From 2021, battery cells for high-voltage batteries will be coated at BMW Group Plant Regensburg and complete high-voltage batteries will be produced from 2022. The company is investing over 150 million euros in the site in order to supply the growing number of electrified BMW Group vehicles with high-voltage batteries. The new e-drive production location was announced today by Michael Nikolaides, Head of Planning and Production Engines and E-Drives, and Frank Bachmann, Director of BMW Group Plant Regensburg, at an event with the Lord Mayor of Regensburg, Gertrud Maltz-Schwarzfischer.
“Electric mobility is substantially driving growth for the BMW Group and this development is also reflected in our e-drive production,” explained Michael Nikolaides: “In 2020, we went full throttle on e-drive production.” In July, the company opened the Competence Center for E-drive Production in Dingolfing and doubled the production capacity of high-voltage batteries at BMW Brilliance Automotive by opening another battery center in China. As recently as September, the BMW Group announced it would be producing battery modules at BMW Group Plant Leipzig from 2021.
“Now Regensburg will see battery component production added in 2021, followed just a year later by high-voltage battery production. All of this demonstrates that we are consistently ramping up the production of e-drives,” stressed Nikolaides. In total, the BMW Group is investing around 750 million euros across its Dingolfing, Leipzig and Regensburg sites in expanding its production capacity for electrified vehicle drive components by 2022.
“From 2021, BMW Group Plant Regensburg will not just produce electrified vehicles, but also e-drive components,” said Frank Bachmann: “We are investing over 150 million euros by 2022 in high-voltage battery production as well as the necessary components. A total of at least 300 future-proof jobs will be created in this new area of production until 2024.” This strategic decisions highlights “just how seriously we take this issue and that the BMW Group continues to place a strong emphasis on Germany as a production location,” underscored Nikolaides.
BMW Group Plant Regensburg is currently producing two electrified models: BMW X1 and X2 plug-in hybrids.