Key Summary
- BMW Group said it has selected Samsung SDI and LG Energy Solution as additional suppliers of high-voltage battery cells and signed supply contracts with both companies.
- Samsung SDI will supply battery cells from Europe, while LG Energy Solution will supply from its U.S. production facilities, starting in the late 2020s.
- The company said the move is part of a broader strategy to localize and diversify its global supply chain.
- BMW is also applying a “local for local” approach to battery assembly and operates battery-related competence centers in Bavaria, Germany.
Main Story
BMW Group announced that it is strengthening cooperation with Korean battery makers by adding Samsung SDI and LG Energy Solution to its roster of high-voltage battery cell suppliers. The company said on the 10th that it had signed supply agreements with both firms.
Under the contracts, Samsung SDI will provide battery cells from Europe, while LG Energy Solution will supply cells from production facilities in the United States. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in the late 2020s.
BMW said the agreements fit into a wider sourcing strategy centered on localization and supply-chain diversification. The company plans to reinforce its battery procurement system by linking sourcing more closely with regional production bases. It also intends to apply a “local for local” principle, obtaining parts near vehicle manufacturing sites in order to reduce transport distances and improve supply stability.
Nicolai Martin, a member of BMW Group’s Board of Management responsible for purchasing and the supply chain, said supplier diversification is a core part of BMW’s purchasing strategy. He said the company is using the potential of the global sourcing market to improve product competitiveness, deliver results in different markets, and advance localization across the value chain.
BMW said its localization efforts extend beyond cell procurement to battery assembly. The company has built high-voltage battery assembly plants near vehicle production sites in five regions: Irlbach-Straßkirchen in Germany, Debrecen in Hungary, Shenyang in China, Woodruff in the United States, and San Luis Potosí in Mexico. BMW said this is intended to shorten logistics distances among battery suppliers, assembly facilities, and finished-vehicle plants, improving supply-chain efficiency.
The automaker also said it is investing in battery technology capabilities through three competence centers in Bavaria. The Battery Cell Competence Center in Munich develops next-generation high-voltage battery cell technology. The Cell Manufacturing Competence Center in Parsdorf studies mass-production methods as well as quality and resource efficiency. The Recycling Competence Center in Hallbergmoos focuses on direct recycling technology to recover raw materials and feed them back into production.
Hendrik Lang, who oversees high-voltage battery purchasing and quality at BMW Group’s Board of Management, said the company is working with major battery cell manufacturers to secure supply stability and competitiveness while remaining flexible in response to market changes.
The article also said BMW Group surpassed 2 million cumulative battery electric vehicle sales in September. Cumulative sales of electrified models including plug-in hybrids reached about 3.5 million units as of September 2026.
Background
BMW has been expanding its battery sourcing and assembly footprint across several regions as part of a broader effort to localize its supply chain. The supplied text also notes that the company already operates battery competence centers in Bavaria and has built assembly facilities near vehicle plants in multiple countries.
Items Requiring Further Verification
- The article states that Samsung SDI and LG Energy Solution will begin supplying BMW from the late 2020s, but no exact start date is provided.
- The cumulative sales figures for BMW battery electric vehicles and electrified models are reported in the article and should be independently checked against company disclosures.
- The text refers to BMW’s stated strategic goals and expected supply-chain benefits; these are company assertions rather than independently verified outcomes.