WOODRUFF — BMW Group Plant Woodruff is expected to begin series production of high-voltage batteries in December for the all-electric BMW iX5, marking another milestone in the company's expanding electric vehicle operations in Spartanburg County.
The new battery plant will supply batteries to BMW Manufacturing's Spartanburg plant, about 15 miles away, where the next generation of fully electric BMW X models will be assembled.
BMW officials said the Woodruff facility uses artificial intelligence, robotics and digital technology to streamline battery production and improve quality. More than 300 employees and 250 robots will support assembly of the company's sixth-generation, or Gen6, high-voltage batteries.
"Plant Woodruff plays a key role in the ramp-up of electromobility in the U.S.," Raymond Wittmann, a member of BMW AG's Board of Management responsible for production, said in a statement.
Robert Engelhorn, president and CEO of BMW Manufacturing Co., said the new facility strengthens the company's South Carolina operations by bringing battery production closer to vehicle assembly.
Construction on the Woodruff plant began in 2023 following a June groundbreaking. Installation of manufacturing equipment started the following year, and the facility has been producing test and pre-series batteries since 2025. Full production is scheduled to begin in December.
The plant incorporates virtual reality training for employees, allowing production workers to practice manufacturing procedures in a digital version of the factory before working on the production floor.
BMW said the Gen6 battery uses cylindrical cells arranged in a "cell-to-pack" design and includes recycled materials in its cobalt, lithium and nickel content. Compared with the previous generation of batteries, the company said the new design reduces carbon dioxide emissions associated with battery production by about 28% per watt-hour. Plant Woodruff also operates without fossil fuels during normal operations, and its industrial trucks are powered by hydrogen.
Once assembled, each battery undergoes a final inspection before being transported to BMW's Spartanburg manufacturing campus for installation in the all-electric BMW iX5. The vehicle will be the first battery-electric X5 equipped with BMW's new 800-volt electrical architecture and will feature a 144-kilowatt-hour battery pack, the largest battery offered in a fully electric BMW to date.
