BMW Group San Luis Potosí Plant started the construction of the Battery Module Production Center, in addition to the expansions of the body shop area and the assembly and logistics areas within its complex located in the Logistik II industrial park in Villa de Reyes.
For this project, the German firm invested 800 million euros, allocating 500 million specifically for the construction of this center, which will be located in an area of 81,876 m²; the building corresponds to a steel structure of one floor with mezzanine with a height of 12.2 m, being a CO2-free building.
“This is a sign of BMW’s confidence in San Luis Potosi and its people. In recent years BMW has met important milestones and is ready to take the next step. We are ready to be a production site, sustainable, digital and efficient. This plant was the most sustainable BMW plant in the world,” commented Harald Gottsche, president and CEO of BMW Group Planta San Luis Potosí.
For his part, Milan Nedeljković, BMW Group AG board member responsible for production mentioned that “The production of high-voltage batteries in San Luis Potosí will be part of our global production network for the new sixth e-drive generation. To this end, we are building five sites on three continents”.
He added that, “BMW Group is committed to the ‘local for local’ principle worldwide: locating battery factories close to vehicle manufacturing to strengthen the production process.”
In addition to the San Luis Potosi location, production sites for sixth-generation high-voltage batteries are also being built in Debrecen (Hungary), Shenyang (China), Woodruff near Spartanburg (USA) and Irlbach-Straßkirchen (Lower Bavaria).
Expansion in body shop and logistics
In addition to the integration of battery production, the body shop area will be expanded by almost 20,000 m² to more than 90,000 m², which will be used for the production of the vehicle floor. On the other hand, the assembly area will be used for the battery incorporation process, which, together with logistics, will be expanded by almost 10,000 m².
“With this new development we are preparing in San Luis Potosí for the launch of the next generation of BMW models. We will be pioneers in the industry as the first premium carmaker in Mexico to produce fully electric vehicles and high-voltage batteries, while continuing to reduce our environmental footprint,” said Harald Gottsche, president and CEO of BMW Group Planta San Luis Potosí.
Human capital development
The German company will also invest 10 million pesos in its training center for training rooms, robot integration and electromobility. The aim of this project is to implement training programs for the employees of this new area, with the objective of ensuring that its human talent is highly qualified. These trainings will start with awareness-raising topics on safety in the production of high voltage systems and robotics, manufacturing processes, among others.
General information
As part of the project follow-up, equipment installation will take place in June 2025, while construction is expected to be completed in January 2026.
Production is expected to start in 2027 with a volume of 30 units per hour.
Source: Mexico Industry