Mass production of the BMW i3 began in Munich
BMW’s main plant in Munich began mass production of the second model in its New Class series, namely the BMW i3, on Thursday. Since the early order-taking for this vehicle started in June, BMW has seen high demand for this all-electric sedan.
BMW had extensively upgraded its facility near Munich’s Olympiapark ahead of the start of mass production of the i3 and future new-class models. Building a new body shop and a new assembly hall along with logistics areas took about four years. The final functional tests of the new facilities were completed in December, before pre-production of the i3 could begin in February — at that time, BMW displayed the new electric model only with camouflage coating.
In mid-March, the camouflage was removed, revealing what the all-electric BMW 3 Series will look like. Given the strong interest in this vehicle, which follows the E-SUV BMW iX3 as the second model in the new class, BMW moved up the start date for orders of the i3 significantly: A “First Edition” of this electric mid-size sedan is now available for ordering since mid-June, priced at 75,340 euros. BMW has also announced the price for the later base version called the i3 50 xDrive—the entry-level model of the electric 3 Series is set at 65,900 euros.
On August 6th, BMW has now begun production of the model at its main plant in Munich. The company states that the ramp-up period is expected to be particularly rapid. In other words, BMW aims to increase production from zero to a high volume level in the shortest possible time to enable timely manufacturing and delivery of these highly sought-after vehicles. “The models in the New Class enjoy great popularity. The BMW i3, as the second model in this class, is also seeing strong demand shortly after the early start to orders,” says Jochen Goller, BMW’s head of sales.
BMW’s production chief, Raymond Wittmann, refers to a “new era” for the main plant: “With the all-electric BMW i3, we are bringing together what belongs together: Few models represent BMW as much as the 3 Series – and few production sites represent our brand as much as the Munich plant. Thanks to the unique integration of headquarters, development, and production, our Munich facility serves as a crucial driver for our global production network: Every one of our plants benefits from the experience and knowledge gained from launching the new class in Munich.”
With the start of production for the BMW i3, the Munich plant reduces its manufacturing costs by 10 percent as well. This is made possible through proactive planning, close collaboration with development teams and suppliers, as well as modern production technologies in the new structures. In addition to optimized production processes and targeted automation and digitalization, the new vehicle architecture of the New Class also contributes to efficiency, according to the Munich facility.
As announced in 2024, BMW plans to produce only electric vehicles in Munich starting in 2027. It will then become the company’s second dedicated electric vehicle factory, following the entirely new plant in Debrecen, Hungary, where the BMW iX3 is manufactured. Additional models from the New Class are set to follow soon, ensuring the long-term viability of the Munich headquarters for decades to come, according to BMW.