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News

Reports: Nissan Leaf manufacturing to finish in Sunderland this week

Nissan is ending manufacturing of the present Leaf at its Sunderland plant this week, based on reports, because it gears as much as construct three new electrical vehicles on the manufacturing unit.

The Leaf’s substitute is an electric crossover, anticipated to be revealed later this yr forward of a 2026 manufacturing begin date. The different two vehicles would be the electrical replacements for the Nissan Qashqai and Nissan Juke.

Nissan started manufacturing of the primary Leaf at Sunderland in 2013, three years after it was launched. The present, second-generation Leaf arrived in 2017.

A Nissan spokesperson stated: “The present era of Nissan Leaf, the world’s first mass-market 100% electrical automobile, is approaching the top of its life cycle in Europe.

“Depending in the marketplace’s stock, European prospects will have the ability to place their orders till automobile shares run out.

“Nissan has already announced a new line-up of 100% electric vehicles for the European market to be produced in Sunderland plant as part of our commitment to sustainability and electrification.”

Leaf manufacturing for different markets is anticipated to proceed on the agency’s US and Japanese vegetation. European inventory, constructed at Sunderland, will doubtless be bought till the top of the yr, reviews recommend.

When the third-generation Leaf (rendered by Autocar above) arrives in 2026, Nissan predicts it should construct round 100,000 models a yr at its Sunderland plant. This ambition will likely be supported by on-site battery associate Envision AESC, which is primed to open its new battery manufacturing unit later this yr with a capability of 11GWh and will finally ramp as much as 30GWh.

BMW

Four drive ideas – one promise: Sportiness in collection.

Dingolfing. BMW Group Plant Dingolfing has right now celebrated the official begin of manufacturing for the brand new BMW 5 Series Touring. The newcomer is the primary premium automobile in its section to characteristic not only a petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid drive but additionally a totally electrical one. That makes the BMW i5 Touring the fourth all-electric mannequin to enter collection manufacturing at Plant Dingolfing in not even three years.

“Our BMW 5 Series Touring is especially important for Germany and the European market, and a lot of customers have been waiting for it,” mentioned Plant Director Christoph Schröder. But on the finish of May, the wait might be over, as a result of that’s when the brand new Touring – now in its sixth technology – will attain sellers’ showrooms and the primary automobiles are handed over to clients. The new mannequin is already accessible to order now.

Since launching the primary technology in 1991, Plant Dingolfing in Lower Bavaria has been the only real producer of the BMW 5 Series Touring, with greater than 1.2 million rolling off its manufacturing strains through the years. Like its predecessor, the brand new BMW 5 Series Touring – regardless of drive – is manufactured flexibly alongside the BMW 5 Series Sedan and BMW 4 Series and 6 Series fashions, all on a single manufacturing line. Investments within the plant for the brand new BMW 5 Series Touring quantity to approx. 80 million euros.

“For us here in Dingolfing, the BMW 5 Series is part of our DNA,” defined Plant Director Christoph Schröder, “and the launch of the new Touring represents the next step in the renewal of our successful model series.” Last yr BMW 5 Series autos accounted for a few third of output from Dingolfing. But with the Touring now accessible, numbers may rise considerably in 2024, doubtlessly nearing the 50 p.c mark.

If you might have any questions, please contact:

Julian Friedrich, BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, Head of Press and Public Relations

Phone: +49 8731 76 22020, e mail: Julian.Friedrich@bmw.de

Thomas Niedermeier, BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, Press and Public Relations

Phone: +49 8731 76 27666, e mail: Thomas.Niedermeier@bmwgroup.com

Internet: www.press.bmwgroup.com, www.bmw-werk-dingolfing.de

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmwgroupwerkdingolfing/

BMW Group Plant Dingolfing

BMW Group Plant Dingolfing is the BMW Group’s largest European manufacturing facility. Every day it produces greater than 1,500 autos, with the BMW 4 Series, 5 Series, 6 Series, 7 Series, 8 Series and the all-new BMW iX rolling off the manufacturing strains. In 2023 output totalled some 292,000 items.

