BMW goes EV-only for German powertrains — no end in sight for ICE cars
BMW's Munich plant will produce new electric vehicles based on the Neue Klasse architecture. (Image source: BMW)
BMW is shifting focus to electric vehicles at its Munich plant, putting the full brunt of its main R&D centre behind the new tech. The brand will, however, continue to make internal combustion engines — just not in Germany. The Munich plant already has over two years of i4 production under the belt, and BMW will start retraining employees for more EV models.
BMW has yet to set a date or target for when it plans to stop making petrol- and diesel-powered cars. However, it recently confirmed that it took a significant step towards an electric-only future. According to Carscoops, BMW stopped producing internal combustion engines at its facility in Munich.
Going forward, the BMW Group Munich plant will only produce electric drivetrains. This pivot to an EV-only manufacturing facility means retraining 1,200 employees and retooling much of the existing production equipment.
This shift lines up with the prospective 2025 release of the Neue Klasse-based electric i3 model, which will eventually become the electric M3 in 2027. The i3 lineup includes the regular i3 sedan and an i3 Touring version later on.
BMW has no plans to stop production of internal combustion engines just yet, although this is a sign that the ageing technology's time is nigh. BMW will reportedly move more of its ICE production to its facilities in Austria and the UK.
Julian van der Merwe - Magazine & Specialist News Writer - 458 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2022
My interest in tech started in high school, rooting and flashing my Motorola Defy, but I really fell down the rabbit hole when I realised I could overclock the i7 930 in my Gigabyte pre-built PC. This tinkering addiction eventually lead me to study product design in university. I think tech should improve the lives of the people using it, no matter the field. I like to read and write about laptops, smartphones, software and trends in technology.
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