BMW has ended the production of internal combustion engines (ICE) at its Munich factory, signifying the end of an era. The facility will be reconfigured by the company to accommodate the production of an array of electric vehicles (EVs).
According to the German outlet BR24, the last internal combustion engine that was produced at the Munich plant was a V8 that rolled off the assembly line on November 10. After receiving new training, the 1,200 workers at the plant will be transferred to other BMW locations or given new duties.
Meanwhile, BMW will relocate its ICE production to Austria and the UK. It’s interesting to note that the German automaker has decided against phase-out dates for internal combustion engine vehicles, in contrast to the majority of its competitors. Despite its efforts to increase electric car sales, BMW has stated that it hopes to have 50% of its overall sales from ICE vehicles by 2030, the same year rivals want to go all-electric. Consequently, it will keep selling ICE cars and EV versions side by side in various markets across the globe.
The Munich site has been handling the production of the electric i4 since October 2021 and will also be the home of future Neue Klasse-based EVs. The German auto manufacturer has confirmed it will launch 6 Neue Klasse EVs between 2025 and 2027.
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