Currently the positioning employs over 18,500 individuals and has 900 trainees studying 15 professions. That makes it not simply by far the biggest employer within the area but additionally one of many largest trade and vocational coaching bases in Germany.

As properly as producing autos, Dingolfing manufactures parts comparable to pressed components and chassis and drive programs. The element plant 02.20 is house to the BMW Group’s Centre of Excellence for e-drive manufacturing, which provides BMW Group vegetation worldwide with the electrical motors and high-voltage batteries they should produce plug-in hybrid and totally electrical fashions.

Plant Dingolfing additionally manufactures bodies-in-white for all of the Rolls-Royce fashions. Its so-called Dynamics Centre, an enormous warehouse and reloading level, is the center of central aftersales logistics on the BMW Group and delivers unique BMW components and equipment to BMW and MINI commerce organisations worldwide.

BMW i5 eDrive40 Touring:
Power consumption mixed in WLTP cycle: 19.3 – 16.5 kWh/100 km
Electric vary in WLTP cycle: 483 – 560 km

BMW i5 M60 xDrive Touring:
Power consumption mixed in WLTP cycle: 20.8 – 18.3 kWh/100 km
Electric vary in WLTP cycle: 445 – 506 km

BMW

Production launch of the MINI Countryman Electric at BMW Group Plant Leipzig

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

Featured

VinFast Moves Closer To India Debut, Begins Construction Of EV Manufacturing Plant In Tamil Nadu

This EV manufacturing plant spans 400 acres, with a projected annual capability of 1.5 lakh autos.

VinFast Plant Inauguration

  • The Vietnamese carmaker plans to speculate over Rs 4,100 crore over 5 years.

  • The VinFast EV manufacturing plant targets a manufacturing capability of 1.5 lakh items per yr.

  • The VinFast VF7, VinFast VF8, VinFast VFe34, and VinFast VF6 might be the primary few fashions to be launched in India.

  • The automaker is anticipated to make its Indian market debut in 2025.

Vietnamese carmaker VinFast has been trying to enter the Indian marketplace for a while now, and has been forward of worldwide rival Tesla in that regard. It has moved a step nearer to its purpose with the inauguration of a 400-acre manufacturing plant in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu within the presence of Thiru M. Okay. Stalin, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. VinFast additionally plans to determine a dealership community throughout the nation, however is but to verify actual timelines for this endeavor. Let’s take a better have a look at their aims and potential future merchandise.

VinFast In India

VinFast

VinFast plans to speculate roughly Rs 4,144 crore over 5 years in its EV manufacturing plant in India, which is projected to have a capability of manufacturing 1.5 lakh autos yearly. The facility will create job alternatives for 3,000 to three,500 individuals within the state.

Commenting on the inaugural ceremony, Mr. Pham Sanh Chau, CEO of VinFast India, stated, “VinFast’s groundbreaking ceremony for its plant in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, is a significant stride towards sustainable and green mobility in India. By establishing an integrated electric vehicle facility, the company’s commitment to job creation, green transportation, and strategic partnerships solidifies VinFast’s position as a major player in the electric vehicle industry. This milestone strengthens the bonds between the robust economies of Vietnam and India, and underscores VinFast’s dedication to a zero-emission transportation future, setting the stage for economic growth, innovation, and environmental sustainability in the region”.

Also Check Out: Mitsubishi Set To Make A Comeback In India, But Not In The Way You’d Think

More About Vin Fast

VinFast VF7

VinFast, a brand new participant within the automotive business, formally commenced operations in 2017 in Vietnam. Initially, the EV maker launched scooters and fashions based mostly on BMW vehicles. In 2021, VinFast expanded its choices, launching three electrical vehicles, two new electrical scooters, and an electrical bus in Vietnam.

The following yr, VinFast started increasing its world presence by establishing showrooms within the US, Europe, and Canada. VinFast at the moment sells fashions like VF8 and VF9 SUVs within the US, and in addition the VF6 and VF7 SUVs in Canada.

