BMW Munich Plant Ready for Next-Generation EV Production

On December 18, BMW confirmed that the BMW Munich plant has reached a major milestone in preparing for next-generation vehicle production, reinforcing the site’s strategic role in the company’s global EV roadmap. Extensive upgrades across the body shop and assembly lines have been completed, with all newly installed systems successfully clearing initial functional validation.
BMW Munich Plant digital validation before physical production
To ensure flawless execution ahead of real manufacturing, BMW carried out comprehensive virtual production tests at the BMW Munich plant. Every production step was simulated without physical components, creating a complete digital vehicle flow. This approach allows engineers to validate equipment performance, software integration, and process stability before any actual parts enter the line.
Key elements of this validation phase include:

• End-to-end simulation of body, assembly, and logistics processes

• Early detection of process bottlenecks and system mismatches

• Reduced risk during production ramp-up for new vehicle architectures

BMW i3 relocation supports early system-level testing
In January 2026, assembly of the BMW i3 will shift from the Research and Innovation Centre to the Munich facility. This move enables BMW to conduct full-system testing in a real production environment well ahead of volume manufacturing. Series production of the new i3 is planned to begin in summer 2026, following extensive validation cycles.
This transition strengthens:

• Manufacturing readiness before market launch

• Cross-functional coordination between development and production teams

• Faster stabilization of quality and throughput targets

iFACTORY framework reshapes manufacturing at BMW Munich Plant
The transformation of the BMW Munich plant follows BMW’s iFACTORY strategy, where production systems are digitally planned and virtually commissioned. The new body shop and assembly areas were designed entirely in a digital environment. The press shop and paint shop are now connected to BMW’s Virtual Factory ecosystem.
This digital-first approach delivers:

• Earlier testing of complex production scenarios

• Greater flexibility for future model integration

• Improved efficiency across the entire value chain

Large-scale rebuild while maintaining daily output
Over an 18-month period, nearly one-third of the Munich facility was rebuilt. Legacy structures were dismantled and replaced with new assembly halls, a modern logistics center, and an advanced body shop. Remarkably, the plant continued producing up to 1,000 BMW 3 Series and 4 Series vehicles per day throughout the transformation.
With series production of the all-new BMW i3 scheduled for the second half of 2026, the BMW Munich plant now stands as a benchmark for digitally enabled, high-volume EV manufacturing within BMW’s global production network.