High demand for iX3: BMW increases shifts to three in Hungary

BMW has increased production of the iX3 at its Debrecen plant from two to three shifts this month, switching to round-the-clock manufacturing. The reason is high demand: BMW confirms that 100,000 orders have been placed for the iX3 alone in Europe so far.

Image: BMW

BMW emphasizes that it succeeded in switching from mass production to a three-shift operation at the Hungarian plant within about eight months. This was “the fastest ramp-up in production that a new BMW Group facility has ever experienced.” Specifically, BMW marked the start of production in Debrecen in October 2025. Actual mass production began a little later. In March, BMW already announced that it would increase operations to two shifts due to high demand. This September marked the next step toward three shifts.

The iX3 is BMW’s first model in the New Class, meaning the new electric vehicle generation from Munich. The E-SUV is currently available in two variants: the DeriX3 50 xDrive, which is the all-wheel-drive version in the lineup, and since late May, the RWD variant iX3 40 can also be configured. All iX3 variants are currently produced solely in Debrecen. However, parallel production in Mexico starting in 2027 is being prepared, and a locally produced long version of the iX3 is set to launch in China as well.

| | BMW iX3 40 | BMW iX3 50 xDrive |

| --- | --- | --- |

| Drive type | RWD | AWD |

| Power | 235 kW | 345 kW |

| Torque | 500 Nm | 645 Nm |

| Acceleration | 5.9 s | 4.9 s |

| Top speed | 200 km/h | 210 km/h |

| WLTP range | 635 km | 805 km |

| Battery capacity | 82.6 kWh | 108 kWh |

| DC Charging Power | 300 kW | 400 kW |

| DC Charging Time 10-80% | 21 min | 21 min |

| Price | 63,400 Euros | 70,900 Euros |

But back to Hungary: There, the rapid expansion to three shifts is attributed to the model’s success. Just a few weeks ago, the 50,000th iX3 rolled off the assembly line in Debrecen. And: “In the year after the world premiere of the new BMW iX3, 100,000 customers across Europe have already ordered the model, underscoring the outstanding interest[…],” says the manufacturer.

Hans-Peter Kemser, President and CEO of BMW Group Works Debrecen, emphasizes: “Such rapid growth is only possible if the number of employees increases alongside production volume. Recruiting and training so many new employees in such a short time is the result of exceptional teamwork. The commitment of our employees, their knowledge sharing, and strong team spirit shape the corporate culture at BMW Group Works Debrecen and make such achievements possible.” Currently, around 5,000 employees work at BMW in Debrecen.

The plant operates under a production principle the company calls “BMW iFACTORY,” which is characterized by a high level of digitalization and flexibility. This setup enables the plant to “efficiently manufacture a wide range of vehicle configurations according to customer specifications.” The BMW iX3 produced on site is currently available in the two mentioned powertrain options along with a large selection of body colors, including special colors.

Image: BMW

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Meanwhile, BMW has announced a second product launch for Debrecen in the coming months: “Production of a second, entirely new model from the New Class will begin at this site this fall.” The manufacturer has not provided further details at this stage. However, the model in question could be an electric SUV coupe internally referred to as NA7 — its market name is likely to be iX4.

What is clear is that BMW already stated in March 2023, following the successful launch of the platform within 24 months, that it plans to introduce six models based on the New Class. “Automobilwoche” confirmed the validity of these plans earlier this year. Two of these six models are now in production: alongside the iX3 from Debrecen, there is also the BMW i3 from the main plant in Munich. Serial production of the i3 began in August.

In general, the plant in Debrecen only began series production at the beginning of this year. It is designed exclusively for pure electric vehicles and covers an area of over 400 hectares. BMW Group states that it has invested more than 2 billion euros in the development of this site.