BMW i3: Series Production Begins at Munich Plant – Steep Ramp-Up Thanks to High Demand.
- Aug 6
- 3 min read
The Neue Klasse continues to gain momentum: series production of the new BMW i3 has started today at the BMW Group Plant Munich. Following the iX3, this marks the second Neue Klasse model to roll off the line – and with a remarkably steep ramp-up curve, according to BMW.
Early order start meets strong demand
The BMW i3 has been orderable since mid-June – significantly earlier than originally planned. The market's response wasn't long in coming: according to Jochen Goller, BMW Board Member responsible for Customer, Brand and Sales, the Neue Klasse models are showing strong popularity, and the i3, as the second model in the series, is already seeing high demand shortly after the early order start. This early response has had a direct impact on the production ramp-up in Munich, which is accordingly steep.
Four years of transformation for a new chapter
Today's start of production followed four years of intensive transformation at the Munich plant. While production continued uninterrupted, a completely new body shop and a state-of-the-art assembly hall, including new logistics areas, were built on around a third of the plant site. Most recently, a new delivery hall was added, where vehicles will undergo final inspection before being handed over to sales – it is currently still in its commissioning phase.
Production board member Raymond Wittmann emphasizes the symbolic significance of this step: hardly any model represents BMW as much as the 3 Series, and hardly any location represents the brand as much as the Munich plant. For him, thanks to the close connection between headquarters, development, and production, Munich serves as a key driver of momentum for the BMW Group's entire global production network.
10 percent lower manufacturing costs
A key effect of the transformation: with the start of i3 production, manufacturing costs at the Munich plant are dropping by a further 10 percent. Plant director Peter Weber attributes this to forward-looking planning, close collaboration with development and suppliers, and modern production technology. The Neue Klasse's new vehicle architecture itself also contributes to efficiency – complemented by targeted automation and digitalization across BMW's entire iFACTORY strategy.
Fully electric only from 2027
The direction for Munich is now clear: from 2027, the plant will exclusively send fully electric vehicles down the line – further Neue Klasse models are expected to follow shortly, securing the site's future for decades to come. Munich has been inseparably linked with the 3 Series since 1975; more than nine million vehicles of this series have rolled off the line at the home plant since then. With the i3, the plant now continues this tradition – just purely electric this time.
Battery from Lower Bavaria, electric motor from Austria
The i3's supply chain also shows just how strongly BMW is relying on a regional yet globally networked production system:
The sixth-generation high-voltage batteries come from the newly built plant in Irlbach-Straßkirchen in Lower Bavaria, around 90 minutes from Munich. Following a "local for local" principle, the plant supplies Munich as well as other German sites, manufacturing according to a strict zero-defect approach with inline quality controls, digital twins, and AI-supported production.
The Gen6 electric motor is manufactured at the BMW Group Plant Steyr in Austria – a site with more than 40 years of experience in drivetrain manufacturing. For the first time, all core components of the highly integrated electric drivetrain, including rotor, stator, inverter, and gearbox, are being produced on-site there.
The electric motor housing is supplied by the aluminum foundry at the BMW Group Plant Landshut.
Technical specifications (preliminary)
According to preliminary WLTP figures, the BMW i3 50 xDrive achieves a combined energy consumption of 13.4–16.1 kWh/100 km with a range of 758–912 km, at 0 g/km CO₂ emissions (CO₂ class A). For comparison: the already-running iX3 50 xDrive has a combined consumption of 15.1–18.1 kWh/100 km with a range of 673–805 km.
With the i3, BMW is impressively demonstrating that the Neue Klasse is not remaining a niche project, but is becoming the foundational pillar of the Munich home plant. The combination of an earlier order start, high demand, and simultaneously falling manufacturing costs is a strong signal – both to the market and to BMW's own workforce, who supported the transformation while production continued uninterrupted. It will now be exciting to see which further Neue Klasse models follow in Munich, as the site moves toward a complete switch to electric mobility by 2027.
Source: BMW Group press release, August 6, 2026
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