BMW Plant Steyr Begins Series Production of Gen6 Electric Engines for Neue Klasse

BMW Group has officially commenced series production of its sixth-generation (Gen6) electric engines at Plant Steyr, Austria, marking a major milestone in the brand’s transition to the Neue Klasse era. This is the first fully electric drivetrain to roll out of Steyr, a facility renowned for over 40 years as BMW’s hub for internal combustion engine production.

ArrayThe Gen6 e-drive features a highly integrated design with core components — rotor, stator, transmission, and inverter — all manufactured on-site. Aluminium housings are supplied by Plant Landshut before final assembly on two new production lines. A modular system allows flexible production of multiple drivetrain variants for the entire Neue Klasse range, delivering cost efficiencies and scalability.

Technically, the Gen6 powertrain adopts 800-volt architecture and silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors to boost efficiency. The inverter is fully integrated into the motor housing, optimising packaging and performance. Compared to its Gen5 predecessor, the new system is lighter, more efficient, and more cost-effective, reducing energy loss and enhancing overall vehicle range.

The first model to benefit will be the BMW iX3 50 xDrive, capable of delivering up to 800 km (WLTP) thanks to the Gen6 motor’s efficiency and a high-capacity battery pack.

With over €1 billion invested in electrification upgrades, Plant Steyr is now BMW’s global centre for e-drive expertise, producing both electric and combustion engines in parallel while spearheading the company’s next chapter in sustainable mobility.