BMW Plant Steyr ships first electric engine for Neue Klasse platform

The BMW Group has achieved a significant milestone in its electric vehicle production capabilities, with the first electric engine from its Steyr plant in Upper Austria being delivered to Debrecen, Hungary, just ten months after system installation began. The sixth-generation electric engines, which started production three months ago, will be used in test vehicles for BMW's upcoming Neue Klasse platform. "We've been delivering these engines to our development department in Munich since September, and now we're sending them directly to BMW Group Plant Debrecen for test vehicle installation," said Klaus von Moltke, Senior Vice President of Engine Production at BMW AG and Managing Director of BMW Group Plant Steyr.

According to Helmut Hochsteiner, Vice President of Electric Engine Production at the Steyr facility, the team will continue refining the complex production process for the new electric motors in the coming months. This development marks a crucial step toward full series production of both the Neue Klasse vehicles and their Austrian-made electric motors. The Steyr facility, BMW Group's largest engine plant globally, currently employs 4,700 people and produces over one million conventional engines annually.

In June 2022, BMW announced plans to begin e-drive production at the site in 2025. The plant also houses a major development center for drivetrain research and development. BMW Motoren GmbH in Steyr ranks among Austria's leading industrial companies in terms of revenue and exports.

The expansion into electric engine production represents a significant evolution for the historic facility as BMW continues its transition toward electrification.