Also Check Out: These Are The 10 Most Affordable Cars With Cruise Control In India

Expected Models & Timeline

VinFast has proven its dedication for the Indian market with establishing its personal facility however it will likely be a while earlier than we are able to anticipate domestically constructed fashions. It will doubtless purpose to start out operations with fully-built imports ranging from 2025, after which providing CKDs (utterly knocked down items) in India by 2026, with localised fashions to be launched after. The first few fashions might be  SUVs and crossovers just like the VinFast VF7 and VinFast VF6. You can go to this hyperlink to know extra about these fashions intimately. 

What are your ideas on VinFast and its merchandise? Do you consider extra automakers ought to introduce their merchandise in India? Comment under.

VauxhallUk

VAUXHALL VIVARO ELECTRIC PRODUCTION TO START IN LUTON FROM 2025

  • Vauxhall to fabricate Vivaro Electric at its Luton plant from 2025
  • Luton will turn into second Stellantis plant in UK to fabricate electrical automobiles, following transformation of Ellesmere Port into the UK’s first EV-only quantity manufacturing plant the place the Combo Electric is made
  • Luton to provide Vivaro Electric – Vauxhall’s medium-size electrical van – alongside its sister variations from Citroën, Peugeot and FIAT Professional
  • Works are beginning in 2024 to arrange the plant for restricted manufacturing of medium electrical vans, alongside continued manufacturing of ICE vans
  • Luton manufacturing plant first opened its doorways in 1905 and has been producing Vauxhall vans since 1932
  • Stellantis is the one OEM producing vans in quantity within the UK
  • Vauxhall is the UK’s primary electrical van model

Vauxhall has introduced that restricted manufacturing of its medium electrical van – Vivaro Electric – will start at its Luton manufacturing facility from the primary half of 2025.

Limited manufacturing of Vivaro Electric, and its equal fashions from different Stellantis manufacturers, will get underway throughout Spring subsequent yr, making Luton the second Stellantis plant within the UK to fabricate electrical automobiles (EV) and contributing to satisfy the rising demand for medium-sized electrical vans sooner or later.  This follows the beginning of EV manufacturing at Ellesmere Port in 2023 – the UK’s first electric-only quantity manufacturing plant – with the Vauxhall Combo Electric.  Luton is a part of the transformation to electrification of all Stellantis websites producing vans in Europe.

The Luton plant will produce the totally electrical Vauxhall Vivaro Electric, Opel Vivaro Electric, Peugeot E-Expert, Citroën ë-Dispatch and Fiat Professional E-Scudo in each proper and left-hand drive. The plant will manufacture predominantly for the UK Right Hand Drive market however can even have the ability to export to Left Hand Drive markets. Production of the equal inside combustion engine (ICE) vans will proceed alongside the electrical variations.

Mark Noble, Luton Plant Director & Stellantis UK Manufacturing Lead, stated: “Following the transformation of our Ellesmere Port facility to produce all-electric compact vans, I’m pleased to announce that we will commence limited production of our medium electric van in Luton from next year, when the first customer vehicles will roll off the production line. This is a fitting way to mark Luton’s 120th anniversary.”

Maria Grazia Davino, Group Managing Director, Stellantis UK, stated: “Whilst this decision demonstrates Stellantis’ confidence in the plant, this first step in its re-development towards a fully electric future requires the UK Government to stimulate more demand in the electric vehicle market and support manufacturers that invest in the UK for a sustainable transition.”

Opened in 1905, Luton has been residence to Vauxhall fashions for greater than a century. The first business automobiles have been assembled on the plant in 1932, with panel vans ‘VYC’ and ‘VXC’ the primary vans to roll off the manufacturing line.

Since then, Luton has continued to provide a spread of widespread business automobiles for Vauxhall. In 2001, manufacturing of the Vivaro started, which has just lately had some main enhancements as a part of a wider refresh of your entire Stellantis mild business car line-up. The plant additionally manufactures sister Stellantis fashions for Peugeot, Citroën, Opel and Fiat Professional.

