BMW iX3 Production Begins At New Debrecen Plant In October

BMW is preparing to launch a new era of production as the first Neue Klasse model, the all-electric iX3, enters series production at the company’s brand-new plant in Debrecen, Hungary, this October. Purpose-built as BMW’s most advanced facility to date, Plant Debrecen is designed to operate entirely without fossil fuels, embodying the company’s vision of digital, sustainable, and flexible manufacturing.

The new facility is the first to fully realise BMW’s iFACTORY strategy. Every process was modelled virtually in advance, enabling a seamless transition from digital design to real-world production. Robots in the body shop, presses in the stamping lines, and fully connected assembly halls all work within an optimised digital ecosystem, ensuring efficiency and flexibility from day one.

Sustainability has been prioritised at every stage. The plant is powered exclusively by renewable energy, with a vast on-site solar park supplying much of its electricity. Smart energy storage systems capture and reuse surplus energy, while innovations in the paint shop significantly cut CO? emissions. Autonomous logistics vehicles and digitally managed supply chains further streamline the movement of parts and batteries across the facility.

The Debrecen site will also be the first to assemble BMW’s sixth-generation high-voltage batteries, developed in-house to deliver greater range and efficiency. The integration of battery production on-site reduces transport distances, cuts emissions, and allows production teams to react more swiftly to evolving technologies.

By combining expertise from across its global network, BMW has established Debrecen as a benchmark plant for future manufacturing. More than 2,000 employees are already in place, trained and supported through knowledge-sharing programmes with other BMW facilities around the world. The start of iX3 production marks the beginning of a wider rollout, with 40 Neue Klasse models and updates scheduled by 2027, setting the tone for BMW’s next chapter in electrification and innovation.