BMW is equipping its Regensburg plant for the new class of vehicles
BMW is accelerating preparations for the new class at its Regensburg plant. During a three-week production shutdown, the automaker installed a new pre-assembly line for integrating high-voltage batteries, among other upgrades.
According to the Bavarian traditional company, vehicle production there was halted from August 8 to 30. Hundreds of improvements were implemented in the press shop, body building, painting, vehicle assembly, and logistics areas. More than 1,000 employees from partner companies were involved in these efforts. Since the beginning of this week, current models such as the BMW X1 and X2, along with their electric versions iX1 and iX2, are once again being produced on schedule.
The focus of the work was on a new pre-assembly process for energy modules (VEM), which is needed for future manufacturing of vehicles based on the Neue Klasse electric platform. In this process, the high-voltage battery and chassis are connected together. BMW refers to this production step, drawing inspiration from the traditional “marriage” of chassis and powertrain, as a “battery marriage.”
In the Neue Klasse models, the battery is intended to be connected to the chassis at the beginning of vehicle assembly. To achieve this, BMW has installed a new assembly line. Additionally, a high-rack warehouse was built in a nearby new facility to store energy modules for daily production needs.
From there, the high-voltage batteries are transported fully automatically and in the required sequence via a conveyor bridge to the pre-assembly area. A gripper system removes the batteries from their transport containers and places them on the VEM conveyor belt. Subsequently, robots screw the battery into the chassis. This makes the high-voltage battery part of the vehicle structure before the vehicle is integrated into the regular assembly process.
BMW adapts the entire assembly process for the New Class
The work extended beyond the new battery integration. According to BMW, each production facility in vehicle assembly received an update. This is intended to enable the flexible manufacturing of various models and powertrains, including those in the New Class, on the same lines going forward.
Preparations in Regensburg have been underway for some time. As early as the 2024/2025 year change, BMW had already modified areas such as body building, painting, and vehicle assembly. In March 2025, the manufacturer also opened an additional body building facility in nearby Neutraubling, where extra bodies for the X1 series are produced.
Currently, BMW produces the X1/iX1 and X2/iX2 in Regensburg with various powertrains, ranging from internal combustion engines to plug-in hybrids and fully electric versions. Over 1,400 vehicles leave the factory each day. In 2024, around 342,500 cars were built there, making Regensburg BMW Group’s largest vehicle manufacturing plant in Europe. More than a third of that production consisted of electrified models.
BMW has not yet revealed exactly when the new class will go into series production in Regensburg or which model will roll off the assembly line first. The manufacturer only mentions that production is set to begin in the second half of this decade. The newly installed “storage facility” provides a key production step for this purpose.