BMW completes construction of a new battery plant in Germany

Approximately one year after construction began on BMW's new battery assembly plant in Lower Bavaria, The main production building is now completeThus, as the company explained, the progress made in installing the technical systems will make it possible to begin integrating the production machines this June.

BMW assures that the construction of this plant, intended for the production of high-voltage batteries, is progressing as planned from the outset. Groundwork began in April 2024, and the first pillar of the main building was placed in late June of that year.

Sabrina Kugler, project manager, emphasizes that the rapid progress is due to the excellent collaboration between BMW's internal teams and partner companies. All the construction companies contracted directly by BMW are German, with two-thirds from Bavaria and one-third from within a radius of no more than 100 kilometers around the town of Irlbach-Straßkirchen.

Once operational, the Irlbach-Straßkirchen plant will be One of five BMW facilities globally dedicated to assembling sixth-generation batteries, which for the first time They incorporate large-volume cylindrical cells integrated directly into the battery packs following the configuration cell-to-packThese facilities will primarily supply BMW's vehicle plants in Germany. BMW is currently building four similar plants in Debrecen (Hungary), Shenyang (China), San Luis Potosí (Mexico), and Woodruff, near Spartanburg in the United States. All of these are still under construction.

Work on adjacent facilities is also progressing well.

Parallel, The company also continues to advance in the construction of the so-called Energy Center The plant will be built with a 10-square-meter building that will house the supply unit, the fire brigade and its vehicles, the facility management workshops, and a service center. This center will have two large transformers connected to the new 110 kV lines of the Bayernwerk Netz GmbH substation.

It should also be noted that the cooling systems and heat pumps, already installed, will ensure stable thermal conditions, utilizing waste heat from production and air compressors to heat the buildings. Filters and pumping stations are also being installed to collect rainwater, which will be used in the facilities' restrooms. Drinking water will be reserved only for dining rooms and restrooms, as production does not require water.

The project in Irlbach-Straßkirchen initially faced controversy due to concerns among some sections of the population about the waterproofing of the soil and the impact of delivery traffic. However, The referendum held in Straßkirchen in September 2023 gave the green light to the project.