Among the primary electrical automobiles to be produced at Luton, the New Vauxhall Vivaro Electric is powered by a 75kWh battery paired with a 100kW (136PS) electrical motor. It is able to as much as 217 miles of vary (WLTP), whereas a 5-80% cost could be accomplished in simply 45 minutes from a 100kW speedy charger.

Stellantis is Europe’s main van producer with 30.4% market share in 2023 and 38.8% of the European electrical van market.  In the UK, Stellantis represented 47.9% of the electrical van market final yr with Vauxhall because the best-selling producer and the Vivaro Electric because the primary electrical van within the UK. 

Vauxhall, Peugeot, Citroën and Fiat Professional are presently the one mainstream automotive manufacturers to provide vans within the United Kingdom. Alongside the Luton plant, they manufacture vans at Ellesmere Port, the UK’s first electrical vehicle-only quantity manufacturing plant and the primary Stellantis plant globally devoted to electrical automobiles.

BMW

All beneath one roof – employees transfer into Plant Debrecen Communication Centre

+++ Debrecen Plant Director Hans-Peter Kemser: “Another milestone on the road to the NEUE KLASSE” +++ Surrounded by all manufacturing applied sciences: Communication Centre as central hub +++ Already greater than 1,000 workers in Debrecen +++

 

Debrecen. Employees of the long run Plant Debrecen have moved into the central Communication Centre, the place they’re becoming a member of forces for the ultimate stretch earlier than the official collection launch of the NEUE KLASSE. Debrecen Plant Director Hans-Peter Kemser is happy with building progress: “In just a few months, pre-series production will get underway here in Debrecen, setting new standards – not just for the vehicles themselves, but also for processes here at the plant. The Communication Centre will support us by creating short lines of communication and enabling a good exchange of information between all technologies at any time.” The structure additionally helps the idea of the BMW iFACTORY, which shall be totally applied in Debrecen.

While non-production workers are already settling into their workplaces on-site, manufacturing employees are making ready for his or her future roles at Plant Debrecen inside the firm’s international manufacturing community. This will guarantee a clean begin to pre-series manufacturing in 2024 and the profitable collection launch of the primary NEUE KLASSE mannequin in 2025.

Model of Leipzig central constructing additional optimised

Inspired by the central constructing at BMW Group Plant Leipzig, the Communication Centre in Debrecen will even hyperlink the manufacturing applied sciences of the physique store, paint store and meeting. In Debrecen, this underlying precept was additional developed with the creation of a central constructing the place the community concept is paramount. The open structure offers each assembly areas and sequestered workplaces. The two-storey Communication Centre is about 19,000 sq. metres in dimension; round half of this space shall be workplace house.

The three important manufacturing areas are located across the administrative space. The Communication Centre is not only the place colleagues come collectively, but in addition folks and merchandise: From the physique store, which is adjoining to the workplace constructing on the precise, unpainted automobile our bodies will make their means on a conveyor belt, seen above folks’s heads, by the Communication Centre to the paint store, situated centrally behind it. From there, the painted our bodies shall be transported again by the workplace constructing to the car meeting, which is to the left. This signifies that everybody who doesn’t work straight in manufacturing can nonetheless see the product always.

The multifunctional employees restaurant can be used for conferences exterior of mealtimes. This is situated on the bottom flooring as nicely, together with the central market and well being centre. A state-of-the-art laboratory additionally discovered residence within the Communication Center’s floor flooring space in 1,300 sq. meters. The colleagues of the laboratory shall be chargeable for the premium high quality of the colours of the Neue Klasse fashions. The 700-square meter, well-equipped Health Center of the Plant shall be working within the constructing as nicely to handle the colleagues’ well being and well-being, whereas additionally finishing up prevention and screening campaigns. The higher flooring is occupied by workplaces.

Architectural idea primarily based on ideas of BMW iFACTORY

Digitalisation is taking part in a significant function in building of the plant – the digital begin of manufacturing for Plant Debrecen’s digital twin already befell in March 2023. The significance of digitalisation can also be mirrored within the Communication Centre’s tools. Meeting rooms characteristic fashionable digital components that allow digital collaboration all through the plant and past.

