BMW Opens US Battery Plant in South Carolina for 2026 iX5 Production
The German automaker's Woodruff facility will assemble Gen6 cylindrical-cell batteries just 15 miles from its Spartanburg vehicle assembly hub.
BMW is bringing high-voltage battery production to the United States with a new assembly plant in Woodruff, South Carolina, with series production starting December 2026—a key step in the automaker's electric vehicle transition.
The facility, officially named Plant Woodruff, will manufacture sixth-generation (Gen6) batteries featuring 120mm cylindrical cells for BMW's Neue Klasse architecture.
Five-Plant Global Network
Plant Woodruff is one of five new high-voltage battery assembly plants BMW is establishing across three continents. The other facilities are located in Germany, Hungary, China, and Mexico.
The South Carolina site will employ more than 300 workers onsite. Batteries produced there will be transported approximately 15 miles to BMW's existing Plant Spartanburg, where fully electric X models will be assembled.
"With Plant Woodruff, we are further expanding our footprint in South Carolina and strengthening the close integration of battery and vehicle production," said Markus Fallböhmer, BMW AG's senior vice-president of Battery Production.
Neue Klasse Architecture
The Gen6 batteries represent BMW's transition to the Neue Klasse platform, which the company says will deliver improvements in range, charging speeds, and cost efficiency. The cylindrical cell format marks a departure from the prismatic cells used in BMW's current electric vehicles.
Localizing battery assembly near BMW's primary U.S. manufacturing hub reduces logistics complexity and positions the company to potentially qualify for regional tax incentives under U.S. electric vehicle policies.
Commitment to Electrification
BMW's investment in Woodruff signals commitment to full-scale electrification even as some competitors scale back EV ambitions. The iX5, a high-volume luxury SUV, depends on localized battery production to remain competitive in the U.S. market.
The proximity between Woodruff and Spartanburg creates one of the most integrated battery-to-vehicle production corridors in the American automotive landscape. For BMW, which has built its U.S. presence around Spartanburg since the 1990s, the new plant extends an existing manufacturing ecosystem rather than creating a standalone operation.
The Neue Klasse architecture underpins BMW's next generation of electric vehicles globally, with the Woodruff facility serving the North American market specifically.