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.

Skoda Auto Volkswagen India (SAVWIPL) has achieved a new production milestone of rolling out 50,000 units of the Skoda Kylaq from its Chakan facility.

The Kylaq, the company stated, has contributed 36 percent to the Group’s YoY growth in 2025. It achieved this volume by expanding its operations and increasing the use of domestic components.

To support the production of the Kylaq, SAVWIPL increased the capacity of the Chakan plant by 30 percent. The vehicle is built on the MQB-A0-IN platform, a chassis architecture designed for the Indian market. The group has focused on localisation and the development of a local supplier network to support its manufacturing output.

The milestone follows 25 years of the group's presence in India, during which it has developed an integrated ecosystem and a local talent pool. By increasing production and localisation, the company aims to support the government’s manufacturing initiatives while deepening its engineering and sourcing capabilities within the country.

H D Kumaraswamy, Union Cabinet Minister of Heavy Industries and Minister of Steel, said, “I congratulate Skoda Auto Volkswagen India on achieving this production milestone and for their continued commitment to the ‘Made in India’ initiative.”

Piyush Arora, MD & CEO, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, said, “The 50,000‑unit milestone for the Kylaq reflects the deep trust and affection our customers have shown for this product. Built on the proven MQB‑A0‑IN platform, the Kylaq’s success is a powerful validation that vehicles designed in India, both for India and the world, continue to earn admiration and confidence from customers domestically and globally.”

Hindalco Industries has announced an INR 210 billion expansion of its aluminium smelter in Sambalpur, Odisha. The project will add 360,000 tonnes per annum of capacity to the Aditya Aluminium complex. Additionally, the company has commissioned a manufacturing facility for flat rolled products (FRP) and battery-grade aluminium foil following an investment of INR 45 billion.

The facilities form part of a growth programme involving INR 370 billion of planned expenditure in Odisha. The battery-grade foil plant is intended to provide raw materials for the production of lithium-ion cells, with a capacity to support 100 GWh of manufacturing. The expansion of the FRP unit aims to reduce India’s reliance on imported flat-rolled aluminium, which currently accounts for 40 percent of domestic consumption.

The smelter expansion incorporates plans to use round-the-clock renewable energy for a portion of its power requirements. This project connects upstream resources with downstream manufacturing, linking bauxite mining and alumina refining to the production of foil and high-grade materials. The company expects the next phase of investment to create 15,000 jobs in the region, adding to its current workforce of 23,000 in the state.

Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman, Aditya Birla Group, said, “India’s manufacturing growth depends on integration, value addition and sustainability. Through Hindalco, we are building a fully integrated aluminium ecosystem that spans from upstream resources to high-value downstream products. Our long-standing partnership with Odisha continues to play an important role in this journey. This strategy strengthens India’s self-reliance, supports critical sectors, and accelerates the nation’s transition towards advanced, sustainable manufacturing.”

Satish Pai, Managing Director, Hindalco Industries, added, “The FRP expansion and smelter growth at Sambalpur exemplify our integrated upstream–downstream growth strategy. This enables Hindalco to deliver high-quality aluminium solutions across packaging, defence, electric mobility, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing, positioning us strongly to support India’s industrial ambitions while creating long-term value.”

Hindalco’s roadmap in Odisha includes the Kansariguda alumina refinery, the Meenakshi coal mine, and units for white fused alumina. The company has invested over INR 250 billion in the state over the last 15 years. These developments are part of a wider INR 550 billion capital expenditure plan across India.

Japanese automaker Nissan and China’s Chery have reached an agreement for the acquisition of Nissan’s manufacturing facilities in Rosslyn, South Africa, which is subject to regulatory approvals and the fulfilment of specific conditions.

As per the understanding, Chery will purchase the land, buildings and associated assets, including the stamping plant, in mid-2026. Chery will offer employment to the majority of Nissan’s current staff at the site on terms and conditions similar to their existing contracts. The move follows a period of impact on the utilisation and viability of the plant within Nissan's global operations.

Despite the sale of the production facility, Nissan will maintain its commercial presence in South Africa. The company plans to continue its sales and service operations and has scheduled several vehicle launches for the 2026 fiscal year, including the Nissan Tekton and Nissan Patrol.

The acquisition allows the Rosslyn site to remain an active part of the South African automotive manufacturing sector. The preservation of the facility also aims to maintain opportunities for the existing local supplier network that services the plant.

Jordi Vila, Nissan Africa President, said, “Nissan has a long and proud history in South Africa and has been working to find the best solution for our people, our customers and our partners. External factors have had a well-known impact on the utilisation of the Rosslyn plant and its future viability within Nissan. Through this agreement we’re able to secure employment for the majority of our workforce thereby also preserving opportunities for our supplier network. This move also ensures that the Rosslyn site will continue contributing to the South African automotive sector.”

Neolite ZKW Lightings held a commemorative ceremony on 23 January 2026 for its new manufacturing plant in Pune, Maharashtra. The facility, which began operations in December 2025, is situated near the Mumbai-Pune-Nashik-Aurangabad automotive cluster. This location allows the company to manage inventory and provide services to customers including Tata Motors, Stellantis, JSW MG Motor India, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles and Piaggio Vehicles.

The facility includes an independent design centre featuring simulation software, optical design tools and 3D modelling capabilities. This centre supports product development, prototyping and validation to meet global regulatory standards. The Pune plant focuses on manufacturing processes such as moulding, surface treatment and assembly for lighting products and components.

Neolite ZKW Lightings produces lighting solutions for passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles and two-wheelers. Its portfolio is powertrain agnostic, supplying components for both internal combustion engine vehicles and electric vehicles. Following the commencement of the Pune facility, the group intends to focus on opening its next plant in Kancheepuram.

Won Yong Hwang, CEO, ZKW Group, said, “India continues to emerge as a strategic market for the global automotive industry. Neolite ZKW’s expansion in Pune represents a positive step toward advancing next-generation automotive lighting solutions, and we look forward to continued collaboration in technology and innovation”.

Rajesh Jain, Chairman and Managing Director, Neolite ZKW Lightings, said, “Our new Pune plant reflects our commitment to invest in capacity, technology and talent to support the next phase of growth for our customers and for Neolite ZKW. With this facility, we are better positioned to respond timely to customer requirements, drive innovation in automotive lighting, and create employment opportunities in the region. After this, our next focus will be to get our Kancheepuram facility up and running and we are working very hard to get that done”.

Rajesh Soni, CEO, Neolite ZKW, added, “The Pune facility is designed to focus on manufacturing of automotive lighting products and components including moulding, surface treatment and assembly. Further, in line with the shift toward electrification and sustainability, we also offer certain electric vehicle focused lighting products. At the same time, our portfolio is powertrain agnostic that serves both EVs and internal combustion engine vehicles”.