BMW Group to open its battery manufacturing competence center in autumn

On June 28, the BMW Group will open its Battery Manufacturing Competence Center (CCMC) in the fall.With the completion of the emission control approval process, the necessary conditions are in place for the near-standard production commissioning of lithium-ion batteries at the Parsdorf competence center outside Munich.

On an area of ​​approximately 15,000 square meters, the BMW Group will demonstrate the industrial feasibility of the next generation of high-performance batteries.The pilot line of the competence center will make it possible to analyze and fully understand the value creation process of battery materials.This will enable future suppliers to produce batteries to the BMW Group's own specifications, thereby further optimizing the quality,yieldand cost of battery production.The company is currently ruling out the option of building its own large-scale battery production.

Markus Fallböhmer, Head of BMW Group E-Drives Production Engines, said: "The Battery Manufacturing Competence Center in Parsdorf is the next logical step in penetrating all aspects of the battery value chain. With the successful implementation of the Battery Cell Competence Center (BCCC), we Now focus on the production process. We are validating the manufacturability of lithium-ion batteries for mass standard production in terms of quality, efficiency and cost.”

The total investment in the initial development phase of the Battery Materials Manufacturing Competence Center is approximately EUR 170 million.About 80 employees will work at the Parsdorf plant.The German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy are supporting the project within the framework of the European funding process IPCEI (Important Projects of Common European Interest).

Due to the complexity of the technology, cell production will be put into operation in stages and is expected to be put into production in the fall.During the initial phase of the ramp-up, the electrodeproductionsystem will be installed and operational.At this stage, raw materials such as graphite and nickel oxide for battery electrodes are metered and mixed.This is followed by the coating and final compression of the metal foil.

In the second phase, systems for subsequent cell assembly and formation will be installed.In this step, electrodes are processed with other sub-assemblies to create battery cells, and are shaped and quality checked.The entire upgrade process takes about a year.Over the next year, near-standard battery production at the Competence Center will transition to normal operation.

At Parsdorf, work will also focus on innovative production processes and systems that can be used for standard production.The BMW Group will produce battery samples for Neue Klasse's next-generation battery technology at this location.Neue Klasse represents a major technological leap for the company in electric drive systems.The aim is to significantly increase the energy density of next-generation lithium-ion batteries while reducing material usage and production costs.CMCC will make an important contribution to this.As a result, Parsdorf's operations will rely on electricity produced using renewable energy sources, including photovoltaic systems from the building's rooftops.The parking spaces in the garage are also equipped with charging infrastructure.

The BMW Group sources batteries from leading battery manufacturers.The rest of the value creation, i.e. cell preparation, module and high-voltage battery production, takes place at the automaker.Electric powertrain components are produced at several locations in the BMW Group production network.For example, high-voltage batteries, battery modules and components are produced at the Dingolfing, Regensburg and Leipzig plants in Germany.Other electric powertrain components come from the Spartanburg plant in the United States and the BMW Brilliance joint venture in China.