The car manufacturer BMW officially starts production of the Mini Countryman at its Leipzig plant on Friday. According to the Group, it will be the first model of the British cult brand to be manufactured entirely in Germany. The car will be available both with classic combustion engines and, from March next year, as a fully electric version.
The Leipzig site has been expanded for the Mini. Plant manager Petra Peterhänsel said in an interview that capacity had been increased from 250,000 vehicles to 350,000. Around 100,000 units of the previous Countryman model were sold each year.
In addition, BMW says it is investing heavily in e-component production in Leipzig - 800 million euros by 2024. The batteries for the e-Mini Countryman are also to be manufactured at the Saxon site. Apart from the Mini, the BMW 1 Series and the Gran Coupé and Active Tourer of the 2 Series model are also built in Leipzig.
While the signs at BWM point to expansion, there are concerns elsewhere. VW announced on Thursday that part of the production at its e-car factory in Zwickau would be shut down for around three weeks. The reason is a lack of motors. The production of e-cars had only been reduced for two weeks in October, which was justified by weakening demand.
The automotive industry is an important pillar of Saxony's economy, with large plants operated by Volkswagen, BMW and Porsche as well as many suppliers. Around 98,000 people work in car-related companies in the state.
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