The BMW Group Plant in Leipzig Starts Production of the Mini Countryman Electric

The start of production for the MINI Countryman Electric marks a significant step in the expansion of electromobility at the Leipzig plant.

Leipzig: After discontinuing the production of the BMW i3, the BMW Group plant in Leipzig has reintroduced a fully electric vehicle to its collection: four months after the production launch of the MINI Countryman with combustion engines, the fully electric models are now rolling off the assembly line in Leipzig. Four models with three motors from two brands are produced on a single production line: the BMW 1 Series, the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer (also available as a plug-in hybrid), the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé, and the MINI Countryman with both fully electric and conventional motors. The vehicle is available with a purely electric motor in the Countryman E variant (150 kW, 204 PS | power consumption 17.4 – 15.7 kWh/100 km | CO2 emissions 0 g/km) as well as with increased power and all-wheel drive in the Countryman SE ALL4 variant (230 kW, 313 PS | power consumption 18.5 – 16.8 kWh/100 km | CO2 emissions 0 g/km).

Consistent spatial expansion at the Leipzig plant

To produce up to 350,000 units per year – an increase of 100,000 units from the previous capacity – the Leipzig plant has undergone continuous expansion since 2018. Additionally 1.6 billion euros have been invested in the Leipzig plant specifically for the production of the MINI Countryman, whose production is set to reach nearly 500 units per day in 2024, in addition to around 800 BMW automobiles.

The flexible assembly structure enables the seamless integration of the MINI Countryman Electric into the production process. In the aggregate assembly of the Leipzig plant, the drive units are also assembled on a single line and prepared for the so-called “wedding” with the body. For the two fully electric models, the electric motor, transmission, and control electronics (HEAT: highly integrated electric drive topology) are assembled directly in the factory. Only for the control electronics, a new assembly line had to be established.

Advancing electromobility and resource conservation

Starting the production of the MINI Countryman Electric, the entire process of high-voltage battery manufacturing for the current 5th generation is implemented at the Leipzig BMW plant. This process consists of three steps: cell painting, module production, and high-voltage battery assembly. In the factory, five cell painting lines, three module production lines, and two lines for high-voltage battery production have been established for e-component manufacturing. All of them are currently in the ramp-up phase.

The MINI Countryman is offered in three additional body colours: British Racing Green, Chili Red, and Blazing Blue, which can upon request also be purchased with the typical MINI contrast roof. For the painting of the contrast roof, a new, resource-efficient method called “Overspray (paint mist) free painting” has been introduced in the qualification process at the Leipzig plant. This process eliminates the need for masking surfaces extensively, as no oil mist is generated, making multicoloured painting of surfaces easier. Overspray-free painting also contributes to reducing CO2 emissions, as the exhaust air in the paint booths requires less purification.

In addition to high-voltage batteries for the MINI Countryman Electric, the plant will produce e-components – including the BMW iX1, BMW iX2, BMW i4, BMW i5, and BMW iX models – for other locations. The former BMW i3 and BMW i8 production areas were converted for high-voltage battery production as well as new buildings added. This includes the construction of a new hall with an approximate area of 61,000 m². With two facilities, the plant can produce up to 300,000 high-voltage batteries per year. The BMW Group has invested over 900 million euros in e-component production at the Leipzig plant.