BMW Group’s new Plant Woodruff will begin series production of high-voltage batteries for the fully electric BMW iX5 in December.
As part of the vehicle’s world premiere, the company gave an early look at the facility, which relies on AI-supported production processes, digital twins and virtual reality applications to set new benchmarks for high-voltage battery assembly.
Raymond Wittman, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Production, said Plant Woodruff plays a key role in scaling up electromobility in the US. He said the Gen6 high-voltage battery represents a major technological leap and that Woodruff itself sets new production standards, combining advanced processes, artificial intelligence and employee expertise to build for the highest quality.
Robert Engelhorn, President and CEO of BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC, said the plant expands BMW’s footprint in South Carolina while strengthening the integration between battery and vehicle production, laying the groundwork for the next generation of fully electric BMW X models built at Plant Spartanburg.
AI-Driven Production for Zero-Defect Quality
BMW has built intelligent, efficient production processes around its in-house Gen6 high-voltage battery, which integrates new cylindrical round cells directly using a “cell-to-pack” approach.
Every production step is monitored inline and documented in real time, with in-house AI assistants analyzing that data alongside more than 300 employees and 250 robots to aim for zero-defect production. The extensive use of AI also boosts Overall Equipment Effectiveness, while digital twins and VR applications supported planning and training well before the plant went live.
All production staff complete a VR training program developed specifically on site, practicing real manufacturing operations within a detailed virtual replica of the plant’s production lines — requiring nothing more than VR goggles and a PC — before ever touching the actual equipment.
From Groundbreaking to Production in Three Years
Construction began in September 2023, following the official groundbreaking that June. Equipment installation started in September 2024 while construction was still underway, and production preparations began in summer 2025, with test and pre-series batteries rolling off the line since then. Series production is set to launch in December 2026.
Rich Everly, Vice President of Production at BMW Group Plant Woodruff, said the facility shows how quickly BMW can scale a new battery concept to industrial production, crediting the synergy between a skilled, dedicated team and continuous knowledge-sharing across BMW’s broader production network.
A Lower-Carbon Battery Cell
The Gen6 cells used in the iX5’s battery incorporate a high proportion of secondary materials in their cobalt, lithium and nickel content, with renewable energy used throughout anode, cathode and cell manufacturing.
Compared with the Gen5 cell used in the BMW iX, CO2e emissions have dropped by around 28 percent per watt-hour. Plant Woodruff itself runs without fossil fuels during normal operations, with its industrial trucks powered by hydrogen.
A Global “Local for Local” Battery Strategy
Gen6 battery installation is spread across five new facilities BMW is building near its vehicle plants under a “local for local” approach.
Beyond Woodruff, similar battery assembly plants are under construction in Irlbach-Straßkirchen in Lower Bavaria, Shenyang in China, and San Luis Potosí in Mexico, while the latest-generation batteries have already been in series production in Debrecen, Hungary, since October 2025. BMW says this approach strengthens regional infrastructure and supports jobs, with close collaboration between German pilot plants and production sites worldwide.
How the Batteries Come Together
BMW sources battery cells from leading manufacturers and runs additional checks, including voltage measurements, upon receipt. Cells are then clustered and connected to coolers for optimal insulation and cooling, before laser-cleaning and precision welding, with inline inspection monitoring each weld seam in real time.
An innovative foaming process protects all elements as a mechanical unit, after which the housing is sealed and riveted. In the final step, the Energy Master control unit is installed and sealed with a permanently elastic adhesive, before every battery undergoes a 100% end-of-line inspection. Finished batteries then travel just 15 miles from Woodruff to Plant Spartanburg.
An 800-Volt Battery With Record Capacity
The battery-electric BMW iX5 is built on sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology, using round cells and 800-volt architecture. With available net energy content of 144 kWh in the US and 141 kWh in the EU, the iX5 60 xDrive carries the largest high-voltage battery fitted to any fully electric BMW to date, powered by e-drives on both axles working through BMW’s electric xDrive all-wheel-drive system.