World Premiere in Leipzig: First Automotive Plant with Hydrogen Pipeline

A Pioneering Step for Energy Resilience and Decarbonisation

BMW Group Plant Leipzig is setting a historic milestone on its path towards a sustainable and independent energy supply. On 30 September 2026, the site celebrated the symbolic start of construction for its connection to the future German hydrogen core network. Via a two-kilometre dedicated pipeline, the location will become the world’s first automotive plant to be supplied directly with hydrogen via pipeline in the first half of 2028.

Co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Free State of Saxony, the pipeline project represents a collaborative effort between industry, energy partners, and government figures. Saxony’s Minister-President Michael Kretschmer and federal representatives attended the ceremony. This direct grid connection not only secures the long-term competitiveness of the site, but also transforms Plant Leipzig into an anchor point for the regional and national hydrogen economy.

From Bivalent Burners to Large-Scale Hydrogen Supply

Hydrogen has a long tradition at Plant Leipzig, having been utilised in intralogistics since 2013. Today, with over 230 hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, Plant Leipzig operates the largest intralogistics fleet of its kind in Europe. Furthermore, bivalent paint burners were installed in the Paint Shop in 2022, capable of burning either natural gas or hydrogen flexibly.

The new pipeline connection elevates this technology to a whole new level of performance. In the future, hydrogen will replace fossil natural gas on a large scale, particularly in the high-temperature drying processes within the Paint Shop. “The pipeline enables us to supply our Paint Shop with hydrogen on an entirely new scale,” emphasises Petra Peterhänsel, Director of BMW Group Plant Leipzig. “It is a cornerstone for securing our future energy resilience and offers significant potential for the further decarbonisation of our production.”

Local Energy Management and the Transformation into a Prosumer

This initiative integrates seamlessly into the BMW Group’s global energy management strategy, which favours technology-open, site-specific solutions over one-size-fits-all approaches. Moving forward, production sites will not merely consume energy, but act as prosumers that generate, store, and flexibly manage energy locally. A digital architecture virtually connects generators, consumers, and storage systems, data-optimising energy flows to maintain grid stability.

To realise the pipeline project, the BMW Group is working closely with regional infrastructure partners. ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH is securing the connection to the national H2 core network, while MITNETZ GAS GmbH is executing the construction of the two-kilometre pipeline including pressure-regulation and metering systems. Through this partnership, Plant Leipzig is safeguarding its energy supply for the long term, demonstrating how industrial competitiveness and decarbonisation go hand in hand.