BMW launches pre-series production of Neue Klasse cars in China
Según la agencia de noticias Xinhua, the first pre-series units of the long-wheelbase iX3 have been built in Shenyang since shortly before Christmas 2025. However, the report does not specify when exactly in 2026 official series production will commence, as BMW itself has only referred to 2026 in general terms.
In April 2024, the Munich-based company anunció that it would produce electric vehicles of the Neue Klasse at its Chinese site in Shenyang. At the time, the corresponding declarations of intent for the upgrades were signed jointly with the provincial government of Liaoning. In addition to the vehicles, the China joint venture BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA) will also assemble the required battery packs using high-volume cylindrical cells.
According to Xinhua, the total investment for the Neue Klasse vehicle production in Shenyang amounts to ten billion yuan, approximately 1.2 billion euros. BMW is not acting alone in this endeavour; it is collaborating with Chinese partners such as CATL and Alibaba to advance battery production and the integration of AI, as Xinhua reports. This collaboration includes not only the use of AI applications in the vehicle, but also over 200 AI solutions in production.
BMW unveiled the iX3 as the first model of the Neue Klasse at the IAA Mobility in September: here you can find all the details about the cary here you can read about impressions from the first test drive. Since October, series production for Europe has been underway at the Debrecen plant in Hungary, which was built specifically for the Neue Klasse.
However, the new electric vehicle architecture is a global project for BMW. The Munich plant is ready for the new i3, which will be launched as a saloon and estate in the 3 Series segment. In addition to Shenyang for China, production of Neue Klasse models is also planned in Spartanburg (USA) y San Luis Potosí (Mexico).
0 Comentarios