BMW announced that production of the iX1 has begun at the Regensburg Plant in Germany, setting various milestones for the automaker. The iX1 high-voltage battery is also produced at the plant.
In addition to the iX1 being the first electric version of a small Sports Activity vehicle, its production at the Regensburg Plant means that all of BMW’s drive technology is now produced in one line as part of a flexible factory production process. It also means that all of BMW’s German factories can now produce electric vehicles as announced two years ago, moving internal combustion engine production to the UK and Austria.
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Apart from the production announcement, BMW has also set the next EV milestone. According to Milan Nedeljkovic, member of the Management Board of BMW AG responsible for Production, at least one in three Bimmers coming out of its Bavarian plant will be electric by 2024.
The automaker also offers a digital production process called BMW iFactory. In addition to digital mapping, which results in efficient planning of future plant structures and production facilities, factories also incorporate artificial intelligence in their manufacturing processes. Factory paint shops include AI-assisted ones, with paint surfaces scanned to ensure impeccable quality and then finished using a fully automated program.
In addition, Artificial Intelligence Quality Next (AIQX) uses an AI-powered image recognition method that assists employees in quality checks, which is a complement to conventional camera-based quality checks.
Looking exactly like the X1 but with blue accents, the BMW iX1 is the brand’s first all-wheel-drive electric vehicle in the compact segment. It went on sale in October in Europe. It’s uncertain whether the iX1 will be offered in the US, with the third-generation X1 only available in the United States in the xDrive28i guise.
