BMW begins mass production of Gen6 batteries at Irlbach-Straßkirchen
Image: BMW
The BMW Group officially opened its new Irlbach-Straßkirchen plant in the Straubing-Bogen district and began series production there. Two and a half years after construction started, this facility supplies sixth-generation high-voltage batteries to the company’s plant in Munich, where they are installed in the all-electric BMW i3. Due to high demand for the electric models of the “New Class,” production is advancing faster than originally planned and has already started on a two-shift basis.
The BMW Group is investing around one billion euros in the factory located on a 60-hectare site. It took less than two years from the start of construction in April 2024 to the production of pre-series batteries beginning in March 2026. Production CEO Raymond Wittmann describes this location as a key hub for supplying Germany’s vehicle factories with sixth-generation high-voltage batteries.
For the Gen6 high-voltage batteries, BMW Group relies on cylindrical round cells that are integrated directly into the battery using the “Cell-to-Pack” principle. The battery itself is part of the body structure according to the “Pack-to-open-Body” concept. BMW states: “All production steps are continuously monitored inline and fully documented in real time. Customly developed AI assistants and agents analyze this data, working together with robots on the 50,000 square meter production floor to ensure error-free battery manufacturing.”
On the 50,000 square meter production facility, 500 robots are in use. At full capacity, around 1600 employees on two production lines are expected to manufacture several hundred high-voltage batteries per day. According to the company, more than 3500 data points are collected and monitored in real time for each battery during production. After additional measurements at the incoming goods stage, the battery cells are connected into cell clusters with coolers, cleaned and welded using lasers, and combined into a mechanical unit through a foaming process. Next, the casing is closed, sealed, and riveted, the Energy Master as the central control unit is installed, and each high-voltage battery undergoes a thorough inspection.
The Gen6 high-voltage batteries are assembled at five new production facilities in Irlbach-Straßkirchen, Debrecen, Shenyang, Woodruff, and San Luis Potosí. According to BMW, the Irlbach-Straßkirchen plant operates without fossil fuels, generating part of its electricity through a photovoltaic system and meeting the remaining demand entirely from renewable sources. No water is required for battery assembly due to the manufacturing process. This results in a reduction of CO₂e emissions per watt-hour by around 33 percent compared to the Gen5 cells of the previous model, it was stated.
The Gen6 battery cells used in the BMW i3 incorporate secondary materials for cobalt, lithium, and nickel. Renewable energy is utilized in the production of anode and cathode materials as well as in cell manufacturing. Irlbach-Straßkirchen is part of BMW Group’s Bavarian battery network, which covers research and development, production, and recycling.
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Thomas Langenbucher is an expert in electromobility with experience in the automotive and financial industries. Since 2011, he has been covering electric vehicles, sustainable technologies, and mobility solutions for ecomento.de. Learn more.
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