BMW has introduced two fully electric trucks at its Leipzig plant to transport components between a logistics warehouse and its high-voltage battery production facilities.
The trucks, manufactured by Designwerk, are expected to reduce CO2 emissions by around nine tonnes annually compared to traditional diesel-powered vehicles. These electric trucks will cover an eight-kilometer round trip, completing up to twelve trips per day as part of the plant’s three-shift operation.
Powered by four electric drives delivering 610 horsepower (450 kW), the Designwerk trucks operate on 340 kWh batteries, which can charge to 80% in approximately 1.5 hours during drivers’ breaks.
This new addition complements BMW’s ongoing efforts toward sustainable production and logistics, which began at the Leipzig plant earlier this year, when the company started manufacturing high-voltage batteries.
Petra Peterhänsel, Plant Director, highlighted the importance of the initiative: “We are delighted to be undertaking this journey with our longstanding logistics partner, the Rudolph Logistik Gruppe. The transition to electromobility and sustainable production affects not only our BMW and MINI cars but our production methods and supply chains as well.”
BMW is not alone in its use of electric trucks in Leipzig, as Porsche also utilizes seven electric trucks in its local factory, supplied by various manufacturers like Scania and Daimler Truck.
The Leipzig BMW facility manufactures battery components for models such as the MINI Countryman Electric, BMW iX1, iX2, i4, i5, and iX.
