BMW Group finishes functional checks at Munich plant for Neue Klasse

BMW Group reports the successful completion of functional tests at its Munich plant, preparing new production lines for Neue Klasse and BMW i3 series output.

BMW Group Plant Munich has reached a major milestone in preparing for the next generation of vehicles. Functional checks of the new production equipment in the body shop and on the new assembly line have been successfully completed, marking a crucial step toward series production of Neue Klasse models and the new BMW i3.

The tests were carried out as part of a so-called Common Function Test. All systems were run through dry cycles without any physical components. Production planners and plant technicians executed every single manufacturing step, cycle by cycle, creating what BMW describes as an “invisible vehicle.” This process ensures that machinery, workflows, and system interactions operate seamlessly and exactly as planned before real production begins.

According to the management team at Plant Munich, completing this phase confirms that all key manufacturing technologies and equipment are now ready for the next stages. At the same time, employees are already being trained for the production of the BMW i3. The next objective is the build-up of first pre-series vehicles, which will be manufactured entirely at the Munich plant.

For the moment, BMW i3 assembly is still taking place at the nearby Research and Innovation Centre. In January, this activity will be relocated to Plant Munich, enabling comprehensive testing of the complete production system under real plant conditions. Series production is set to ramp up in summer 2026, with the official start scheduled for the second half of 2026.

The project highlights the principles of the BMW iFACTORY strategy. Both the new body shop and the new assembly line were digitally planned and tested from the outset. Existing installations in the press shop and paint shop have also been integrated into BMW’s Virtual Factory, allowing functional testing of technologies for the new vehicle generation to take place virtually well in advance.

The scale of the transformation is significant. Within just 18 months, around one third of the plant’s site was extensively remodelled. Old buildings were dismantled and replaced by a new assembly hall, a logistics centre, and a body shop — all while the plant continued producing up to 1,000 BMW 3 Series and 4 Series vehicles per day.

These developments position Plant Munich as a central pillar in BMW Group’s broader transformation. Series production of the new BMW i3 is scheduled to begin here in the second half of 2026, and from the end of 2027 the site is set to manufacture exclusively fully electric vehicles. Together, these steps underline Munich’s strategic role in BMW’s transition to Neue Klasse and the future of automotive production.