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The BMW Munich factory, the oldest assembly plant in the company’s global network, is about to undergo the most radical shift in its long history. From 2027, the iconic facility will abandon internal combustion engine production entirely and dedicate itself exclusively to building all-electric vehicles. It is a landmark move that signals just how seriously the Bavarian manufacturer is accelerating its transition towards electrification, with the Neue Klasse platform taking centre stage on the factory floor.
The transformation kicks off in earnest with series production of the BMW i3 all-electric saloon, scheduled to begin in August 2026. Pre-series builds of the i3 have already been rolling through the Munich plant since February, giving engineers and production staff time to fine-tune the line ahead of full customer deliveries. The i3 becomes the second model in BMW’s dedicated Neue Klasse family, following the iX3 compact SUV that is currently being assembled at the company’s facility in Debrecen, Hungary.
Munich will not be a one-model operation, either. BMW has confirmed that the upcoming i3 Touring, the estate variant, will also be produced at the same site. Plant manager Peter Weber has made it clear that the i3 saloon is merely the opening act, with several additional Neue Klasse models earmarked for Munich production in the years ahead. The plant has undergone a sweeping modernisation programme over the past two years, making it more efficient, more flexible and better equipped to handle the demands of electric vehicle manufacturing.
What makes this transition all the more remarkable is that the Munich plant is still firing on all cylinders in its current role. The facility continues to produce up to 1,000 combustion-engined vehicles each day, primarily from the 3 Series and 4 Series ranges destined for European and American markets, alongside the i4 and M3 for global export. That output will wind down as the all-electric switchover gathers pace, with the plant expected to slash overall production costs by a further 10 per cent once i3 manufacturing is fully up and running.
Supporting the Munich plant’s electric future is a carefully coordinated supply chain. High-voltage Gen6 batteries will arrive from a dedicated facility in Irlbach-Strasskirchen, roughly 90 minutes down the motorway, while the Gen6 electric motor powering the i3 is being built at BMW’s long-established plant in Steyr, Austria. With every piece of the puzzle falling into place, BMW’s oldest factory is proving that heritage and innovation can share the same postcode, and that the road ahead for the marque runs firmly on electric power.
