BMW, a renowned car brand known for its sporty driving experience, has stopped producing combustion engines in Germany, which is seen as a significant step in the transition to electric vehicles.
Germany is a major player in the global auto industry, with many of its top car brands like Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Opel, Porsche being headquartered there. The country heavily relies on the automotive sector for its workforce and economic growth.
When Germany reaches a point where even BMW, a global leader in the automotive industry, stops manufacturing engines that run on fossil fuels due to the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, it indicates that we are quickly advancing in the new technology sector.
BMW has stopped making combustion engines at its primary factory in Munich in order to prioritize the production of electric vehicles. This decision was previously announced and aimed at accommodating the manufacturing of electric cars at the Bavarian plant.
The company has relocated engine production to Austria and the UK, indicating that they have not completely stopped this aspect of their business. However, due to pressure from unions in Germany to secure jobs auto workers in the future, it was a smart decision for the company to exit the engine production sector in their home country sooner rather than later. Instead, they have chosen to prioritize electric vehicle production there.
The 1,200 workers who used to work in engine construction will receive training and be reassigned to different positions, either at the Munich plant or at other BMW facilities.
The decision and investment in 2020 were praised by the Works Council, who referred to it as an example of a successful transformation in the German industry.
BMW currently produces various electric vehicle models in Germany, such as the i4, i5, i7, and iX. However, it is expected that by 2030, the concept of BMW manufacturing engines in Germany will seem outdated as the company plans to expand its production of electric vehicles and batteries within the country. The upcoming Neue Klasse electric vehicles will also be manufactured in Germany from 2026 onwards.
Reference- BMW Newsroom, Electrek, Electrive, Inside EVs