BMW said it has completed final functional testing of new production facilities at its Munich plant, a key step ahead of the start of Neue Klasse electric vehicle manufacturing at the site from 2026.
The German automaker said production equipment for a new body shop and assembly line has now been installed and successfully tested, leaving the plant technically ready to build the next generation of BMW vehicles. The Munich factory is scheduled to begin series production of the BMW i3 electric sedan in the second half of 2026, followed later by the i3 Touring estate variant.
The tests, known internally as a Common Function Test, simulate the full production process without using physical parts. “All production steps are executed without any parts in the system,” BMW said. “Cycle by cycle, an invisible vehicle takes shape. Although no actual car is produced, this process provides the certainty that everything operates seamlessly and as planned.”
Until now, pre-production versions of the new i3 have been assembled at BMW’s nearby Research and Innovation Centre. The dedicated i3 assembly line currently installed there will be transferred to the Munich plant in January 2026, enabling the start of pre-series vehicle builds before full-scale production begins later that year.
BMW chief executive Oliver Zipse confirmed in November that the electric saloon would carry the i3 name and that series production would start in the second half of 2026. Internally known as NA0, the model represents the production version of the Vision Neue Klasse concept unveiled at the IAA 2023 motor show.
Although the Munich plant already builds vehicles of similar size, including the combustion-engine and hybrid 3 Series and 4 Series, BMW said extensive upgrades were required to support its new iFACTORY production approach. Over the past 18 months, around one-third of the plant has undergone renovation while maintaining daily output of up to 1,000 vehicles.
“Old halls were dismantled, and a new assembly, logistics centre and body shop were built – all while still manufacturing up to 1,000 BMW 3 Series and 4 Series vehicles per day,” said Peter Weber, head of BMW Group Plant Munich. “Series production of the new BMW i3 is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026.”
The Munich rollout will follow the start of Neue Klasse production at BMW’s new plant in Debrecen, Hungary, where the electric iX3 is due to enter production first. Together, the projects form a central part of BMW’s strategy to scale up electric vehicle manufacturing across Europe.