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The head of Communications at BMW Hungary, András Salgó, gave details about the operation of the Debrecen plant and the first model expected to be produced here in the AutóSámán Podcast.
András Salgó explained that “a brand-new SUV-like car based on electric architecture, a premium mid-range model” will roll off the production line for the first time and will be the first in the BMW network to be built at the Debrecen plant.
Presenter Gábor Bertalan asked András Salgó if this would be the BMW Neue Klasse X. András Salgó replied, “probably yes.” The head of communications said that a car very similar to the BMW Vision Neue Klasse X study car presented last year will be produced in series in Debrecen.
András Salgó said they expect the Neue Klasse model series to bring a paradigm shift in electric driving.
“This novelty will bring a new battery and manufacturing technology and a completely new design that will transform the entire BMW structure,” he said, which is why BMW says that the Neue Klasse will be a new chapter and a new book in the company’s history.
The Neue Klasse cars will be equipped with sixth-generation batteries, which will allow them to charge up to 30 percent faster, up to 300 kilometers in 10 minutes. In addition, the capacity of the batteries will increase by 30 percent, increasing the range of the cars.
It was also mentioned that the BMW Group recently presented the driving and user experience of the future at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. At the event, the Bavarian premium manufacturer gave the first glimpse of the near-series version of the new BMW iDrive display and vehicle control technology centred on the BMW Panoramic Projector. This technology will appear in all new BMW models from the end of 2025 and will be integrated into the cars manufactured in Debrecen.
The podcast also mentioned several large Western European car manufacturers are in crisis, but BMW is not in this news.
András Salgó believes that the reason for this is that BMW has not announced a target date for when it will produce only electric cars. Although the focus in development is on electromobility, they are also developing their vehicles with other powertrains; for example, the range of their hybrids in electric mode has doubled in recent years. Their model range includes petrol, diesel, hybrids, and electric cars, and this multi-legged stance gives the company stability.
In addition, the BMW Group increased the sales figures of its purely electric models in 2024. The group’s purely electric models achieved a sales increase of 13.5 percent in the challenging market field of last year. According to András Salgó, they are confident this will also be the case this year and that the Neue Klasse will provide a considerable boost.
Source and photo credit: dehir.hu
