BMW Starts High‑Voltage Battery Production at New South Carolina Plant

From December 2026 the BMW Group will begin series production of its sixth‑generation (Gen6) high‑voltage batteries for the fully electric BMW iX5 at the newly built Plant Woodruff in South Carolina, USA. The facility will use AI‑supported production processes, digital twins and virtual‑reality training, with more than 300 staff and 250 robots working to achieve zero‑defect output and higher overall equipment effectiveness.

The plant is powered entirely by renewable electricity, with hydrogen‑fuelled forklifts and other low‑emission logistics, reflecting BMW’s “local for local” strategy. The Gen6 batteries employ a cell‑to‑pack design that integrates cylindrical cells directly into the pack, and the production data are monitored in real time by in‑house AI assistants. Installation of these batteries will later expand to five additional sites near BMW vehicle factories.