Carmaker BMW will soon open five new electric vehicle battery assembly plants spanning three continents.

The factories will be built in the U.S. in South Carolina, Germany's Lower Bavaria region, Shenyang, China, Debrecen, Hungary, and San Luis Potosi, Mexico. The facilities will open alongside new auto plants manufacturing BMW's Neue Klasse series of EVs, which will first roll off the assembly line 24 months after the start of production at each factory. 

According to a release from the company, Neue Klasse models will include cylindrical battery cells that offer better range and faster charger times. The hope with having the new battery plants neighbor their accompanying auto plants is to limit the impact of any "unexpected political or economic events," and to reduce BMW's carbon footprint over the course of production. 

"Close connection of battery production with vehicle production is part of our strategy," said BMW senior vice president Markus Fallböhmer. "This helps the BMW Group increase the resilience of its production."

The first battery plant is expected to open in Germany by the end of 2025, followed by Hungary in 2025, China and South Carolina in 2026, and finally in Mexico in 2027. Neue Klasse EV models will include a midsize SUV and a sedan.