The ideas of the BMW iFACTORY have been already considered through the planning part. 5G expertise is used all through the grounds and paper isn’t seen on the Debrecen plant – which goals to be nearly paperless.

Other assets shall be used fastidiously as nicely. When selecting the furnishings, easy-to-recycle supplies have been most popular, with in depth use of wooden. Plant Debrecen will even function solely with out fossil fuels.

BMW

Transformation to E-mobility: BMW Group’s Munich plant to supply solely all-electric fashions from the tip of 2027

Munich. A brand new period is dawning for BMW Group Plant Munich: from 2026, the long-lasting father or mother plant will produce the Neue Klasse sedan. Just one yr later, the manufacturing unit will manufacture nothing however all-electric fashions, making the Munich plant the primary location within the BMW Group’s current manufacturing community to have efficiently accomplished the transformation to E-mobility from the tip of 2027.

“The Munich plant is an excellent example of our ability to adapt. We are investing € 650 million here and will produce exclusively all-electric vehicles in our parent plant from the end of 2027,” says Milan Nedeljković, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Production. “Last year alone, six all-electric models went into production. At the same time, we also set a production record, proving that we are simultaneously able to both deliver and shape the future in our production network.”

Peter Weber, Director BMW Group Plant Munich, provides: “Munich is the beating heart of BMW. The plant in Munich is innovative and adaptable. As in the 1960s, a Neue Klasse is again laying the foundation, on which our plant is reinventing itself. The fact that this comprehensive transformation is taking place at the same time as roughly 1,000 vehicles per day are currently being manufactured is common practice in Munich and is possible thanks to the outstanding performance of all our employees. We are delighted to be guiding the Munich plant into a fully-electric future – starting with the Neue Klasse sedan.”

Smooth transition to electromobility, because the period of combustion vehicles from Munich ends in 2027

BMW Group Plant Munich is a primary instance of the fluent transition to the period of electromobility. In 2015, the primary plug-in hybrid fashions from the BMW 3 Series have been manufactured on the identical manufacturing line as combustion autos. In 2021, the BMW i4 grew to become the primary all-electric car to be produced on the identical manufacturing line. Nowadays, each second car that rolls off the manufacturing line has an all-electric drive system.

From 2026, manufacturing of the Neue Klasse within the Munich plant will initially run parallel to manufacturing of present fashions. A very good yr later, from the tip of 2027, the BMW Group’s father or mother plant would be the first current web site within the world manufacturing community to fabricate solely all-electric autos, having been reworked accordingly. As such, the period of autos with combustion engines in Munich will draw to an in depth 75 years after the launch of the BMW 501 in 1952.

After the beginning within the new plant in Debrecen, Hungary, and in Munich, the Neue Klasse autos may also be produced in Shenyang, China, and San Luis Potosí in Mexico.

Extensive modifications provide long-term safety for location

Over the course of a historical past stretching again greater than 100 years, BMW Group Plant Munich has undergone many adjustments and repeatedly reinvented itself. Together with the conversion from manufacturing plane engines to car development, the profitable introduction of the Neue Klasse within the Nineteen Sixties is a milestone within the record of adjustments all through the corporate’s historical past.

At the second, a number of massive development websites are proof of the turnaround, as they pave the best way for the arrival of the Neue Klasse from 2026. The € 650 million of funding contains 4 buildings, together with a brand new car meeting line with logistics areas and a brand new physique store.

In order to create the house inside the restricted flooring house on the plant within the coronary heart of Munich, the standard engine manufacturing has been moved to Hams-Hall in Great Britain and Steyr in Austria after roughly 70 years on the father or mother plant. 1,200 staff have been skilled for various manufacturing methods in Munich or have taken up employment at different places within the manufacturing community.

