The BMW Group has commenced series production of its sixth-generation electric drive system at its plant in Steyr, Austria. This marks the first time electric powertrains are being manufactured at the facility, which has traditionally produced internal combustion engines for the company’s BMW and MINI brands.
The Gen6 electric motor is designed for use in BMW’s upcoming Neue Klasse vehicles and will be shipped from Steyr to other production sites within the company’s global manufacturing network. Development of this system began in 2022, with over €1 billion allocated toward expanding electric drivetrain production capabilities at the plant through 2030.
Plant Steyr will continue producing diesel and petrol engines alongside the new electric units. BMW states that approximately 1,000 employees will be assigned to the new electric engine assembly area, with the potential for half of the site’s total workforce to be involved in electrification activities by the end of the decade, depending on global demand.
Key components of the Gen6 e-drive—including the rotor, stator, transmission, and power converter—will be produced in Steyr. The electric engine housing is being cast at BMW’s Landshut plant and finished in Steyr. The facility also now includes a clean-room area for power converter production, marking the company’s first in-house expansion into electrical engineering at this level.
BMW is employing a modular system in the production of its electric drive units to support multiple model variants within the Neue Klasse lineup. The Gen6 system operates on an 800-volt architecture and includes design improvements such as optimized rotor-stator configurations, a two-stage spur gearbox with enhanced cooling, and the use of silicon carbide in the power electronics. The company cites a 40% reduction in energy loss, a 20% reduction in cost, and a 10% reduction in weight compared to previous-generation systems. These efficiencies contribute to a projected 20% increase in overall vehicle efficiency.
The new powertrain, combined with a high-voltage battery system, is expected to enable a range of up to 800 kilometers (WLTP) in the upcoming BMW iX3, which will be the first vehicle in the Neue Klasse series.
BMW’s Steyr plant has been a central part of its powertrain production operations for over 40 years. The shift to electric powertrain production reflects the company’s stated strategy of maintaining flexibility across different propulsion technologies while continuing to invest in long-term manufacturing capability in Europe.
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