The BMW Group will open its Cell Manufacturing Competence Center (CCMC) in the fall. With the emmission control approval procedure now completed, the necessary conditions are in place for commissioning of near-standard production of lithium-ion battery cells at the competence center in Parsdorf, outside of Munich.
In an area spanning around 15,000 square meters, the BMW Group will demonstrate the industrial feasibility of future generations of high-performance battery cells. The pilot line at the competence center will make it possible to analyze and fully understand cell value creation processes. This will enable future suppliers to produce cells to the BMW Group’s own specifications and thereby further optimize battery cell production with regard to quality, output and costs. The company is currently ruling out the option of establishing its own large-scale battery cell production.
“The Cell Manufacturing Competence Center in Parsdorf is the next logical step towards penetrating all aspects of the battery cell value chain. Following successful implementation of the Battery Cell Competence Center (BCCC), we are now focusing on the production processes. We are validating the manufacturability of lithium-ion battery cells for large-scale standard production, with regard to quality, efficiency and costs.”, says Markus Fallböhmer, head of Production Engines, E-Drives at the BMW Group
Investment in the initial development phase for the Cell Manufacturing Competence Center totals around €170 million. About 80 employees will work at the Parsdorf location. The German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy are supporting the project within the framework of the European funding process IPCEI (Important Projects of Common European Interest).
Due to the complex technologies involved, battery cell production will be commissioned in stages, with production due to start at the CMCC in the autumn. In the initial phase of the ramp-up, the systems for electrode production will be installed and run in. During this stage, raw materials, such as graphite and nickel oxides for battery electrodes, are metered and mixed. This is followed by coating of the metal foils and final compression.
In the second phase, the systems for subsequent cell assembly and formation will be installed. In this step, the electrodes are processed with the other sub-components to create battery cells and are formed and checked for quality. The entire ramp-up process will take about a year. Over the course of the following year, near-standard battery cell production at the competence center will transition to regular operation.