As within the Nineteen Sixties and all different adjustments since, the present transformation of BMW Group Plant Munich is going down while manufacturing remains to be ongoing. Regardless of the development work, roughly 1,000 vehicles roll off the manufacturing line on daily basis, together with BMW 3 Series and the BMW i4 – all on the identical meeting line.

The intensive reorientation of the plant secures a long-term future for the positioning in Munich, and can also be a major funding in Bavaria as an industrial location.

Digitalisation on the Munich plant in accordance with the rules of BMW iFACTORY

The rules of BMW iFACTORY assure the utmost flexibility, glorious processes and excellent integrability in any respect websites inside the BMW Group – from the fully new plant in Debrecen to the father or mother plant in Munich, which is over 100 years previous and at which the transformation is in full swing. BMW iFACTORY is synonymous with the excellent manufacturing experience all through your entire manufacturing community. One essential side is a complete digitalisation with a holistic strategy to the interplay between individuals, processes and programs. It optimises processes and helps staff with their work. The implementation takes place in three areas: knowledge science, synthetic intelligence (AI) and virtualisation.

Motorsport

The Chrysler 300 Is Officially Dead

In a solemn ceremony on the Brampton Assembly Plant in Ontario, the ultimate chapter of a legendary American vehicle concluded. The final Chrysler 300C rolled off the meeting line – a wonderful sedan in Velvet Red – marking the end result of the mannequin’s practically 70-year legacy. By the top of this month, manufacturing of all 2023 Chrysler 300 variants may even come to an finish.

In September final 12 months, the automaker unveiled the ultimate mannequin 12 months which introduced a restricted version V8-powered trim. The 2023 300C had a 6.4-liter Hemi engine and manufacturing was strictly restricted to 2,000 items for the United States and 200 for Canada. All vehicles had been reserved within 12 hours. 

Last 2023 Chrysler 300C rolls off the assembly lines

“Chrysler brand is proud to mark the legacy of the Chrysler 300C as a true automotive icon, one of the original muscle cars representing bold American luxury,” Chris Feuell, Chrysler model chief govt officer, commented. “As we celebrate the last HEMI-powered 300C off the line with our Brampton team members, we’re also excited to work together as Chrysler brand moves forward to a sustainable all-electric future as part of the Stellantis Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan.”

The present era 300 debuted in 2011, making it one of many oldest merchandise you should purchase model new as we speak. Surprisingly, each Chrysler 300 still sells for 12 percent over MSRP. Reportedly a brand new electrical sedan will change the 300, however not a lot is understood about that EV in the intervening time. 


BMW

Change at the top at BMW Group Plant Landshut: Stefan Kasperowski hands over to Thomas Thym.

Landshut. Thomas Thym is set to take over as Head of BMW Group Plant Landshut on 1 December, succeeding Stefan Kasperowski. Thym, aged 52, has been at Plant Landshut since 2019 in the role of Vice President Purchasing, Quality and Production Cockpit and Door Panels. Kasperowski, after nearly four years at Landshut, will assume the leadership of high-voltage battery production at Dingolfing and Regensburg. Carolin Seidel will become the new Press Spokesperson for Plant Landshut on the same date.

“With his extensive production experience, procurement and supplier network expertise and his strong ties to Plant Landshut, Thomas Thym is well positioned to lead the facility to further success in the future,” says Joachim Post, Member of the Board of Management, Purchasing and Supplier Network at BMW AG.

Thym began his career at the BMW Group in 1997 as a project manager in vehicle assembly at Plant Regensburg. He then held positions at the MINI plant in Oxford, England and at Group headquarters in Munich. After leading the international purchasing office in India, Thym took on the strategic direction of the BMW Group’s purchasing and supplier network.

Since 2019, Thym has overseen global purchasing and the supplier network for interior components, as well as production of interior parts such as cockpits and door panels at Landshut and Wackersdorf. “I’m really looking forward to my new responsibilities and can’t wait to write the next chapter in the plant’s more than 50-year success story – together with the excellent Landshut team,” says Thym. “It’s also very important to me to showcase Plant Landshut not only as the largest employer in the region but also as an enduringly reliable local partner with a sense of social responsibility.”

