BMW Group Plant Steyr in Austria has started series production of the Gen6 electric motor, the first fully electric drive train to be manufactured at the facility.
The motors will power BMW’s upcoming Neue Klasse models, with components shipped across the company’s global production network.
“This is the foundation for the BMW Group’s future,” said BMW AG board member for Production Milan Nedeljkovic, noting Steyr’s central role in the new generation of electric drive technology.
Plant director and BMW AG SVP of Engine Production Klaus von Moltke added that the project represents a long-term commitment to Europe, technology, and future mobility.
BMW has invested over €1 billion (RM4.9bil) since 2022 to expand e-drive development and production capacity at Steyr.
The site, a leading BMW powertrain hub for more than 40 years, will continue to produce petrol and diesel engines alongside electric motors. Around 1,000 employees will be dedicated to electric motor assembly, with up to half the plant’s workforce expected to focus on e-mobility by 2030.
Core Gen6 e-drive components – rotor, stator, transmission, and inverter – will be built in Steyr, with housings cast at BMW’s Landshut aluminium foundry. The inverter will be produced in a new clean-room facility, marking Steyr’s entry into electrical engineering.
Two new production lines will assemble the e-drives, using a modular system that allows for multiple variants, greater scalability, and cost efficiencies.
The Gen6 electric motor is designed for an 800-volt architecture, enhancing performance and efficiency.
Incorporating silicon carbide semiconductors in the inverter further boosts energy conversion efficiency.
Compared with the Gen5 system, BMW reports a 40% reduction in energy loss, 20% lower production costs, and 10% less weight, contributing to a 20% increase in overall vehicle efficiency.
The first Neue Klasse model to use the new powertrain, the iX3 50 xDrive, will achieve a WLTP range of up to 800km, thanks to the improved drive system and high-capacity battery.
