The factory in which the new SUV BMW will be built is located in a debreant – a dynamically developing city in the east of Hungary. The head of the government of this country, of course, does not hide his pride. “The revolution in the automotive industry is just beginning and the whole world is watching this event” Said Victor Orban.
Exaggerates? Also, BMW itself does not hide that IX3 is to be a breakthrough model for the company. This is the first vehicle with Neue Klasse – a Bavarian company defines such a new philosophy of building its cars.
BMW factory in Debreczyn
|
BMW Group
It is a truism that European automotive industry is in crisis. Manufacturers from the Old Continent are struggling with high work costs in their plants and competition from China. Above all, however, they did not quickly react to the “electric” revolution. Hence, “Der Spiegel” sees in Neue Klasse (or “new class”) hope for “return to the game” of Europeans. IX3 is electric, it is created in a plant that has lower production costs than e.g. factories in Germany – and is to be a response to the cars flooding the market from the Middle Kingdom.
Jochen Goller, a member of the board of BMW AG, convinced in an interview with Business Insider Polska that Neue Klasse refers to models from the 1960s for a reason.
– Neue Klasse in the 1960s was our key line. We had a fairly demanding time, but Neue Klasse turned out to be extremely successful and achieved great market success, creating a new category of sports sedan. Today we want to say that “new” Neue Klasse is as important as it was old in the 1960s. We want to define a modern electric car. Also design Neue Klasse very clearly refers to those models – this is how Goller answered the question of the Business Insider Polska journalist.
See also: Until when will the internal combustion cars be produced? We talk to a member of the BMW board
Hungarian factory BMW
|
BMW Group
Robots and solar
BMW representatives argue that not only the model itself is a breakthrough for the company – and also the factory in which it will be built. This is the company's first plant that is powered completely without fossil fuels. As BMW AG emphasizes, the factory in Debreczyn does not even have a connection to the gas network.
To be able to achieve this, the Bavarian group has invested in renewable energy sources, primarily in solar farms. The panels occupy a total of 50 ha of the plant area – of which 20 ha of them are on the roofs. IX3 production is to produce up to 2/3 less CO2 emissions than the currently produced company cars.
BMW IX3
|
Mateusz Madejski / Business Insider
Works at the BMW factory
|
Mateusz Madejski / Business Insider
The plant in the Hungarian debrequet is also much more automated than the current BMW factories. This can be seen especially in the part of the object where the car body is folded. Almost 1 thousand work in a giant hall. machines that give each other individual parts of the body (e.g. frame or door) – and then fold them. But other parts of the plant are also automated – for example Paint Shop, i.e. part of the plant responsible for painting vehicles.
IX3 on the production line
|
Mateusz Madejski / Business Insider
Robots while painting BMW
|
BMW Group
The BMW factory in the Hungarian Debreczyn
|
BMW Group
There will be more “newly” models
Why do the media describe Neue Klasse as hope for European automotive industry? The project is considered quite brave – this is probably the largest investment in the history of the Bavarian group. Electric IX3, the first model in the range, also has a lot of interesting solutions – it has, for example, a range exceeding 800 hp and supports the maximum charging power of 400 kW. Compared to the previous generation – as the company assures – the new IX3 consumes 20 percent. less energy.
As part of “Neue Klasse” will be introduced, among others Panoramic Vision system – the main information for the driver (e.g. at speed) is to be displayed directly under the steering wheel so as not to take his eyes off the road.
BMW IX3 engine
|
Mateusz Madejski / Business Insider
BMW is doing relatively well against the background of European companies – in the second quarter the group sold by 0.4 percent. more cars than in the same period of 2024.
About 40 models are to be built as part of Neue Klasse. They will be electrics, but as the company says, many solutions from the line will also go to combustion models. The next model from “New Class” is to be the I3 sports sedan. This, however, will not come from the Hungarian factory, it is to be produced in Germany.
I3 sedan, for now in camflage
|
Mateusz Madejski / Business Insider
Author: Mateusz Madejski, Business Insider Polska journalist