Kasperowski was instrumental in driving the plant’s future direction Under Stefan Kasperowski’s leadership, the company invested around €700 million in Plant Landshut, reinforcing the importance of the BMW Group’s largest component plant worldwide. With Kasperowski at the helm, the light metal foundry – one of the most advanced of its kind – has constantly upgraded its production and logistics solutions, both in terms of efficiency and innovation, and as far as sustainability and circularity are concerned.

New Press Spokesperson at Plant Landshut Also taking on a new role on 1 December alongside Thomas Thym is Carolin Seidel, who will begin work as Press Spokesperson of the Bavarian components plant. Seidel has been at the BMW Group since 2013, focusing on hydrogen/fuel cell technology and sustainability communications in vehicle development in her previous position as Press Spokesperson. Born in Chemnitz, Seidel is excited about her new role and the parallels between her previous areas of focus and the Landshut facility. The 35-year-old is bringing with her a wealth of experience in the world of communications. She spent 2013 to 2016 at the vehicle factories and engine plant run by the BMW joint venture in Shenyang, China. She was then spokesperson for the pilot plant and main plant in Munich up to 2021. “In Carolin Seidel, we are welcoming as our new spokesperson at Plant Landshut an extremely experienced and highly skilled communicator – as far as both our products and production are concerned,” says Julian Friedrich, head of communications at the Dingolfing and Landshut plants.

BMW

Smart maintenance using artificial intelligence

# Smart maintenance using artificial intelligence

**Predictive maintenance at BMW Group Plant Regensburg – AI-supported system monitors conveyor technology during assembly – Integrated, learning maintenance system identifies potential faults early, avoiding more than 500 minutes of vehicle assembly disruption every year**

**Regensburg.** Preventing unplanned stoppages before they can occur is the aim of the smart analysis system being used in assembly at BMW Group Plant Regensburg. Predictive maintenance is proactive and preventive – and this is precisely what the smart monitoring system offers. Data-driven analyses of conveying equipment allows potential faults to be identified early and avoided – thereby maintaining optimal vehicle production flow. The artificial intelligence (AI)-supported system avoids an average of around 500 minutes of disruption per year in vehicle assembly at the Regensburg plant alone.

**Data analysis for faster, preventive response to potential disruptions**

For assembly at BMW Group Plant Regensburg, vehicles are generally attached to mobile load carriers or skid systems, which pass through the production halls in a chain. Any technical fault in the state-of-the-art conveyor systems can bring assembly lines to a standstill – requiring more maintenance effort and thus resulting in higher costs. To prevent this from happening, the innovation team at BMW Group Plant Regensburg has developed a system that can identify potential technical defects early – and thus avoid any lost production. The conveyor elements affected can be removed from the assembly line and repaired, away from production. The advantage is that the monitoring system does not require any additional sensors or hardware, but evaluates existing data from installed components and conveyor element control. An alarm sounds if anomalies are found.

For example, the load carriers used to transport vehicles through assembly send various data to the carrier control system. This data is then transmitted via the carrier and plant control system to the BMW Group’s own predictive maintenance cloud platform. This is where the analysis begins: The algorithm constantly searches for irregularities, such as fluctuations in power consumption, abnormalities in conveyor movements or barcodes that are not sufficiently legible, which could trigger a malfunction. If anomalies are found, the maintenance control centre receives a warning message, which it assigns to the maintenance technician on duty. “The surveillance monitors at our control centre run 24/7,” explains project manager Oliver Mrasek. “This enables us to respond quickly to any kind of fault report and take the affected vehicle out of the cycle.”

**Implementation – AI-supported, standardised and cost-effective**

Predictive maintenance is not a standalone solution, stresses Mrasek. The system was standardised in collaboration with the BMW Group’s central shopfloor management and other plant sites to facilitate swift and straightforward rollout to other BMW Group plant locations around the world. This approach is also cost-effective. “We don’t need any additional sensors, so the only costs are for storage and computing power.”

