BMW launches pre-series production of the i3

The new production lines at BMW’s Munich plant, where the battery-electric vehicles of the Neue Klasse will be built, are now entering trial operation. Following the iX3 from the entirely new plant in Debrecen, Hungary, the i3, a mid-size saloon, will be the first Neue Klasse electric vehicle to emerge from an existing, retrofitted BMW facility.

BMW’s announcement of the start of pre-series production comes as no surprise. As early as mid-December 2025, the carmaker confirmed that preparations were complete and the plant was ready for pre-series production. Although the Munich plant already builds similarly sized vehicles such as the 3 Series and 4 Series with internal combustion engines and hybrid powertrains, BMW had to carry out extensive modifications to implement its new ‘iFACTORY’ production strategy. Over the past 18 months, the company has converted roughly one-third of the plant while keeping operations running without interruption.

BMW CEO Oliver Zipse confirmed the model designation i3 for the saloon, previously known as the ‘Vision Neue Klasse’ concept car, during a quarterly earnings call in November. It had long been speculated that BMW would revive the i3 nameplate after discontinuing the battery-electric compact car produced in Leipzig. The internally designated NA0 model will be followed by an estate variant, the NA1, which is expected to be named the i3 Touring.

The start of pre-series production marks a ‘decisive step in preparing for future series production,’ according to BMW. The Munich plant has been undergoing upgrades for months to accommodate the Neue Klasse. In parallel with these conversions, a team from the plant, working alongside colleagues from the nearby pilot plant, assembled the first vehicles at the Research and Innovation Centre to gain experience. These insights will also be used to train assembly line staff.

However, pre-series production on the actual production lines is not just about assembly and optimising process steps—it also serves as a test for logistics.”With the completion of the new production and logistics areas at the plant, vehicles now pass through all production steps on-site,” BMW stated. “This means all logistics processes, production facilities, and workflows must already function seamlessly.” Even though volumes are still low, all planned material flows are being provided and processed on the line during pre-series production.

While individual assembly steps, production facilities, and logistics routes have long been planned and optimised using computer simulations, testing with real vehicles reveals further potential for improvement. “For the coming months, this means refining processes based on the insights gained,” BMW explained. Every component and production step is now under review, including the approval checks for new facilities and tools, as well as their digital integration into the systems.

“The production of pre-series vehicles is a significant milestone for our plant,” said Peter Weber, Head of BMW Group Plant Munich. “For the first time, we have manufactured a BMW i3 entirely at our facility—using cutting-edge production technology and digitally networked processes. The now near-series-ready production demonstrates that our logistics and production processes function under real-world conditions across all technologies: in the modernised press shop, the new body shop, the state-of-the-art paint shop, the new assembly line, and the innovative logistics structures. In the coming months, we will use the insights from this ramp-up to further refine our processes and ensure a smooth start to series production.”

bmwgroup.com (in German)