Beijing (ZXZC)- On August 27, BMW Group announced that it will begin trial production of its Neue Klasse models this fall. The inaugural trial production will take place at BMW’s new factory in Debrecen, Hungary, where the paint shop is already operational. In China, the trial production of the sixth-generation battery systems for these models is expected to start by the end of the year, with full-scale production of the first Neue Klasse model scheduled for 2026 in Shenyang.

Neue Klasse vehicle; photo credit: BMW

The Neue Klasse models represent a significant milestone for BMW, embodying the latest advancements in automotive manufacturing and forward-looking innovation that will influence the brand’s vehicle generations for decades.

Trial production is a critical phase before mass production, allowing BMW to refine both products and processes over approximately a year to ensure high production efficiency and product quality.

The Neue Klasse lineup will incorporate the latest technologies in the electric vehicle market, including the sixth-generation eDrive technology, which boasts over 25% improvement in overall efficiency compared to the previous generation. The battery system, based on cylindrical cells, offers more than 20% increase in energy density over the previous rectangular cells. The  platform for the battery, powertrain, and charging technologies will be upgraded to 800 volts, significantly enhancing DC fast charging efficiency. The high-voltage battery system will charge from 10% to 80% state of charge at least 30% faster than the previous generation.

These models will feature BMW’s latest design language and the new BMW iDrive human-machine interface system. The iDrive system, with its four main interaction interfaces—BMW Panoramic Vision, Central Information Display, 3D Head-Up Display, and the new multifunction steering wheel—aims to make vehicle interaction more intuitive. This latest iteration of iDrive continues BMW’s driver-centric design philosophy while pushing the boundaries of human-machine interaction.