BMW Starts iX3 Production in Debrecen Using 100% Green PowerBMW Group will launch series production of the iX3 in Debrecen in October 2025. The plant runs fully on renewable energy and assembles Gen6 batteries on-site.

BMW Group will launch series production of the iX3 in Debrecen in October 2025. The plant runs fully on renewable energy and assembles Gen6 batteries on-site.

The BMW Group is entering the final stretch before series production of its first Neue Klasse model. In late October 2025, the fully electric BMW iX3 will start rolling off the line at the new plant in Debrecen, Hungary. This milestone marks the beginning of a new era for the company: it is the first BMW facility to operate entirely on electricity from renewable sources during normal operations, without the use of fossil fuels.

Total investment in the site exceeds €2 billion, with an additional €500 million allocated to high-voltage battery assembly. More than 2,000 employees are already working at the plant, and the new battery and vehicle lines will create hundreds of additional jobs. The site was designed according to BMW’s iFACTORY strategy: processes were optimized and digitally validated in the company’s Virtual Factory using NVIDIA Omniverse, allowing the team to streamline commissioning and ensure flexibility for future models.

The BMW iX3 is the first vehicle to feature in-house assembled sixth-generation (Gen6) high-voltage batteries. These cylindrical cells deliver up to 20% higher volumetric energy density and as much as 30% gains in range and charging speed. The iX3 50 xDrive will feature an 800-volt architecture, a roughly 108.7-kWh battery, 345 kW of power and a WLTP range of up to 805 km. DC charging peaks at 400 kW, enabling more than 350 km of range to be added in about 10 minutes — figures that remain provisional at this stage.

Plant Debrecen employs an innovative “finger structure” layout that enables 80% of parts to be delivered directly to the assembly line. Internal logistics are fully electric, with autonomous tugger trains and smart robots transporting batteries and components. The paint shop is a first for BMW: it operates gas-free, using Power-to-Heat and regenerative thermal oxidation, significantly reducing the CO₂ footprint. Around a quarter of the plant’s annual electricity demand will be met by a 50-hectare photovoltaic park built in partnership with E.ON Hungária.

The Debrecen plant is part of Hungary’s rapidly growing EV cluster. Nearby, CATL is constructing one of Europe’s largest battery cell plants, which will help shorten supply chains and support BMW’s local-for-local strategy. Local companies and universities are actively involved in workforce training and logistics development.

BMW plans to launch more than 40 new and updated models worldwide by 2027, with the iX3 leading the charge. A sporty sedan based on the Neue Klasse architecture is scheduled for 2026 and will carry forward BMW’s new design language and digital-first technology. Industry observers suggest that these launches will be key to strengthening BMW’s position against rising competition from Chinese EV makers and advancing the global shift toward sustainable manufacturing.