The plant, which began operations in 2019, currently employs about 3,000 people and produces the BMW 3 Series, 2 Series Coupé and M2. In February 2023, the carmaker now reports an investment of 800 million euros in the Mexican production site. From 2027, the fully electric "Neue Klasse" models will also be manufactured in Mexico.
"With this investment, our plant in San Luis Potosí plays a central role in the BMW Group's transformation to electric mobility. The company is strengthening its commitment to Mexico and to our plant. This is not only due to the strategically favourable location, but above all to an outstanding team that has already produced three models for 74 global markets in excellent quality in less than four years since opening," said Harald Gottsche, President and CEO of the BMW Group plant San Luis Potosí.
The company states the plant had already started to build up and qualify new employees and had increased the number of apprenticeships in the current training year. In April, a second shift will start at the plant. Additional workers are also to be acquired for the assembly centre. In total, the car manufacturer wants to employ about 1,000 additional workers in San Luis Potosí.
"With this investment, our plant in San Luis Potosí plays a central role in the BMW Group's transformation to electric mobility. The company is strengthening its commitment to Mexico and to our plant. This is not only due to the strategically favourable location, but above all to an outstanding team that has already produced three models for 74 global markets in excellent quality in less than four years since opening," said Harald Gottsche, President and CEO of the BMW Group plant San Luis Potosí.
Fully electric models complement production programme in Mexico
The high-voltage battery of the Neue Klasse is integrated directly into the vehicle structure. This requires a new process. To integrate this into the existing process, the assembly line in San Luis Potosí is to be expanded. 500 million euros will be invested in the construction of an 85,000-square-metre assembly centre for high-voltage batteries on the factory premises. This is where the car manufacturer plans to produce batteries for its all-electric vehicles in the future."There is a good supplier base in Mexico, including many large international first-tier suppliers as well as original Mexican companies," says Sandra Schillmöller, Head of Communications Production Network BMW Group. "We have had solid relationships with suppliers in Mexico for many years. The BMW Group's Mexican suppliers offer high quality products and competitive costs. They also demonstrate a high degree of flexibility when it comes to responding to production requirements. The BMW Group works with around 250 suppliers in Mexico who deliver components or parts to BMW Group plants."
The company states the plant had already started to build up and qualify new employees and had increased the number of apprenticeships in the current training year. In April, a second shift will start at the plant. Additional workers are also to be acquired for the assembly centre. In total, the car manufacturer wants to employ about 1,000 additional workers in San Luis Potosí.
