Flexible. Efficient. Innovative.
We set the benchmark for production.
Insights into BMW Group production.
Time lapse produktion BMW i4
The fascination of production: The manufacture of the BMW M3.
A passion for precision: highlights from the body shop of the BMW iX.
Innovative technologies: Overspray-free paintwork.
Sustainable production.
The production logistics is participating in an initiative to test a new type of biofuel designed to make ship transportation more sustainable. Initial results show that it is possible to lower CO2 emissions by up to 90 percent. The percentage of sulphur oxide is also substantially reduced.
It is turquoise blue, approximately 140 metres long and 23 metres wide. At a speed of around 20 knots, the transport vessel M/V Autosky is currently cruising on the sea route between Zeebrugge in Belgium and Santander in Spain. Up to 2,000 vehicles are also on board – most of them from the BMW Group. The ship owned by the Norwegian shipping company United European Car Carriers (UECC) is therefore an integral part of the value chain for which the vehicle manufacturer assumes ecological responsibility.
Transport vessels such as the M/V Autosky are indeed a sustainable way of transporting goods. Nevertheless, shipping is responsible for about four percent of all greenhouse gases we emit worldwide. The percentage could increase significantly by 2050.
The BMW production logistics also makes intensive use of ocean transportation: Around 7,000 containers with a total of 31 million components are shipped daily. Several thousand BMW Group vehicles are “at sea” every day. This may be only a fraction of the shipments underway on maritime trading routes worldwide, but nevertheless, the company also aspires to “show its colours” in the area of sustainable sea transportation.
Therefore, in collaboration with UECC and the GoodShipping Program, the BMW Group is currently testing the practical usage of a biofuel (Bio Fuel Oil) on transportation vessels: This biofuel reduces CO2 emissions by 80 to 90 percent. The percentage of sulphur oxide is also lowered considerably. During the initially three-month trial period alone, the BMW Group is expected to save more than 400 tons of carbon emissions through the use of this fuel on journeys made by the M/V Autosky.
Also important: If Bio Fuel Oil (BFO) is used exclusively, the fuel fulfils the technical requirements for conventional ships’ engines. BFO, which is produced by the Dutch company GoodFuels – a pioneer in the sustainable biofuel sector – is manufactured from certified resources. Above all, this includes waste or residual products such as old cooking oil, as in this case.
UECC considers the BMW Group’s contribution towards paving the way for sustainable ocean transportation a crucial factor: “BMW Group’s participation to continue our trial on our ro-ro vessel M/V Autosky should therefore signal to the automotive sector that the means to decarbonise are readily available and that our vessels are equipped to meet this most important of challenges for the shipping industry,” emphasises Daniel Gent, Energy and Sustainability Manager, UECC. And Anniek Sluis, Growth Captain of the GoodShipping Program says: “Transportation logistics have a huge carbon impact, so the leadership shown by BMW Group to proactively take steps to decarbonise – and recognise that solutions are available – should act as a call for others in the sector to join us on this journey.”
Last year, the BMW Group already became the world‘s first automobile manufacturer to join the “Getting to Zero Coalition”. The aim is to help decarbonise international shipping.
Powered by water: BMW Group manufactures electric cars with regional green electricity.
The BMW Group powers production of the new electric BMW iX* and BMW i4 at Plants Dingolfing and Munich entirely with regional green hydroelectricity. Contracts have been signed with Stadtwerke München and RWE Supply & Trading for energy to be supplied by hydroelectricity from rivers Isar and Lech.
The BMW Group already powers its production facilities worldwide entirely with green electricity today from suppliers. The green electricity needed for BMW iX* production will come from the Isar hydroelectric power stations near Munich while production of the BMW i4 will be powered by the Lech hydroelectric power stations near Augsburg, greater Munich area. The energy they supply is also used to manufacture a wide range of components for the two electric models, at BMW Group Plants Landshut, Dingolfing and Berlin.
The BMW Group is increasing the share of renewable or carbon-neutral electricity it generates itself. Since 2013, for instance, the four wind turbines at Plant Leipzig have provided all the electricity needed to manufacture the BMW i3*. Another of several examples from the BMW Group production network is the newest plant, in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, where production is fully powered through renewable sources by their on-site solar panels and through direct contracts..
The energy goals the BMW Group has set itself are designed for the longer term. Between 2006 and 2019, emissions from production fell by more than 70 percent per car. Going forward Milan Nedeljković, Board Member for Production, explains: “We want to cut CO2 emissions by another 80 percent by 2030, to less than 10 percent of what they were in 2006.”
*Consumption and emissions figures:
BMW iX: Fuel consumption combined: 0.0 l/100 km; electricity consumption combined: < 21 kWh/100km; CO2 emissions combined: 0 g/km. (provisional figures based on forecasts)
BMW i3: Fuel consumption combined: 0.0 l/100 km; electricity consumption combined: 13.1 kWh/100km (NEDC) / 16.3-15.3 kWh/100km (WLTP); CO2 emissions combined: 0 g/km.
Focusing on production: our mission.
Internationalisation.
The BMW Group aims to achieve a global balance in its production between Asia, the Americas and Europe. Its production system is characterised by unparalleled flexibility, a high level of efficiency and robust processes, enabling the company to respond quickly to market changes and regional sales fluctuations. The BMW Group production network comprises a total of 31 locations in 15 countries. Across its production network, the BMW Group implements innovative technologies from digitalisation and Industry 4.0, standardised processes and intelligent composite construction. The production system ensures consistent premium quality and offers a high level of customisation. MINI customers, for instance, have the option of configuring selected components to individual specifications and preferences. To ensure long-term capacity utilisation across the production network, with the ability to respond quickly and flexibly to customer wishes, the BMW Group’s strategy is to integrate production of fully and partially electrified vehicles into the existing production system. In Europe, each BMW Group automotive plant will also produce electrified vehicles in the future. The opening ceremony for the BMW Group’s newest plant was held in June 2019 in San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
Quality.
Quality from the outset: The same standards for quality, safety and careful use of resources apply at all production sites within the BMW Group’s international production network. Innovative production technologies and employees’ high level of expertise guarantee that more than 20,000 individual parts can be turned into premium vehicles “made by BMW”. The flexible and innovative production at BMW Group plants is geared towards customer benefit, making it possible to meet individual customer wishes on schedule, swiftly and flexibly. The required processes are very complex and can only be run within highly flexible structures – both issues the BMW Group masters well.
Sustainability.
Sustainability by design: clean production. Economic success, responsible use of resources and social responsibility are the pillars of lasting growth and a continuous increase in company value. The BMW Group has firmly established consideration of ecological and social criteria along the entire value chain, as well as a clear commitment to the conservation of resources. The BMW Group aims to be the leading, most resource-efficient premium provider of individual mobility. For this reason, the company has adopted consistent group-wide environmental management, considering environmental aspects early in investment decisions and continuously monitoring environmental KPIs, as well as the achievement of ambitious targets. Furthermore, tried-and-tested approaches are transferred to the entire production network.
Get to know the production network of the BMW Group.
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