San Luis Potosí, Mexico – The BMW Group has announced its intention to ramp up its e-mobility program, with a goal of reaching 50% of its worldwide sales to be fully electric vehicles before 2030. As part of this effort, the company is investing in the expansion of its international production network, including the plant in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, which will produce fully-electric models for the NEUE KLASSE.
“We are systematically gearing our production network towards electromobility. In Mexico, we are investing 800 million euros in our plant and creating around 1,000 new jobs,” said Milan Nedeljković, a member of BMW’s Board of Management responsible for Production.
The first cars of the NEUE KLASSE will be produced at the plant in Debrecen, Hungary, starting in 2025, with the main plant in Munich to follow. The plant in San Luis Potosí is expected to integrate the NEUE KLASSE into its operations by 2027.
In addition to the investment in Mexico, BMW recently announced an investment of 1.7 billion US dollars in the expansion of its Spartanburg production site in the US, including the construction of a new assembly center for high-voltage batteries. By 2030, the company aims to build at least six fully-electric models in the US.
As part of the investment in Mexico, a new assembly center for high-voltage batteries will be built on the plant grounds, spanning an area of 85,000 m2 and employing over 500 additional employees. The plant in San Luis Potosí, which went online in 2019, is currently home to around 3,000 employees and produces the BMW 3 Series, 2 Series Coupé, and the new M2.
The models of the NEUE KLASSE will use newly developed round lithium-ion battery cells, increasing energy density by over 20% and improving charging speed and range by up to 30%. The company is committed to reducing CO2 emissions from cell production, including relying on energy from renewable resources and using secondary materials in the production of the batteries.
Plant San Luis Potosí is also known for its responsible resource management and measures to reduce CO2, including a water-saving program and a solar power installation on the plant grounds. A second shift is set to begin at the plant in April, adding another 500 new jobs.
