German carmaker BMW has broken ground on a new vehicle battery factory in Germany, a spokesman confirmed to dpa on Tuesday.
The plant, located in the Bavarian towns of Irlbach and Straßkirchen, is scheduled to build up to 600,000 high-voltage batteries per year once completed. Plans call for the plant to eventually employ about 1,600 workers.
Construction on the plant began with heavy machinery removing soil and making way for foundation work. Construction approval from the local district government was granted last week.
The construction is controversial, with critics complaining about the loss of valuable farmland. In a referendum last autumn, however, a clear majority of voters in Straßkirchen came out in favour of the plant.
According to BMW, the site was selected from a list of 20 possible locations. It was chosen in part because of its proximity to BMW's other factories in Bavaria, where the batteries are to be installed.
