400 kW. According to BMW, the model can gain up to 423 kilometres of range in 10 minutes under specified charging conditions. The new BMW i3 also supports bidirectional charging.
Renewable Energy and Resource-Efficient Production
BMW has designed Plant Irlbach-Straßkirchen to operate without fossil fuels during regular operations. An on-site photovoltaic system generates a portion of the electricity required, while the remaining energy comes entirely from renewable sources.
The battery assembly process also does not require water. In addition, the Gen6 battery cells used in the BMW i3 incorporate secondary materials for a portion of their cobalt, lithium and nickel content.
Renewable energy is used in the production of anode and cathode materials, as well as during battery cell manufacturing. BMW stated that CO2e emissions per watt-hour have been reduced by approximately 33% compared with the Gen5 cells used in the previous model.
BMW Expands Global Battery Manufacturing Network
Plant Irlbach-Straßkirchen is part of BMW Group’s global ‘local for local’ battery manufacturing strategy, under which battery assembly facilities are located close to vehicle production plants. Alongside the German facility, BMW has established high-voltage battery assembly plants in Debrecen, Hungary; Shenyang, China; Woodruff, United States; and San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
The company is also expanding its battery development, manufacturing and recycling capabilities through its Bavarian battery network. This includes the Battery Cell Competence Center in Munich, the Cell Manufacturing Competence Center in Parsdorf and pilot production facilities in Parsdorf and Hallbergmoos.
Additionally, BMW’s Cell Recycling Competence Center in Salching, which began operations in December 2025, uses a direct recycling process to recover valuable raw materials from battery production residues and used cells. The process involves mechanical dismantling, eliminating the need for energy-intensive chemical or thermal processing.
With the inauguration of Plant Irlbach-Straßkirchen, BMW is expanding its Gen6 battery production capabilities and strengthening the manufacturing infrastructure supporting its Neue Klasse electric vehicle platform.
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