BMW Portimao Blue BMW 330e Touring

German auto major BMW Group has attained a significant manufacturing milestone as its three-millionth electrified vehicle, a Portimao Blue BMW 330e Touring, rolled off the assembly line at its main plant in Munich.

The plug-in hybrid model is destined for the UK market, underscoring the brand's commitment to electrified mobility across key global regions.

The achievement highlights BMW's accelerated push into the electric vehicle (EV) sector. In 2024 alone, the company shared it saw one in four vehicles sold by BMW was either fully electric or a plug-in hybrid. This growing trend is facilitated by BMW Group's highly flexible production lines, which seamlessly integrate electrified powertrains alongside traditional internal combustion engines.

Milan Nedeljkovic, Board Member for Production, BMW Group, said, “With its highly flexible production, the BMW Group is able to respond to customer requirements in line with market trends and demand. All plants in our global production network are enabled for electromobility, paving the way for continued growth in this segment.”

BMW's journey into series production of fully electric vehicles began in 2013 with the launch of the BMW i3. Manufactured for nearly a decade at Plant Leipzig, alongside the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid, the i3 initially required a dedicated production area due to its unique architecture.

Since then, the integration of electric cars into BMW's global production network has been systematic. Many plants initially assembled plug-in hybrid models on the same lines as their diesel and petrol counterparts. Today, electromobility accounts for a steadily increasing share of production volumes, surpassing 25 percent in 2024, with approximately three-quarters of those vehicles being fully electric. To date, a total of 1.5 million battery electric vehicles (BEVs) across the BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands have been delivered worldwide.

The expansion of the BEV range continued with the start of MINI Cooper SE production in Oxford in 2019. The rollout gained further momentum from 2020 with the latest generation of e-drives, seeing the BMW iX3 built in China and the BMW iX and i4 ramped up in Dingolfing and Munich in 2021. Within a year, all BMW Group plants in Germany were equipped for fully electric vehicle production.

Electrification efforts have extended globally, with all plant sites in China now having introduced EV production. In the US, Plant Spartanburg is preparing for fully electric vehicle production from 2026, while Plant San Luis Potosí in Mexico will add BEV models for the upcoming Neue Klasse in 2027. Both facilities already produce plug-in hybrid models. Similarly, the plant in Rosslyn, South Africa, has been manufacturing plug-in hybrids since 2024, and BMW Group’s local production sites in Brazil, India, and Thailand also build electrified vehicles.

Driving this global shift is BMW's Competence Centre for E-Drive Production. Since the launch of the BMW i3, key electric powertrain components such as battery modules, high-voltage batteries, and electric motors have been produced in Dingolfing. By 2022, this centre had reached an annual capacity of over 500,000 e-drives. Expertise gained here is now being applied to the sixth generation of e-drives, set to be introduced towards the end of this year with the Neue Klasse at the new plant in Debrecen, Hungary.

The Association of Indian Forging Industry (AIFI), the apex body for the forging sector, successfully concluded its National Annual Convention in Pune, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers and experts to strategise on the future of the Indian forging industry.

The landmark event focused on charting a clear growth roadmap, exploring opportunities amidst global supply chain disruptions and analysing the evolving outlook for both Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Internal Combustion Engines (ICE).

In his inaugural address, Yash Munot, President, AIFI, emphasised the industry’s need to balance the dual imperatives of sustainability and competitiveness. "India’s automotive and mobility sectors are undergoing unprecedented transformation. At AIFI, we firmly believe that collaboration across industry, academia and policymakers is the key to shaping a resilient future," he stated.

A core theme of the convention was the delicate balance between the EV transition and the continuing relevance of ICE technology in India.

Dr K C Vora of NAMTECH delivered a keynote on the ‘Future of EV & ICE in Indian Scenario,’ highlighting the critical role of EV adoption, supported by policies like FAME II, while stressing the need for continued optimisation of ICE platforms given India's diverse mobility ecosystem.

The second keynote by Prenayan Kaul of PwC focused on navigating global supply chain disruptions, urging forging companies to leverage technology-driven efficiencies and tap into new growth areas to counter headwinds like raw material volatility.

A major highlight of the convention was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between AIFI and Hexagon. This strategic partnership aims to advance digitalisation and smart manufacturing capabilities within the forging sector, a move AIFI President Munot cited as a testament to the commitment to global competitiveness.

