BMW is investing $1.7bn (roughly R31,141,705,000) in its US manufacturing hub in South Carolina to produce electric vehicles domestically, part of a global overhaul to prepare for a new generation of EVs.
The German luxury carmaker is spending $bn (roughly R18,319,220,000) to retool its Spartanburg plant to build at least six new EV models by 2030 and $700m (roughly R12,828,627,000) to build a battery assembly facility and hire 300 people in nearby Woodruff. BMW also announced a deal with Chinese-owned Envision AESC to build a new battery cell plant in South Carolina to supply the project.
“Plant Spartanburg has been a cornerstone of the global success of the BMW Group,” CEO Oliver Zipse said.
“Going forward it will also be a major driver for our electrification strategy.”
The investment furthers BMW’s strategy – which differs from pushes by Tesla and Volkswagen AG – to buy battery cells rather than try to get involved in their production. BMW aims to pick up speed in an increasingly competitive market through its “Neue Klasse”, or New Class, of EVs built on dedicated electric platforms starting in 2025. The cars will be built to recycle as much material as possible for use in new vehicles and to boost revenue from drivers booking digital features.
Zama, Japan-based Envision AESC, a former battery unit of Nissan Motor Co, was sold to China’s Envision Group in 2018. The cellmaker will build a 30 gigawatt hour plant to make customised round lithium-ion batteries for Neue Klasse. BMW rival Mercedes-Benz Group AG also recently announced a deal with Envision AESC to set up a US cell facility that will supply modules by the middle of the decade.
The batteries, which BMW designed in-house, will enable longer ranges and faster charging than the prismatic cells it currently uses, the company has said. At roughly half the cost, the technology follows the strategy at Tesla, which has been using a cylindrical shape for some time.
“The battery in high-range vehicles is going to be the major cost position, and it’s the corner point of staying competitive,” Zipse said on Wednesday.
Batteries are among the major cost drivers of an electric car, and improving technology has typically delivered annual efficiency gains. That trajectory has come under strain due to the surging cost of raw materials, challenging automaker forecasts of soon selling EVs for a similar margin to combustion engine autos.
Zipse also criticised content requirements in a new climate law, known as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), championed by US President Joe Biden that penalise battery materials sourced from China and other “foreign entities of concern”, saying the rules could hinder EV adoption in the US by making the technology more expensive.
Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who was at BMW’s plant on Wednesday for a ceremony marking the investment, echoed Zipse’s concerns about the IRA and said he would hold a hearing on electrification if Republicans gain control of the Senate.
“We’ll never be able to make a battery in America without having materials outside the country,” he told reporters.
The Spartanburg facility, built nearly 30 years ago, is BMW’s largest assembly plant and biggest export site, making popular US models like the X3, X5 and X7 SUVs. It ships roughly 70% of production volume to countries like China, Germany and South Korea. It has an annual capacity of 450,000 units.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
BMW invests $1.7bn to build electric vehicles in the US
Image: Supplied
BMW is investing $1.7bn (roughly R31,141,705,000) in its US manufacturing hub in South Carolina to produce electric vehicles domestically, part of a global overhaul to prepare for a new generation of EVs.
The German luxury carmaker is spending $bn (roughly R18,319,220,000) to retool its Spartanburg plant to build at least six new EV models by 2030 and $700m (roughly R12,828,627,000) to build a battery assembly facility and hire 300 people in nearby Woodruff. BMW also announced a deal with Chinese-owned Envision AESC to build a new battery cell plant in South Carolina to supply the project.
“Plant Spartanburg has been a cornerstone of the global success of the BMW Group,” CEO Oliver Zipse said.
“Going forward it will also be a major driver for our electrification strategy.”
The investment furthers BMW’s strategy – which differs from pushes by Tesla and Volkswagen AG – to buy battery cells rather than try to get involved in their production. BMW aims to pick up speed in an increasingly competitive market through its “Neue Klasse”, or New Class, of EVs built on dedicated electric platforms starting in 2025. The cars will be built to recycle as much material as possible for use in new vehicles and to boost revenue from drivers booking digital features.
Zama, Japan-based Envision AESC, a former battery unit of Nissan Motor Co, was sold to China’s Envision Group in 2018. The cellmaker will build a 30 gigawatt hour plant to make customised round lithium-ion batteries for Neue Klasse. BMW rival Mercedes-Benz Group AG also recently announced a deal with Envision AESC to set up a US cell facility that will supply modules by the middle of the decade.
The batteries, which BMW designed in-house, will enable longer ranges and faster charging than the prismatic cells it currently uses, the company has said. At roughly half the cost, the technology follows the strategy at Tesla, which has been using a cylindrical shape for some time.
“The battery in high-range vehicles is going to be the major cost position, and it’s the corner point of staying competitive,” Zipse said on Wednesday.
Batteries are among the major cost drivers of an electric car, and improving technology has typically delivered annual efficiency gains. That trajectory has come under strain due to the surging cost of raw materials, challenging automaker forecasts of soon selling EVs for a similar margin to combustion engine autos.
Zipse also criticised content requirements in a new climate law, known as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), championed by US President Joe Biden that penalise battery materials sourced from China and other “foreign entities of concern”, saying the rules could hinder EV adoption in the US by making the technology more expensive.
Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who was at BMW’s plant on Wednesday for a ceremony marking the investment, echoed Zipse’s concerns about the IRA and said he would hold a hearing on electrification if Republicans gain control of the Senate.
“We’ll never be able to make a battery in America without having materials outside the country,” he told reporters.
The Spartanburg facility, built nearly 30 years ago, is BMW’s largest assembly plant and biggest export site, making popular US models like the X3, X5 and X7 SUVs. It ships roughly 70% of production volume to countries like China, Germany and South Korea. It has an annual capacity of 450,000 units.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
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