China's Geely redraws global engineering map with Geely Tech Europe By merging its Gothenburg and Frankfurt engineering centres into Geely Technology Europe, the Chinese auto giant is making a calculated wager that embedding European expertise from day one will sharpen its vehicles for every market on the planet. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Munich’s electric centrepiece Munich can do cold and it can do pathos. In mid-March 2026, both will have their moment. While prototypes of the new fully electric BMW i3 are still undergoing their final endurance tests in Sweden, the saloon will celebrate its design premiere in Munich. BMW calls this the start of a new era. Andrea Hoffmann-Topp
Opel’s parent plant relies on young workers In assembly at the Opel plant in Rüsselsheim, Stellantis is banking on fresh ideas and innovations from young, up‑and‑coming employees. A visit that reveals the fate of German plants as if under a magnifying glass. Timo Gilgen
“Awareness of the production location has grown stronger” Women at the head of a plant are still a rarity. But that is not what the conversation with Maike Seeber is about. Her task is to assert the role of Opel’s main plant in Rüsselsheim within Stellantis’ gigantic production network. Timo Gilgen
Daimler Truck reshuffles plant leadership across Germany Four leadership transitions across three of Mercedes-Benz Trucks' most strategically significant German plants signal a deliberate recalibration of the manufacturing hierarchy as the electric transition accelerates. Ilkhan Ozsevim
ACC halts gigafactory plans in Germany and Italy The battery joint venture ACC, supported by Stellantis, Mercedes-Benz, and TotalEnergies, is putting the planned cell factories in Kaiserslautern and Termoli on hold. Timo Gilgen
BMW starts pre-series production of the new i3 at the Munich plant With the first pre-series vehicles of the new i3, the final phase before the series launch of the Neue Klasse begins at BMW's Munich headquarters in the second half of 2026. Timo Gilgen
How Opel is recalibrating automation in assembly The automation of vehicle assembly is continues to be a challenge. Opel shares its approach across two plants, demonstrating why partial automation, modules, and AI are currently more realistic than full robotics. Timo Gilgen
A new BMW battery powerhouse rises in Lower Bavaria BMW's Straßkirchen is a record-speed factory that redefines regional strength and industrial ambition Andrea Hoffmann-Topp
