\n Woodruff, South Carolina, USA. In December, the new
\n BMW Group Plant Woodruff will begin series production of high-voltage
\n batteries for the new fully-electric BMW iX5. As part of the vehicle\u2019s
\n world premiere, the company offered a first glimpse of its
\n state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. With AI-supported
\n production processes, digital twins and virtual reality applications,
\n the new plant is setting industry standards for the assembly of
\n high-voltage batteries.<\/p>\n
\n Site strengthens electromobility in the US and footprint in
\n South Carolina\n<\/p>\n
\u201cPlant Woodruff plays a key role in the ramp-up of electromobility in
\n the US,\u201d said Raymond Wittman, member of the Board of Management of
\n BMW AG responsible for Production. \u201cWith our Gen6 high-voltage
\n battery, we\u2019re not only taking a major\u00a0technological leap \u2013 we are
\n also setting new standards in production. In Woodruff, we are
\n combining cutting-edge processes, artificial intelligence and the
\n expertise of our employees to create a production facility designed
\n for the highest quality.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWith Plant Woodruff, we are further expanding our footprint in South
\n Carolina and strengthening the close integration of battery and
\n vehicle production,\u201d said Robert Engelhorn, President and CEO of BMW
\n Manufacturing Co., LLC. \u201cThis creates the ideal foundation for the
\n next generation of fully electric BMW X models assembled at Plant Spartanburg.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n Intelligent production for maximum quality\n<\/p>\n
The BMW Group has established state-of-the-art, intelligent and
\n efficient production processes for its in-house developed
\n sixth-generation (Gen6) high-voltage battery. The new cylindrical
\n round cells are integrated directly into the high-voltage battery,
\n based on the \u201ccell-to-pack\u201d principle. All production steps are
\n continuously monitored inline and comprehensively documented in real
\n time. In-house developed AI assistants and agents analyse this data
\n and, together with more than 300 employees and 250 robots at Plant
\n Woodruff, ensure the zero-defect battery production. At the same time,
\n the extensive use of artificial intelligence enhances Overall
\n Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) in production. Well before
\n commissioning, digital twins of production and virtual reality
\n applications support planning and employee training.<\/p>\n
\n Training in a virtual factory\n<\/p>\n
All production staff at Plant Woodruff complete a VR training program
\n developed on site. Within a virtual factory, they can practice real
\n manufacturing operations under realistic conditions. This virtual
\n environment replicates the plant\u2019s production lines in meticulous
\n detail, requiring only a set of VR goggles and a PC. The training
\n helps employees develop an understanding of relevant processes and
\n builds confidence in operating the equipment before using the actual
\n manufacturing systems for the first time.<\/p>\n
\n Just three years from start of construction to series production\n<\/p>\n
Following the official groundbreaking in June 2023, construction of
\n the new plant began in September 2023. In September 2024, while
\n construction was still under way, installation of the manufacturing
\n equipment commenced. Preparations for production started in summer
\n 2025, and the first test and pre-series batteries have been rolling
\n off the assembly line since then. The series launch is scheduled for
\n December 2026. \u201cPlant Woodruff demonstrates how quickly we can scale a
\n new battery concept to industrial production,\u201d said Rich Everly, Vice
\n President of Production at BMW Group Plant Woodruff. \u201cThe key factor
\n is the synergy between a skilled and dedicated team and the continuous
\n exchange of experience within the production network.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n Gen6 battery cells with reduced carbon footprint\n<\/p>\n
The Gen6 battery cells used in the BMW iX5\u2019s high-voltage battery
\n include a high proportion of secondary materials in the cobalt,
\n lithium and nickel content. Renewable energy is also used in the
\n production of anode and cathode materials, as well as in cell
\n manufacturing. Compared with the Gen5 cell used in the BMW iX, CO\u2082e
\n emissions have been reduced by around 28 percent per watt-hour. Plant
\n Woodruff does not use any fossil fuels during normal operations, while
\n the site\u2019s industrial trucks are powered by hydrogen.<\/p>\n
\n Global production strategy: local for local\n<\/p>\n
Installation of the Gen6 high-voltage batteries takes place at five
\n new production facilities, which the BMW Group is building close to
\n its vehicle plants, in line with its \u201clocal for local\u201d principle. In
\n addition to Woodruff, state-of-the-art high-voltage battery assembly
\n plants are also being built in Irlbach-Stra\u00dfkirchen (Lower Bavaria),
\n Shenyang (China) and San Luis Potos\u00ed (Mexico). The latest generation
\n of high-voltage batteries has been in series production in Debrecen,
\n Hungary, since October 2025. This \u201clocal for local\u201d approach
\n strengthens regional infrastructure and existing facilities and helps
\n secure jobs. The global production network for high-voltage batteries
\n benefits from close collaboration between the German pilot plants and
\n series production facilities worldwide.<\/p>\n
\n How the BMW Group assembles its Gen6 high-voltage batteries\n<\/p>\n
The BMW Group sources battery cells for its high-voltage batteries
\n from leading cell manufacturers. The highest technical standards
\n apply. Upon receipt of goods, additional measurements \u2013 such as
\n voltage checks \u2013 are carried out. Next comes so-called cell
\n clustering, where the battery cells are connected to coolers. This
\n step ensures optimal insulation and cooling of the cells. The cell
\n clusters and cell contact system are then laser-cleaned and welded
\n with pinpoint precision. The inline inspection continuously monitors
\n each weld seam in real time. An innovative foaming process follows,
\n ensuring that all elements are protected as a mechanical unit. The
\n hardened foam guarantees the safety, stability and durability of the
\n high-voltage battery. The housing is then closed, sealed and riveted.
\n In the final assembly step, the Energy Master \u2013 the central control
\n unit \u2013 is installed onto the high-voltage battery. A permanently
\n elastic sealing adhesive is applied to ensure a reliable seal.
\n Finally, each high-voltage battery undergoes a 100% end-of-line
\n inspection. From Woodruff, the high-voltage batteries are transported
\n to Plant Spartanburg, located just 15 miles away.<\/p>\n
\n The BMW iX5’s high-voltage battery: 800-volt, with high energy content\n<\/p>\n
The first battery-electric BMW iX5 is based on sixth-generation
\n BMW\u00a0eDrive technology, featuring round cells and 800-volt technology.
\n With an available energy content of 144 kWh in the US and 141 kWh in
\n the EU (net), the BMW\u00a0iX5\u00a060 xDrive boasts the largest high-voltage
\n battery of any fully-electric BMW model to date. Propulsion is
\n provided by e-drives on both the front and rear axles, and by the
\n electric BMW\u00a0xDrive all-wheel drive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Woodruff, South Carolina, USA. In December, the new BMW Group Plant Woodruff will begin series production of high-voltage…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":62030,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20955],"tags":[699,25302,6213,4200,6117,24553,5387,5869,25303,7561,25305,21118,25301,23990,348,43,47637],"class_list":["post-62311","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bmw","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-battery-cells","tag-bmw","tag-corporate","tag-digitalisation","tag-electrification","tag-information-technology","tag-innovation","tag-locations","tag-production","tag-production-plants","tag-recycling","tag-sites","tag-spartanburg","tag-sustainability","tag-technology","tag-woodruff"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62311","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=62311"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62311\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/62030"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62311"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62311"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=62311"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}