A dynamic panel discussion on ‘Current Industry Scenario - Trends, Opportunities & Challenges,’ moderated by S Muralishankar, further reinforced the importance of resilience, innovation and collaborative growth in tackling current industry trends and governmental policies.

The convention concluded with a reaffirmation of AIFI's mission to strengthen the sector’s role as a vital contributor to India’s economic growth, aligning actively with national priorities such as ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and the transition towards sustainable mobility.

Epsilon Advanced Materials (EAM), a leading global manufacturer of sustainable battery materials, and Phillips 66 have forged a strategic alliance to bolster the domestic electric vehicle (EV) and energy storage system (ESS) battery supply chain in the United States.

Phillips 66, one of the world’s leading producers of Green and Calcined Needle Coke cokes, which are the critical feedstock required for manufacturing synthetic graphite anodes – a core component of lithium-ion batteries.

As per the understanding, Phillips 66 will supply Green and Calcined Needle Coke from its Lake Charles, Louisiana refinery to Epsilon Advanced Materials. The feedstock secured through this partnership will directly support EAM's ambitious new 30,000 tonnes graphite active anode material facility currently under development in North Carolina.

The facility has completed all necessary permitting milestones and is on track to begin operations in 2027, with an expansion plan to reach 60,000 tonnes by 2030. Once fully operational, the North Carolina plant is projected to supply U.S. battery manufacturers and automotive OEMs with enough graphite active anode material to power approximately million electric vehicles annually, playing a decisive role in scaling sustainable battery production for the nation and enabling clean energy transitions.

Vikram Handa, Managing Director, Epsilon Advanced Materials, said, “This collaboration is a major step in building a secure and sustainable battery materials supply chain for the US. Phillips 66’s expertise in energy and materials, combined with EAM’s capacity and global presence, will ensure reliable, scalable and sustainable graphite anode production to power the EV and ESS industries worldwide.”

The agreement successfully brings together Phillips 66’s operational expertise in material production with EAM’s global expansion goals, reinforcing the collective effort to build a competitive and resilient supply chain for clean energy technologies across multiple regions.

Bengaluru-based engineering R&D services major L&T Technology Services has expanded its partnership with Siemens, a leading technology company focused on industry, infrastructure and mobility.

The partnership aims to advance Machine & Line Simulation and IIoT Technology, setting a new benchmark for innovation within LTTS’ sustainability segment, which encompasses process engineering, discrete manufacturing and industrial products.

As per the understanding, LTTS will leverage the digital technology portfolio of Siemens to deliver simulation-driven automation and IIoT-enabled solutions for diverse sectors including automotive & transportation, industrial products and process & plant engineering.

By combining Siemens’ flagship platforms, TIA Portal, Industrial Edge and Tecnomatix, integrated with LTTS’ AI-driven engineering expertise, the partnership will accelerate digital adoption, improve precision in system design and drive faster, smarter decision-making across manufacturing ecosystems.

Alind Saxena, President & Executive Director – Mobility & Tech, L&T Technology Services, said, “Our collaboration with Siemens underscores a shared vision of driving AI-powered innovation and operational excellence across industrial ecosystems. By focusing on robust solutions such as Machine & Line Simulation and IIoT Technology, we are empowering industries to achieve greater agility, actionable insights and measurable business outcomes.”

Suprakash Chaudhuri, Head of Digital Industries, Siemens, said, “At Siemens, we believe that partnerships are the cornerstone of the digital transformation journey for Indian enterprises. By combining deep domain expertise with cutting-edge digital solutions, we can co-create scalable, future-ready innovations that empower industries to thrive in a rapidly evolving world. We are delighted to welcome LTTS as our Solution Partner and look forward to shaping the future of digital transformation together.”

Kinetic India, part of the Kinetic Engineering Group, has rolled out the first unit of its LFP (lithium iron phosphate) Range-X battery from the production line at its Ahilya Nagar facility.

The Range-X LFP battery is powering the company’s recently launched Kinetic DX EV electric scooter. The company shared that the Range-X LFP batteries are designed to be longer, safer & superior, and are equipped with a smart Battery Management System (BMS) to optimise performance, extend lifecycle and ensure consistent reliability.

Ajinkya Firodia, Vice-Chairman, Kinetic India, said, “These first batteries rolling off our production line represent more than just a milestone for Range-X, they signify the backbone of the Kinetic DX EV and the next wave of clean mobility in India. With AIS 156 certification, Range-X delivers on its promise of combining durability, safety, and sustainability in every battery we produce.”