The BMW Group has begun construction of a manufacturing facility for Gen-5 high-voltage batteries in Thailand. Local BEV production is scheduled to start in the second half of 2025.

Local production of high-voltage batteries in Rayong is the next logical step in the continued electrification of our production network. Once again, the principle of ‘local for local’ applies, supporting economic development, employment opportunities and knowledge transfer in Thailand and the ASEAN region.

—Milan Nedeljković, Board Member for Production at BMW AG

The forthcoming high-voltage battery assembly facility will have a footprint of 4,000 square meters. The new assembly line will convert imported battery cells into modules that will then be integrated into high-voltage batteries. The BMW Group has invested more than 1.6 billion baht (approx. €42 million) in the project, a significant share of which—almost 1.4 billion baht (approx. €36 million)—will be used to buy equipment and systems.

The BMW Group has been producing high-voltage batteries in Thailand for locally made plug-in hybrids since 2019. Plant Rayong manufactures around two dozen BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad models for the Thai as well as various ASEAN markets. In 2023 output totalled more than 12,000 cars and almost 11,000 motorcycles.