BMW Group’s EV influence has been rapidly increasing in the past few years. With a $1.7 billion investment in its South Carolina manufacturing paired with the launch of a new lineup of electric options, BMW is on track to becoming a massive player in the EV industry.
Now, the Bavarian automaker is expanding its electrification strategy further with a recent investment in its homeland. At BMW’s Leipzig manufacturing campus, the luxury automaker has recently broke ground on an upcoming battery logistics facility. This new battery facility will play an instrumental role in manufacturing the all-new Mini Countryman.
“Leipzig continues to power ahead. Making the BMW i3, we were the BMW Group’s pioneer in electromobility. Now, with the development of e-component production and the upcoming launch of the Mini Countryman, the future is already taking shape,” says plant director Petra Peterhänsel.
The battery logistics plant will also prioritize sustainability. Outfitted with a rooftop solar array pushing north of 3,000 kilowatts (kW) in ideal conditions and “more than 5,700 new shrubs and trees,” BMW’s upcoming facility will aim for a minimal carbon footprint.
The first phase will be completed halfway through 2024. The plant will act as BMW’s EV logistics plant, housing high-voltage battery components for the automaker’s electric models. When fully complete, it will be home to 500 new jobs in the Leipzig area.
BMW says that by 2026, a third of its vehicles sold will be fully electric.
