BMW Group’s Plant Dingolfing has officially initiated the production of the new BMW 5 Series, which includes the fully electric BMW i5. The start of production was celebrated in the presence of the Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder. Marking 50 years of automotive production, the plant in Lower Bavaria is now integrating its third fully-electric model in two years. The BMW iX and BMW i7 had previously been initiated. It is projected that by next year, pure battery-electric vehicles will constitute more than 40% of total production at this facility, which is BMW Group’s most significant European manufacturing site.
Why It Matters
According to Milan Nedeljković, BMW AG Board Member in charge of Production, the BMW i5 represents the transformative shift of the BMW Group towards electric mobility. Between 2021 and 2024, 15 fully-electric vehicles are expected to be integrated into their global production network. This transformation is enabled by the flexible architectures of BMW Group, allowing them to provide diverse drive train variants for their models to meet evolving customer demands.
Key Points
- The BMW 5 Series, similar to the BMW 7 Series and BMW X1, will be available in various drive train options: fully-electric, internal combustion engine, or plug-in hybrid.
- BMW Group has invested over a billion euros to integrate BMW iX, BMW 7 Series, and BMW 5 Series into the Dingolfing plant.
- Christoph Schröder, the Plant Director, anticipates the launch of the new BMW 5 Series will increase the plant’s production numbers. Over 280,000 vehicles were assembled in 2022 at the Dingolfing plant.
- The plant expects to produce over 300,000 vehicles in the coming year, with the production start of the BMW 5 Series Touring and the eighth-generation BMW M5 models.
- Plant Dingolfing has manufactured two-thirds of the total 12 million BMW vehicles produced to date.
Bottom Line
The new BMW 5 Series, with its key model BMW i5, symbolizes the innovative future of BMW’s transformation towards electric mobility. Over the last 50 years, the Dingolfing plant has established itself as a cornerstone of BMW’s global production network. With significant investments, flexible production models, and a commitment to sustainability, the BMW i5 launch marks a milestone in Plant Dingolfing’s evolution into the BMW iFACTORY, bolstering the brand’s reputation as a leader in electric mobility and manufacturing.
