- BMW's new electric SUV has entered production
- Production is on track for late 2025
- Initial production will take place in Hungary and Germany, and Mexico will be added to the mix
BMW is now building pre-production examples of its next generation Neue klasse EVs at the assembly point in Debrecen, Hungary,
This is the “last stage of preparation” before the start of the production line, which is still on its way by the end of 2025said BMW. A common part of any volume model upgrade, the pre-production process allows automakers to test every part of the vehicle's assembly, as well as the crew's planning procedures, to make sure everything goes smoothly.
BMW Group Plant Debrecen, Hungary
The first Neue Klasse model will be an SUV previewed by Vision Neue klasse X revealed earlier this year. It will be followed by a sedan based on the Vision Neue Klasse concept that debuted in late 2023, with slightly sportier looks and technical features such as a panoramic head-up display, with a name that pays homage to a family of models from the 1960s. set the template for modern BMWs.
The Neue Klasse models also mark BMW's battery switch to cylindrical cellswhich the automaker said will have a volume power density of more than 20% over the prismatic cells it currently uses. They will combine with 800-volt electrical structure to accelerate charging by 30%, says BMW. The automaker also promised bi-directional charging capabilities, allowing Neue Klasse EVs to serve as home backup power sources.
BMW Group Plant Debrecen, Hungary
Neue Klasse EVs pick up where the planned BMW i3—the automaker's first dedicated EV—left off, but with designs aimed more at mainstream and the possibility of much higher production volumes. After production begins in Hungary, BMW plans to add Neue Klasse models to its main facility in Munich, Germany. Production in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, will take place at that time follow in 2027.
Mexico assembly plans, which include a new battery assembly facility, could help Neue Klasse models qualify for the EV tax credit in the US But by the time BMW is ready to start building EVs in Mexico, the tax credit may already be in place. he is owned by the second Trump.