BMW launched series production of its sixth-generation high-voltage batteries in Shenyang on October 15, 2026, to support its Neue Klasse platform. The milestone coincides with a test drive where a locally developed BMW i3 50L traveled 1,213 kilometers on a single charge.
Shenyang Battery Plant Opens for Sixth-Generation Production
The BMW Group officially started series production of its sixth-generation high-voltage batteries at its Shenyang production site in northeast China’s Liaoning province, occurring on a Thursday according to local reports from Xinhua. The facility spans 240,000 square meters, making it roughly five times larger than the manufacturer’s existing battery-making footprint in the region.
Production board member Dr. Raymond Wittmann emphasized the strategic value of the footprint during the rollout. The high-voltage battery is a decisive component of our fully electric vehicles and one of the most important future technologies of the BMW Group Dr. Raymond Wittmann, Produktionsvorstand der BMW AG Milan Nedeljković, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, stated that Shenyang’s strong location advantages, solid industrial base, and sound business environment encouraged the company to increase investments and make the site a model for win-win industrial cooperation between China and foreign partners. Birgit Böhm-Wannenwetsch, President and CEO of BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd., noted that the battery production start marks a crucial step in introducing Neue Klasse models to China, building on system competencies across research and development, engineering, purchasing, and production in Shenyang.
The project represents an investment of 10 billion yuan, equivalent to roughly 1.49 billion US dollars according to Xinhua, while Notebookcheck lists the conversion at approximately 1.28 billion euros. Shenyang stands as the BMW Group’s largest manufacturing network worldwide. Since 2010, the company has poured more than 120 billion RMB into the local joint venture, BMW Brilliance Automotive. In May 2026, the seven-millionth vehicle rolled off the assembly line at the Liaoning plants.
The BMW Group has begun series production of its Gen6 high-voltage batteries for the Neue Klasse in Shenyang.Following Debrecen and Irlbach-Straßkirchen, the site in northeastern China is the third plant in the company's new battery network.In future, the energy storage…
Cylindrical Cells and Cell-to-Pack Engineering
The sixth-generation architecture relies on large cylindrical cells. BMW builds these to drive the industrialization of these cells by working closely with domestic battery suppliers such as CATL and EVE Energy, with Auto Motor und Sport noting that EVE Energy supplies ternary lithium-ion cells with large cylindrical formats for the Chinese iX3 50L version while CATL provides cells for other variants. Integrating them directly into the battery pack via a cell-to-pack concept that eliminates the traditional module tier yields an energy density that is more than 20 percent higher than the previous generation, alongside up to 30 percent improvements in both charging speed and driving range.
To support large-scale manufacturing of these cylindrical units, the manufacturing process cleans the components with lasers, welds them to the cell-contacting system, and applies a foam process for mechanical stabilization before sealing, tightening, and riveting the housing. Real-time optical monitoring, digital twins, and artificial intelligence verify laser weld seams directly on the production line.
Alongside the cells, the plant manufactures the proprietary central control unit known as the Energy Master, which sits directly on the high-voltage battery to bundle essential power supply and battery management functions. Shenyang now produces these elements of the drive system locally to reduce logistics costs in the fiercely competitive Chinese market.
Long-Distance Road Test in Northeast China
Coinciding with the production launch, BMW China presented a long-range test result for the new BMW i3 50L. The extended-wheelbase sedan completed a 1,213-kilometer journey in northeast China on a single battery charge, arriving at its destination with one percent of energy remaining.
BMW has begun Gen6 battery production in Shenyang, using large cylindrical cells for its Neue Klasse EVs.https://t.co/yYKiZ140oA
The test route covered expressways, national roads, rural paths, and metropolitan traffic over a three-day period. The vehicle registered an average energy consumption of 8.8 kilowatt-hours per 100 kilometers, powered by an 113.4-kWh LFP battery pack paired with an 800-volt electrical architecture capable of direct-current fast charging up to 400 kilowatts.
Market Strategy and Upcoming Models in China
The factory in Shenyang serves as the third operational location globally for the new battery technology, following sites in Debrecen, Hungary, and Irlbach-Straßkirchen in Bavaria. Additional assembly hubs are preparing to launch in Woodruff, United States, and San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
Into the dragon's denBMW has begun production of its Gen6 EV batteries in Shenyang, China, for locally built Neue Klasse modelsLighter, faster charging and greater rangeBMW's China sales fell 24.8% in Q3. Now it's taking the fight to the Chinese. On their turf.@BMWGroup pic.twitter.com/HwP66QFcZW
BMW plans to introduce nearly 20 new or revised Neue Klasse vehicles to the Chinese market by the end of 2027. Production for the long-wheelbase iX3 began with pre-series assembly in late 2025, and customer deliveries are scheduled for November 2026 following pre-sales that started in August. The manufacturer aims to raise the share of locally built vehicles sold in China to over 95 percent by 2030 while evaluating export routes from Shenyang into Southeast Asia.