BMW intensifies production in Hungary amid high iX3 demand

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

Image: BMW

BMW emphasises that its Hungarian plant successfully transitioned from series production to a three-shift operation in approximately eight months. This, it states, is “the fastest production ramp-up any new BMW Group plant has ever experienced”. Specifically, BMW celebrated the start of production in Debrecen in October 2025, with full series production beginning shortly afterwards. In March, BMW already announced it would increase to two shifts due to high demand. This September, the next step – to three shifts – has followed.

The iX3 is BMW’s first representative of the Neue Klasse, the new generation of electric vehicles from Munich. The electric SUV is currently available in two variants: the iX3 50 xDrive, the all-wheel-drive model in the range, and, since the end of May, the rear-wheel-drive variant, the iX3 40, can be configured. All iX3 variants are currently produced exclusively in Debrecen. However, from 2027, parallel production is being prepared in Mexico; meanwhile, in China, a locally produced long-wheelbase version of the iX3 is also set to launch.

| | BMW iX3 40 | BMW iX3 50 xDrive |

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

| Drive | 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 | €70,900 |

Back in Hungary: the rapid expansion to three shifts is justified by the model’s success. Just a few weeks ago, the 50,000th iX3 rolled off the production line in Debrecen. Furthermore, “In the year following the world premiere of the new BMW iX3, 100,000 customers across Europe have already ordered the model, underscoring the outstanding interest […]”, according to the manufacturer.

Hans-Peter Kemser, President and CEO of BMW Group Plant Debrecen, explained: “Such a ramp-up is only possible if the workforce grows in line with production volume. Recruiting and training so many new employees in such a short time is the result of extraordinary teamwork. The commitment of our employees, their exchange of knowledge, and their strong team spirit shape the corporate culture of BMW Group Plant Debrecen and make such results possible.” Currently, around 5,000 employees work for BMW in Debrecen.

The plant operates according to a production principle that the company refers to as ‘BMW iFACTORY’, characterised by a high degree of digitalisation and flexibility. This enables the plant to “efficiently manufacture a wide range of vehicle configurations to customer specifications”. The BMW iX3 produced on-site is currently available in the two mentioned drivetrain variants and a wide selection of body colours, including special colours.

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 Neue Klasse will begin at the site this autumn.” The manufacturer has not yet provided further details. However, the announced model could be an electric SUV coupé, internally known as NA7—likely to be marketed as the iX4.

What is clear: as early as March 2023, BMW stated that, following the successful platform launch, it planned to launch six models based on the Neue Klasse within 24 months. _Automobilwoche_ confirmed the validity of these plans at the beginning of this year. Two of these six models are now in production: in addition to the iX3 from Debrecen, the BMW i3 is already being produced at the main plant in Munich. Series production of the i3 began in August.

Fundamentally, the Debrecen plant only began series production at the start of this year. It is exclusively dedicated to pure electric vehicles and covers an area of more than 400 hectares. The BMW Group states that it has invested over €2 billion euros in developing the site.