Machine-learning models developed in-house were also implemented in the system, which uses so-called heatmaps with various colour codes for different abnormalities to visualise the model’s findings. “This allows us to map different fault patterns in various components and respond to them in a targeted manner,” explains Mrasek.

Based on these practical findings, the algorithms are continuously improved and refined. The team is currently in the process of connecting additional installations, optimising the system and integrating recommended actions into fault messages. The fault message could, for example, indicate similar problems that have occurred in a system. This simplifies troubleshooting for maintenance technicians – for example, if an impeller on the conveyor trolley is defective. “Optimal predictive maintenance not only saves us money, it also means we can deliver the planned quantity of vehicles on time – which saves a huge amount of stress in production,” explains Deniz Ince, the team’s data scientist.

**The next goal: Predictability – and two patents**

Mrasek and his colleagues have been working on data-driven monitoring of conveyor technology for the past six years. Today, around 80 percent of the main assembly lines are already monitored in this way. “We can’t detect or prevent every single fault in advance, of course – but we are currently avoiding at least 500 minutes of downtime per year in vehicle assembly alone,” he explains. It is easy to calculate how much this adds up to. At BMW Group Plant Regensburg, a vehicle rolls off the assembly line roughly every minute – every 57 seconds, to be exact – and the system is already being used in conveyor systems at the plant sites in Dingolfing, Leipzig and Berlin.

The aim is to further exploit the possibilities of artificial intelligence, with the system learning to estimate how much time remains between detection of the fault and the potential stoppage. This would help technicians decide how soon they need to perform maintenance and allow them to prioritise, if needed. Mrasek also sees further potential in other areas of the plant: “We are currently testing whether we can also use the system for the equipment used to fill our vehicles with brake fluid and coolant, for example.”

Although there are already numerous options for predictive equipment maintenance, Regensburg’s integrated learning system is, so far, the first of its kind. Compatibility with predictive maintenance is therefore already being written into tenders for new conveyor technology. Equipment manufacturers are also praising the system, since they benefit from its evaluations as well. The BMW Group has already registered two patents for its in-house development.

**BMW Group Corporate Communications**
Dominik Hämmerl, Communications Regensburg and Wackersdorf
Cell phone: +49 151 6060 3889, Email: Dominik.Haemmerl@bmw.de
Saskia Graser, Head of Communications Regensburg and Wackersdorf
Cell phone: +49 151 6060 2014, Email: Saskia.Graser@bmw.de
Media website: [www.press.bmwgroup.com](http://www.press.bmwgroup.com)
Email: [presse@bmw.de](mailto:presse@bmw.de)

**BMW Group Plants Regensburg and Wackersdorf**

The BMW Group has viewed itself for decades as the benchmark for production technology and operational excellence in vehicle construction – including at its locations in Regensburg and Wackersdorf.

The BMW Group vehicle plant in Regensburg has been in operation since 1986 and is one of more than 30 BMW Group production locations worldwide. A total of up to 1,000 vehicles of the BMW 1 Series, BMW X1 and BMW X2 models come off the production line at Plant Regensburg every workday – destined for customers all over the world. Different types of drive trains are flexibly manufactured on a single production line – from vehicles with internal combustion engines to plug-in hybrids, to fully-electric models.

High-voltage batteries for the electric models built in Regensburg are also produced locally, in direct proximity to the vehicle plant. They are assembled at the electric component production facility, which opened in 2021 at the Leibnizstrasse location. BMW Innovation Park Wackersdorf also belongs to the Regensburg site. The 55-hectare campus built in the 1980s was originally intended as a nuclear reprocessing facility. The BMW Group has located its cockpit production there, as well as its parts supply for overseas plants. In addition to BMW as the largest employer, several other companies are also based at Innovation Park Wackersdorf. A total of around 2,500 employees work there.

The BMW Group core staff at the Regensburg and Wackersdorf locations in eastern Bavaria is made up of around 9,000 employees, including more than 300 apprentices.

[www.bmwgroup-werke.com/regensburg/de.html](http://www.bmwgroup-werke.com/regensburg/de.html)