Advanced Tech Fuels BMW’s Gen6 Electric Engines Production
BMW Group has kicked off the series production of its pioneering sixth-generation electric engines at Plant Steyr in Austria, marking a significant milestone in the company’s ongoing transformation toward tech-driven sustainable mobility.
The facility is a pivotal part of BMW's global manufacturing network and is now manufacturing fully electric drives for the first time, aligning with BMW's commitment to its Neue Klasse platform and the overarching shift toward sustainable mobility and digital innovation.
Reinventing a legacy site
For more than 40 years, Plant Steyr was a hub for combustion engine expertise, significantly contributing to the propulsion of BMW and MINI vehicles worldwide.
The current shift in focus to electric engines involves substantial technological upgrades, including the addition of new production halls, the modernisation of infrastructure and the re-engineering of manufacturing processes to accommodate the production of electric drives.
“Three years ago, we announced that we would build this electric engine in Steyr,” says Klaus von Moltke, Head of Engine Production at BMW AG and Plant Director at Steyr.
“Today, we are proud to deliver it.
“What we are launching here today is more than just a production ramp-up.
“It is a firm commitment to Europe, to technology and to the future.”
This transformation at Steyr will see around 1,000 employees engaged in the new electric assembly line, with the goal of transitioning nearly half of the 4,900-strong workforce to e-mobility roles in the medium term.
Efficiency gains through technology
The newly developed Gen6 electric engine seeks to enhance vehicle efficiency markedly by utilising advanced technology.
Compared to previous models, it:
- Reduces energy loss by 40%
- Lowers costs by 20%
- Cuts weight by 10%
This results in an overall efficiency gain of around 20%.
Plant Steyr will manage the comprehensive production and assembly of essential components including rotors, stators, transmissions, housings and inverters, with certain parts like housings supplied by BMW’s Plant Landshut.
“Today we are laying the foundations for the future of the BMW Group,” explains Milan Nedeljković, BMW AG Board Member for Production.
“As the first production site for the Gen6 electric engine, Plant Steyr is central to the Neue Klasse and the continued development of our global production network.”
Driving regional value creation
This innovative shift underscores BMW’s strategy of synergising technological progress with regional value creation and ensuring long-term employment security.
“The new electric engine is made with innovative manufacturing processes,” says Helmut Hochsteiner, Head of Electric Engine Production in Steyr.
"Implementing them takes perfect planning, experience and expertise, which is why we scaled up component production and the manufacture of the entire drive to industrial level ourselves, here in-house.”
