BMW Gets Munich Plant Ready for Neue Klasse EVs
The automaker's first two Neue Klasse EVs will be a 3-Series-sized sedan and X3-sized SUV, targeting the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y more or less directly.
The automaker's Debrecen, Hungary, plant has already produced pre-series examples of the model that will replace the iX3, and will begin series production later this year.
The original Neue Klasse introduced a new design language and lineup for BMW, rescuing the automaker from post-war doldrums while setting the template for the next several decades of design and engineering.
The 21st century Neue Klasse program is expected to be just as revolutionary for the Munich-based automaker, set to usher in a new generation of battery-electric models with a fresh look, one that will draw its inspiration from the classic models of the 1960s.
BMW is now getting ready to build the first models that will comprise the Neue Klasse at its main plant in Munich, with plans to kick off production at that particular site next summer.
"For the production start of the Neue Klasse, we will have a state-of-the-art plant in Munich that is characterised by flexibility, innovation and, above all, efficiency," said Plant Director Peter Weber.
But BMW's Debrecen plant in Hungary will start building Neue Klasse cars first, before the start of series production in Munich in 2026. The first pre-series vehicles in Munich, on the other hand, are slated to be completed by the end of this year, with help from BMW Group Research and Innovation Centre (FIZ).
When it comes to the Debrecen plant in Hungary, the first pre-series units of the 2026 BMW iX3 left the assembly line late last year, with the model patterned after the Neue Klasse X concept revealed in the spring of 2024.
Yet another one of the first wave of Neue Klasse models will be a 3-Series-sized sedan, which was teased by the Vision Neue Klasse concept in 2023, and which features quite a few nods to the classic BMW 2002.
The sedan is expected to be produced at the Debrecen plant, but it's possible that production in the US is in the cards as well, especially given the current tariff trends.
These first two models should land in two traditionally high-demand segments for the automaker, while also allowing it to target the Tesla Model 3 and the Model Y more or less directly.
But the Neue Klasse program is more than just about design. BMW has revealed in recent months that the debut models will see 30% quicker recharges thanks to 800-volt architectures, while also aiming to deliver 30% more range thanks to cylindrical lithium-ion cells.
These metrics alone should give the Neue Klasse models a decisive advantage in range, just as the range wars rage on in the EV sphere.
And getting the Munich and Debrecen plants ready for EV production is near the top of the agenda in 2025. In a few years, these two plants will exclusively produce electric models, with Munich switching to EV-only models in 2027.
Three new production halls are currently being outfitted in Munich in preparation for the start of series production next year, just as existing models are being assembled. The switchover to EV-only production, which will involve only one type of drivetrain, is expected to achieve a higher level of efficiency in comparison to ICE powerplants.
"With the Neue Klasse, we will significantly reduce manufacturing costs at the Munich Plant," Weber added.
But the competition isn't sitting still.
By the time the Neue Klasse models arrive in Europe, automakers from China could gain even more of a foothold on the continent, so Tesla won't be the only EV maker BMW will have to worry about.
BMW's plans to reposition the Munich plant exclusively for EV production starting in 2027 also rely on a continuously growing rate of EV adoption in Europe—an assumption that may have seemed warranted five years ago, but one which is now beginning to show signs of doubt.
Will the Neue Klasse models see greater success than BMW's current electric lineup, or will they reenergize the automaker's EV sales by a significant margin once they arrive? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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