At the heart of Haute-Austria, in Steyr, BMW officially launched series production of the new Gen6 Edrive electric motor, a key element of future models of the Neue Klasse. This is a historic moment for the factory which, for over 40 years, has been a pillar of the production of petrol and diesel engines for BMW and Mini.
With an investment of more than one billion euros announced for 2022, the production site was fully refurbished to support the transition to electric mobility. The Gen6 engine is the first electric motorcycle group entirely designed and made internally in Steyr.
What is the Gen6 engine?
The new Gen6 Edrive engine is a fully redesigned platform, which introduces 800 volts architecture and uses semiconductors in silicon carbide (SIC) inside the inverter. This improves energy efficiency, reduce heat losses and obtain higher performance.
The system is highly integrated: rotor, stator, transmission and inverter are assembled in a single compact module, which reduces size and weight. The aluminum case is provided by the BMW foundry of Landshut, while the entire machining and assembly is made in Steyr.
BMW claims that, compared to the Gen5 system, the new engine allows: a reduction of -40% of energy losses; A reduction of -20% of production costs and a reduction of -10% of the total weight. All this results in a 20% increase in the overall efficiency of the vehicle.
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Source: BMW
Neue Klasse: no more efficiency, no more autonomy
The first model to adopt the new powertrain will be the BMW IX3 50 XDRIVE. According to preliminary data, it will offer an autonomy of up to 800 km (WLTP) thanks to the efficiency of the GEN6 and the new battery block to improved energy density.
The Neue Klasse platform will be completely modular, which will allow BMW to adapt the dimensions and configurations to models ranging from compact sedans to large SUVs.
The factory changes its face.
With the introduction of the production of the GEN6, more than 1,000 employees will devote themselves to the assembly of new electric motorcycle groups. By 2030, half of Steyr’s workforce could be involved in e-mobility, while maintaining part of the production of thermal engines in parallel, in a spirit of “technological openness”.
“It is not only a new production start, but a concrete commitment to the future of technology and industry in Europe”commented Klaus von Moltke, please PowerTrain Production at BMW.
How the ge6 was born
2020 – BMW introduces the Gen5 motorcycle group on IX3, i4 and IX
2022 – An investment of more than a billion is announced for Steyr
2023 – The first Gen6 pilot lines come into service
August 2025 – Beginning of Gen6 series production in Steyr
2025-2026 – Launch of the BMW IX3 50 xDrive, the first car equipped with Gen6
2030-50% of Steyr’s workforce should be used in the field of e-mobility
Everything about Edrive Gen6
| Value / Description | |
| System tension | 800 Volts |
| Inverter | With silicon carbide semiconductors |
| Global efficiency | +20% compared to the Gen5 system |
| Loss of energy | -40% |
| Cost reduction | -20% |
| Weight reduction | -10% |
| Production | BMW Steyr (Austria) |
| Aluminum box | Landshut’s BMW foundry |
| Integration of components | Stator, rotor, transmission, inverter |
| Models concerned | First application on the BMW IX3 50 xDrive |