What BMW announced
BMW is widening its battery supply bench to cut dependence on any single source. Samsung SDI will provide cells for BMW's European facilities, while LG Energy Solution will supply US plants beginning in the late 2020s. Concurrently, BMW is expanding global manufacturing of sixth-generation high-voltage batteries, which serve as the foundation for its upcoming electric models, among them the iX3 sport-utility.
How this fits existing sourcing and factories
The new deals sit alongside existing European cell supply from China's CATL and EVE Energy. BMW now assembles its newest battery generation in Germany, Hungary, Mexico and South Carolina, with an additional site in China, and is working to shorten the logistics chain between where cell suppliers deliver and where vehicles are produced. Last week the company said it is accelerating the retirement of older battery designs.
The wider context and what it means for your portfolio
The move reflects a broader push by European and US automakers to lessen exposure to components sourced from China, which dominates battery manufacturing and processing of key materials. That concentration leaves carmakers vulnerable when they need capacity nearer to plants in Europe and North America. Separately, the European Union is drafting rules under the Industrial Accelerator Act that would set thresholds requiring most of a vehicle to be made within the bloc to qualify for various subsidies.
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Bottom line: BMW is adding more regional cell capacity while it scales a new battery generation and retires old packs.
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