Leipzig. Electrification continues at BMW Group Plant Leipzig: Four months after launching manufacturing of the combustion-engined MINI Countryman, the all-electric model is now rolling off the strains at Leipzig as nicely. After phasing out manufacturing of the BMW i3, the birthplace of electrical mobility on the BMW Group has welcomed one other absolutely electrical automobile to its vary. It now manufactures 4 fashions with three drive varieties by two manufacturers, all on a single manufacturing line: the BMW 1 Series, the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer (together with the plug-in hybrid model), the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe and the MINI Countryman in each its absolutely electrical and combustion-powered variations.
The MINI Countryman Electric represents a significant step within the MINI model’s transition to full electrification by 2030 and combines an electrified go-kart really feel with zero native emissions mobility. It is available in two absolutely electrical variants: the Countryman E (150 kW, 204 hp | electrical energy consumption 17.4 – 15.7 kWh/100 km | CO2 emissions 0 g/km) and the extra highly effective all-wheel Countryman SE ALL4 (230 kW, 313 hp | electrical energy consumption 18.5 – 16.8 kWh/100 km | CO2 emissions 0 g/km).
Consistent plant upgrades and versatile manufacturing system
To allow manufacturing of as much as 350,000 items a 12 months – 100,000 greater than beforehand – Plant Leipzig has been constantly upgraded since 2018, with intensive additions and upgrades to the bodyshop, paintshop, meeting and logistics. “Our cars and components are very much in demand. In recent years the BMW Group has invested around 1.6 billion euros in the Leipzig site to produce additional vehicles and electric components, and now we’re increasing vehicle volumes too – which is great news for our plant,” stated Petra Peterhänsel, Plant Director.
The important driver behind the quantity enhance is the MINI Countryman. During the course of 2024, output will rise to virtually 500 items a day – on high of the 800 or so BMW autos the plant is producing. What’s extra, due to its versatile manufacturing system, Plant Leipzig is able to reply rapidly to buyer demand, for instance by rising the share of absolutely electrical autos.
Flexible meeting constructions additionally meant the MINI Countryman Electric might be built-in seamlessly into manufacturing. The state of affairs is analogous with the completely different drive items, that are all produced on one and the identical line in mixture meeting and ready for what’s generally known as “marriage” with the physique. The e-drives, transmissions and management electronics (collectively generally known as the extremely built-in electrical drive topology, or HEAT) for the 2 all-electric fashions are linked straight within the plant. A brand new manufacturing line was required just for the management electronics.
More employees and nightshifts for elevated manufacturing quantity
Higher manufacturing quantity means safe employment and as much as 900 extra staff in car manufacturing alone. By the tip of 2024, Plant Leipzig will make use of round 7,000 BMW employees. Working hours will have to be adjusted in all applied sciences, with nightshifts in meeting beginning for the primary time in September of this 12 months and vehicles being produced around the clock in three shifts.
“Plant Leipzig first went on stream in 2005 with about 2,600 employees in production. 19 years later there are over 7,000. Over the years, the plant has grown steadily and considerably. The start of nightshifts in assembly represents another important milestone in the success story of our plant and is a clear show of confidence by our company in our site here in Leipzig,” emphasised Works Council Chairman Jens Köhler.
Made at Plant Leipzig: high-voltage batteries for the MINI Countryman Electric
With the manufacturing launch of the MINI Countryman Electric, all three phases of the Gen 5 high-voltage battery manufacturing course of are actually represented at BMW Group Plant Leipzig: cell coating, module manufacturing and battery meeting. Operations in all three are at the moment ramping up, with 5 cell-coating, three module-production and two high-voltage battery-production strains now in place.
“We are in the middle of the transformation to e-mobility,” stated Markus Fallböhmer, Head of Battery Production on the BMW Group. “Starting this year, Plant Leipzig will carry out every stage of our in-house high-voltage battery production process. It’s our next great step forwards.”
Plant Leipzig’s e-component manufacturing capability has been rising since 2021. It will now manufacture not simply the high-voltage batteries for the MINI Countryman Electric but in addition e-components for the BMW iX1, BMW iX2, BMW i4, BMW i5 and BMW iX made at different websites. The e-component manufacturing unit at Leipzig at the moment employs some 1,000 folks.
To allow manufacturing of high-voltage batteries, areas beforehand used for the BMW i3 and BMW i8 have been transformed and new buildings added. One of them is a brand new corridor with a footprint of about 61,000 m2. This homes two strains able to producing as much as 300,000 high-voltage batteries a 12 months. The BMW Group has invested over 900 million euros in e-component manufacturing at Plant Leipzig to this point.
Resource-saving portray processes
At launch, the absolutely electrical MINI Countryman is available in three extra physique colors: British Racing Green, Chili Red and Blazing Blue – and with MINI’s trademark distinction roof, if desired. This is painted utilizing a brand new overspray-free technique that saves sources and is at the moment being readied for collection operation. The time period “overspray” refers back to the mist of extra paint particles that kinds when our bodies are painted the traditional approach. With the brand new approach, this mist not happens. This makes it simpler to color in a number of colors because the laborious technique of masking is not required. Overspray-free portray additionally helps save CO2 emissions, as exhaust from the cabin requires much less cleaning. In addition, it requires significantly much less conditioned air, i.e. air that is dropped at the precise temperature and humidity required for portray. As a outcome, much less power is required to mood air and deal with exhaust.
The burner know-how used to dry the paint on distinction roofs was additionally transformed for the beginning of MINI Countryman manufacturing and now consists of a bivalent system. The fuel-flexible burners can run on hydrogen (H2) in addition to gasoline (methane, CH4) and even change between the 2 whereas in operation. Five such bivalent hydrogen-capable burners are used to supply the distinction roofs for the MINI Countryman.
Further burners within the paintshop can even regularly change to bivalent operations, with the following six hydrogen-capable burners simply put in. This makes Leipzig a pioneer within the automotive trade and takes it ever nearer to decrease CO2 emissions. “Our vision at Plant Leipzig is to decarbonise production as far as possible by replacing fossil fuels with green hydrogen,” stated Petra Peterhänsel, explaining the long-term focus of the power. This would require adequate inexperienced hydrogen from a grid. A regional hydrogen grid is at the moment in planning, with Plant Leipzig set to profit.
MINI Countryman E
Electricity consumption mixed: 17,4 – 15,7 kWh/100 km in keeping with WLTP
CO2 emissions mixed in keeping with WLTP: 0 g/km
CO2 Class: A
Electric vary in keeping with WLTP: 462 – 423 km
MINI Countryman SE ALL4
Electricity consumption mixed: 18,5 – 16,8 kWh/100 km in keeping with WLTP
CO2 emissions mixed in keeping with WLTP: 0 g/km
CO2 Class: A
Electric vary in keeping with WLTP: 432 – 399 km