BMW has made significant progress toward series production at its new plant in Hungary. The company announced the commissioning of the assembly line at the Debrecen facility, marking the start of its journey toward full production. Since November 2024, the plant has been producing test vehicles for the first model in the ‘Neue Klasse’ series, the iX3. However, final assembly was not yet taking place on the main production line. With the assembly line now up and running, BMW will spend the next six months optimizing processes and systems before transitioning from pre-series to full-scale production.
The Debrecen plant’s assembly line marks the debut of a new architecture for BMW. The company highlights that the ‘Neue Klasse’ series introduces several innovations in assembly, aimed at increasing efficiency. These include modularization, fewer connection elements, and simplified wiring harness installation. For example, the wiring harness, traditionally a large component, has been divided into smaller sections, which can be installed separately. This “zonal wiring harness architecture” not only makes installation easier but also reduces the total length of cables by 600 meters and cuts weight by 30% compared to previous models.
The modularization of components has also been streamlined. Fewer connecting elements, such as plugs, screws, and clips, are required, simplifying the assembly process. Additionally, the cockpit assembly has been designed for faster installation. BMW plans to pre-assemble cockpits directly on the main production line, allowing them to be installed just a few meters further down the line.
BMW assures that despite these changes, the plant will maintain full flexibility and offer a wide range of equipment and material options. The cockpit assembly process, while new for the Debrecen plant, is not without precedent. The Lydia plant in China, which opened in 2022, follows a similar approach. Many of the Debrecen plant’s assembly structures and processes were inspired by the Lydia plant, which was the first BMW site planned and simulated entirely in the virtual world.
BMW’s focus on virtual planning extends to the quality control processes at the Debrecen plant. Digital technology allows for quality checks to be carried out directly on the assembly line. This method will be rolled out to other plants, including the Munich facility, where the ‘Neue Klasse’ i3 sedan is scheduled to be built from 2026.
Hans-Peter Kemser, Head of BMW Group Plant Debrecen, praised the efficiency of the new assembly line: “Our highly efficient and ergonomic assembly line immediately started running without any issues. This success is thanks to virtual planning, thorough testing, and the excellent collaboration between our new employees in Debrecen and the BMW Group’s global production network.”
