PREVIEW

BMW 3 Series: how it came about and where the batteries for the i3 electric car are made

BMW’s designers recounted the story behind the new 3 Series, and we were given a tour of the Irlbach-Straßkirchen plant, which cost around one billion euros and was built in record time.

by Simonluca Pini

1 October 2026

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4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

BMW 3 Series, a project launched during the pandemic
Dingolfing, where the new 3 Series will be produced
Where are the i3’s batteries made?
BMW: a factory built in two and a half years
From cells sourced in China to the battery pack
Gen6 batteries: how their structure has changed
A network of five factories

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Petrol, hybrid and electric. All share the same styling and interior, but are built on different platforms. This is how the eighth generation of the BMW 3 Series came into being, available for the first time as a 100 per cent electric model, as explained during the launch conference organised at the German plant in Dingolfing by those who have been involved in the project from the very beginning. A two-day event that took us inside the production facility where the new 3 Series will be built, and to the newly opened Irlbach-Straßkirchen plant where the batteries for the i3 and future Neue Klasse models will be assembled.

BMW 3 Series: a project launched during the pandemic

Development began during the Covid pandemic, with the aim of giving the various powertrain options a shared identity. The petrol and hybrid versions use the Clar platform, whilst the i3 utilises the Neue Klasse electric architecture. Technical requirements may change, but the bodywork and interior must make it clear that they belong to the same family.

The choice of style involved comparing the work of around ten to fifteen designers. The shortlisted proposals were whittled down to two or three and turned into full-scale models for submission to the board of directors. The transition from digital tools to physical modelling and scanning made it possible to verify the shapes against technical constraints. The final design was approved in early 2024, and the first physical prototypes were ready by the middle of that year. A hand-built model enabled the evaluation of materials, screens, lighting and sound before the pre-production cars were built. The result is a visible family resemblance between the cars, whilst retaining differences in proportions, wheelbase and overhangs. At the front, the grille and headlamps are integrated into a horizontal design, whilst flush-fitting door handles and simplified surfaces characterise the side profile. The interior, too, follows a shared design language, with the large screen at the centre of the dashboard and information projected at the base of the windscreen.

Dingolfing, where the new 3 Series will be produced

Acquired by BMW in 1967, the Dingolfing plant has been producing the brand’s cars since September 1973. It is the group’s largest European production centre, employing around 18,000 people. The 4 Series, 5 Series, 7 Series and iX are all built here. From November 2026, the new 3 Series with a combustion engine will be added to the line-up, marking the model’s departure from Munich after more than fifty years. However, this is not a completely new venture for Dingolfing, as the model has already been manufactured there on several occasions since 1980.

Production of the i3 will continue in Munich, whilst from 2027 the plant will be dedicated exclusively to electric cars. The distinction between the two sites coincides with the generational change of the saloon, the first series of which rolled off the production lines in Munich in 1975.

Bmw i3, dove nascono le batterie
Photogallery25 foto

Where are the i3’s batteries made?

One billion euros, 60 hectares of land and two production lines dedicated to sixth-generation high-voltage batteries. In Irlbach-Straßkirchen, in Lower Bavaria, BMW has built a plant to supply German car factories involved in the production of the Neue Klasse models. The first batteries are destined for Munich, where they are fitted to the new i3. We visited the plant to observe the processes that transform the cells purchased from suppliers into a complete battery pack, ready for installation in the car.

BMW: a factory built in two and a half years

The official opening on 1 October 2026 comes around two and a half years after work began. The planning permission was granted in April 2024, whilst pre-series battery production began in March 2026. The start-up phase has been brought forward compared with the initial schedule to meet demand for the Neue Klasse models, and series production is already operating on a two-shift basis. Once fully operational, the plant is expected to employ around 1,600 staff and produce several hundred batteries a day. There are 500 robots operating within the 50,000 square metres dedicated to production.

From cells sourced in China to the battery pack

The cells are sourced from China, whilst BMW assembles the high-voltage battery at Irlbach-Straßkirchen. The process begins with checks on incoming materials, including voltage measurements. The cylindrical cells are then grouped together and connected to the cooling elements, a process designed to ensure insulation and temperature management. The cell assemblies and the contact system are cleaned using a laser and then welded. The next stage involves the insertion of a foam which, once cured, protects the components and contributes to the mechanical stability of the assembly. The housing is closed, sealed and riveted before the battery control unit is installed. A permanently elastic sealing adhesive is applied to ensure a watertight seal. Finally, each complete battery undergoes an end-of-line inspection.

Gen6 batteries: how the design has changed

The sixth-generation cylindrical cells are integrated directly into the battery pack according to the ‘cell-to-pack’ principle. The battery housing, in turn, forms part of the car’s structure through a solution known as ‘pack-to-open-body’. The battery thus also takes on a structural role, in addition to its function as an energy storage device. The Gen6 concept is intended for various segments of the Group’s range, and the development of the sixth generation of BMW eDrive technology has led to the filing of patent applications for over 500 innovations. In the new i3, the battery has a capacity of 108.7 kWh. For the First Edition of the i3 50 xDrive, the claimed range is up to 906 kilometres on the WLTP cycle. The 800-volt architecture allows for a maximum DC charging power of 400 kW. When connected to a fast-charging point, the saloon can regain up to 423 kilometres of range in ten minutes under the WLTP cycle. The i3 also features bidirectional charging.

A network of five factories

Irlbach-Straßkirchen forms part of a network that includes plants in Debrecen, Hungary; Shenyang, China; Woodruff, in the United States; and San Luis Potosí, Mexico. BMW has located the assembly sites close to the car factories they are to supply, in order to minimise the transport distances for the battery packs. The Bavarian plant will serve the German sites, starting with the i3 produced in Munich. The production network is complemented by the cell competence centres in Munich and Parsdorf, and the recycling centre in Salching, which began operations in December 2025, 16 kilometres from Straßkirchen. Here, production waste materials and entire cells are recovered through a mechanical disassembly process, avoiding energy-intensive chemical or thermal treatments.