BMW Group announces €2 billion investment in Debrecen site
BMW Group has announced that it will invest a substantial sum of €2 billion, up to 2025, in the Debrecen plant in Hungary. This investment is expected to create more than 500 additional jobs. The new production plant will occupy an area of around 140,000 m2. Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG Production, Milan Nedeljković, commented:
“In Debrecen, we are building the most advanced plant in the world. With our iFACTORY, we are setting new industrial standards for vehicle production. Our investments underline our systematic approach to the implementation of e-mobility.”
At the site, which began construction about six months ago, vehicle production and battery assembly for the so-called next-generation ‘NEUE KLASSE’ will take place. BMW Group Senior Vice President Battery Production Markus Fallböhmer said:
“BMW iFACTORY is also about ensuring short distances for logistics. The close link between battery assembly and vehicle production is part of our strategy.”
These are new-generation cylindrical battery cells, which will be assembled into a battery casing (a metal frame), which will subsequently be integrated into the underbody of the car. Production of the sixth generation of batteries is planned to start in 2025, in parallel with the start of vehicle production.
Cell manufacturers will use cobalt, lithium and nickel that include a percentage of secondary material, combined with a commitment to use only green energy for battery cell production, which will help the BMW Group reduce the carbon footprint of battery cell production by up to 60%.
The new next-generation batteries are expected to bring range improvements of up to 30% and faster charging speed, increasing by a further 30%.
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