BMW takes next step toward all-electric vehicles, breaks ground on Woodruff battery plant
Bob Montgomery- BMW Group broke ground Tuesday on a new $700 million, high-voltage battery assembly plant in Woodruff.
- The new 1 million-square-foot facility, located on a 315-acre former peach farm along SC Highway 101, is expected to be operational by 2026.
- Battery cells produced at a facility in Florence will be shipped to Plant Woodruff, where the cells will be used in battery assemblies for the fully electric BMW X models at Plant Spartanburg.
- Plant Woodruff will be operated without fossil fuels and will use 100% green electricity.
BMW Group broke ground Tuesday, June 27, on a new $700 million, high-voltage battery assembly plant in Woodruff.
The plant will produce battery assemblies for BMW's fully electric vehicles made at Plant Spartanburg.
The new 1 million-square-foot facility, located on a 315-acre former peach farm along S.C. Highway 101, is expected to be operational by 2026. The facility will include a cafeteria, fire department and energy center.
More than 300 jobs are expected to be created at Plant Woodruff, according to BMW.
McMaster, BMW executives speak at Plant Woodruff groundbreaking
BMW executives and South Carolina dignitaries spoke at the groundbreaking including Robert Engelhorn, president and CEO of BMW Manufacturing; Gov. Henry McMaster; Commerce Secretary Harry Lightsey and Ilka Horstmeier of BMW AG's Board of Management. Other speakers included U.S. Rep. William Timmons, R-4th District; Spartanburg County Councilman Manning Lynch; and Woodruff Mayor Kenneth Gist.
"We are breaking ground for our future," Engelhorn said. "Our work at BMW drives our legacy and builds our future. This is what will drive Plant Woodruff."
Lynch said, "BMW's ongoing commitment is evident, and has made a tremendously positive impact on Spartanburg County."
Gist said, "Today we break ground on a facility that will be transformative to our city. We are a very passionate community with a rich past. But make no mistake, we are ready for the future."
Last October, Germany-based BMW Group announced a $1.7 billion capital investment to begin building all-electric vehicles for the U.S. and world markets at its North America manufacturing plant near Greer in Spartanburg County.
The investment includes $1 billion to prepare the Spartanburg plant for production and $700 million to build a high-voltage battery assembly plant in Woodruff.
BMW plans to manufacture plug-in hybrids, 'highly efficient' vehicles
At the October announcement, BMW Group Chairman Oliver Zipse said BMW plans to continue to manufacture plug-in hybrids and "highly efficient" combustion engine vehicles as well.
Zipse said BMW also entered a multi-year partnership with Japan-based Envision AESC to build a new 1.5 million-square-foot battery cell plant in Florence County. Groundbreaking for the Florence County plant was held on June 7. Production is expected to start in 2026 and add 1,170 new jobs.
Also last October, the new $20 million BMW Technical Training Center opened, where BMW employees are being trained to build fully electric vehicles.
On Tuesday, Engelhorn said battery cells produced at the AESC facility in Florence will be shipped to Plant Woodruff, where the cells will be used in battery assemblies for the fully electric BMW X models at Plant Spartanburg.
BMW: Plant Woodruff will use 100% green electricity
The battery cells to be produced by Envision AESC at its Florence plant will be designed to increase energy density by more than 20% and improve charging speed and range by up to 30%, according to BMW. At the same time, carbon dioxide emissions from cell production will be reduced by up to 60% through the partial use of secondary lithium, cobalt and nickel.
Plant Woodruff will be operated without fossil fuels and will use 100% green electricity with the installation of a rooftop solar photovoltaic system, according to Engelhorn. Carbon dioxide emissions per vehicle across the life cycle will fall by 40% by 2030, according to BMW.
The Woodruff plant will also use LED lighting and sensors with dimming to reduce energy consumption, as well as harvest and use rainwater to reduce water consumption.
Plant Spartanburg already produces three plug-in hybrid electric vehicles – the BMW X3 xDrive30e; BMW X5 xDrive50e; and the BMW XM.
Last year, about 60% of BMW vehicles sold in the U.S. came from Plant Spartanburg. The factory employs more than 11,000 people and has a production capacity of up to 450,000 vehicles a year.
BMW Manufacturing is a subsidiary of BMW AG in Munich, Germany, and is the global producer of the BMW X3, X3 M, X5, X5 M and X7 sports activity vehicles; the BMW X4, X4 M, X6 and X6 M sports activity coupes, and the all-new XM.