UPDATED (adding battery details from BMW).
German car manufacturer BMW said it is investing over €2 billion in high-voltage battery assembly at its Debrecen vehicle plant in Hungary.
The plant, which started construction about six months ago, will launch by the end of 2025. The batteries are for the NEUE KLASSE vehicles.
Markus Fallböhmer, BMW’s Senior Vice President of Battery Production, said: “The BMW iFACTORY is also about ensuring short distances for logistics. The close link between battery assembly and vehicle production is part of our strategy.”
The cylindrical cells will be assembled into a battery housing which is later integrated into the underbody of the car.
BMW said official start of production for the sixth generation high-voltage batteries will be in 2025 – in parallel with the start of vehicle production. All batteries for the vehicles from Debrecen will be assembled on site.
The new production facility will extend over some 140,000 square metres.
The next generation of batteries for the NEUE KLASSE will see both range and charging speed improve by up to 30% and energy density increased by more than 20%, the company said.
Cell manufacturers will use cobalt, lithium and nickel and include secondary material (i.e. not newly mined).
BMW spokesperson Christian Marxt told BEST range will be enhanced by up to 30% (according to Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure, WLTP). Battery, drive train and charging technology in the NEUE KLASSE will have a higher voltage of 800V to optimize the supply of energy to direct current high-power charging stations.
He added: “To meet our requirements regarding the next generation of battery cells, we have already signed contractual agreements for five battery cell factories: two in China (1x CATL and 1x EVE), two in Europe (1x CATL and 1x EVE) and one in the US (Envision). In the US, our new partner Envision AESC will build a battery cell factory in South Carolina.
“In keeping with our local for local strategy, it is in our interests for the battery cell factories to be built in the vicinity of our production locations. In Europe, the CATL and EVE plants will be built close to our new plant in Debrecen.”
The ready-to-install battery packs are reportedly to have an energy content of between 75 and 150 kWh, depending on model. Marxt refused to confirm this, saying details are still to be announced.
