BMW will get the ball rolling on Neue Klasse production near the end of the year with the second-generation iX3. The first EV will be assembled at the company’s new factory in Debrecen, Hungary. The i3 sedan will follow in 2026 at the historic plant in Munich. The first long-wheelbase models built in China for the local market are scheduled to arrive next year. From 2027, the San Luis Potosi site in Mexico will start Neue Klasse production. But what about other factories?
Although at least six EVs will be made in Spartanburg, South Carolina, by 2030, BMW hasn’t confirmed these will be part of the Neue Klasse portfolio. Consequently, only the Regensburg site has been confirmed so far to build NK cars beyond the previously announced factories. Meanwhile, the city in eastern Bavaria hosted in 2024 the most prolific factory in the company’s European production network, with volume growing by 43.7% to 342,521 cars. It’s currently gearing up to accommodate the “next model generation.”
It has already expanded the body shop to about 40,000 square meters to get there. Additional structural changes to the factory will be implemented this summer during a five-week downtime at the Regensburg factory. It’s part of a €550-million investment to future-proof the BMW plant. Since the first NK model is still a few years away, BMW isn’t willing to disclose its identity yet. However, perhaps we can make an educated guess, considering that 1,400 units of the X1 and X2 are built daily.
With that in mind, perhaps the rumored “NB5” iX1 will be made there. Sources close to BMW claim the next-gen electric crossover is scheduled for production in November 2027. However, the combustion-engine X1 “U11” is unlikely to be retired so soon. After all, it’s only been around for three years and will get a Life Cycle Impulse later this decade. Logic tells us that only the current iX1 will be discontinued to make way for its Neue Klasse successor.
While today’s iX1 can be had with front-wheel drive, this won’t be the case for its replacement. BMW has already announced that its NK electric models will be either rear- or all-wheel drive. This also means that future MINI EVs will employ an RWD layout.
Assuming the future iX1 won’t be made in Regensburg, the only other model we can think of is the unconfirmed i1. However, our money is on the crossover rather than a small hatchback.
Photos: BMW