Audi Hungaria Launches MEBeco Series Production: Inside the €350M EV Powerhouse in Győr
What Major Milestone Has Audi Hungaria Achieved in Electric Vehicle Drive Manufacturing?
On 18 June 2026, Audi Hungaria officially began series production of the new MEBeco electric drive at its facility in Győr, Hungary — marking a significant milestone for the company and a pivotal step in the electromobility strategy of the Audi and Volkswagen Group production networks.
This launch represents the third generation of electric motors to be produced in Győr, and introduces an unprecedented level of in-house manufacturing capability to the facility. The MEBeco forms the technological and industrial foundation for a new generation of compact electric vehicles within the Volkswagen Group, with production scale planned to grow from a single shift to as many as three shifts. The project involved a total investment of 350 million euros and was four years in the making, having been launched as a project in 2022 with construction of manufacturing infrastructure beginning in 2024.
What Exactly Is the MEBeco Electric Drive, and Which Vehicle Will It Power First?
The MEBeco is the electric motor at the heart of the MEB+ Modular Electric Drive System — the Volkswagen Group’s platform architecture underpinning a new generation of high-volume compact electric vehicles. It is not a single vehicle component in isolation but a fully integrated drive solution encompassing the motor, power electronics, and embedded software, all produced and tested within Audi Hungaria’s Győr plant.
The MEBeco will power multiple high-volume electric models from across the Volkswagen Group in the future. The first model to be equipped with an MEBeco drive is the CUPRA Raval — making Audi Hungaria a foundational powertrain supplier for one of the Volkswagen Group’s most anticipated compact EV launches. The MEBeco’s role within the MEB+ platform underscores Győr’s positioning as a central and strategically critical node in the Group’s European electric mobility ecosystem.
How Does MEBeco Production Expand Audi Hungaria’s In-House Manufacturing Capabilities?
The MEBeco project represents a decisive expansion of Audi Hungaria’s manufacturing depth, enabling the company to produce not only complete drive units — as it has done previously — but also critical individual components entirely in-house, for the first time in Győr.
Audi Hungaria brings more than eight years of experience in the production of electric drives to this programme. The MEBeco project builds directly on that expertise while pushing the boundary of what is manufactured domestically, reducing dependence on external component suppliers and significantly strengthening the company’s industrial competence and its standing within the Volkswagen Group’s international manufacturing network.
What Specific Electric Motor Components Are Being Manufactured in Győr for the First Time?
For the first time at the Győr facility, Audi Hungaria is manufacturing the following key components in-house as part of the MEBeco programme:
- Plate pack — a core structural element of the electric motor’s electromagnetic assembly
- Rotor — the rotating component of the motor that converts electrical energy into mechanical drive force
- Power electronics — the control and conversion hardware that manages energy flow within the drive system
- Software — the embedded digital control layer integrated directly into the drive unit
- Integrated testing — end-to-end quality validation conducted on-site as part of the production process
This vertical integration of component manufacturing, software, and testing under a single roof in Győr marks a qualitative leap in the facility’s role within the Volkswagen Group supply chain — transforming it from an assembler of drives into a full-capability powertrain manufacturer.
What Advanced Technologies and Machinery Are Used in the New Manufacturing Process?
The MEBeco production line is built on state-of-the-art large-scale equipment, fully automated high-precision processes, and advanced quality assurance systems that are consistently oriented around quality, efficiency, and scalability.
The most significant piece of new equipment is a 110-ton press, the sheer scale of which required delivery by more than eleven trucks. This press anchors a new press shop within the Győr plant that will process approximately 100 tons of raw materials per day. Automated processes throughout the line ensure both maximum throughput and the highest standards of dimensional and functional precision, making the MEBeco manufacturing implementation as much a statement of industrial capability as it is a product launch.
What Are the Key Financial and Operational Figures of the MEBeco Project?
The MEBeco project is one of the most significant individual investments in Audi Hungaria’s history, supported by both private capital and Hungarian state funding. The figures below are drawn directly from official project documentation:
| Parameter | Figure |
| Project Launch | 2022 |
| Total Investment | 350 million euros (HUF 130 billion) |
| State Grant Received | 22.5 million euros (HUF 8 billion) |
| Jobs Preserved | 260 |
| First Targeted EV Model | CUPRA Raval |
| Production Shift Goal | Expansion from single shift to up to three shifts |
These figures reflect both the long-term confidence Audi Hungaria and the Volkswagen Group have placed in the Győr facility, and the Hungarian state’s recognition of the project’s national economic significance. The preservation of 260 jobs, combined with the projected ramp to three-shift production, underscores the substantial employment and industrial impact of the programme beyond its immediate technical dimensions.
What Role Did Specialised Employee Training Play in the Launch of MEBeco Series Production?
Comprehensive and targeted training was identified as an essential prerequisite for the successful launch of MEBeco series production, given the significant expansion in manufacturing depth and the introduction of entirely new technologies to the Győr plant.
A structured training programme was developed and delivered by Audi Hungaria’s in-house training centre, the Audi Academy, working in close collaboration with technology partners and universities. The curriculum covered the full breadth of technologies required for MEBeco production, including:
- Stator and rotor manufacturing — the mechanical core of the electric motor
- Pressing technologies — essential for operating the new 110-ton press and associated processes
- High-voltage competencies — safety-critical knowledge required for working with electric drive systems
- Power electronics — covering the control and energy-management hardware integrated into the MEBeco
- Modern automation technologies — enabling operators to work effectively alongside the plant’s automated systems
- Testing technologies — ensuring all personnel can conduct and validate integrated quality checks
This investment in human capital was designed to ensure that the team in Győr could safely, efficiently, and confidently operate the new technologies at scale from the moment series production commenced.
What Do the Corporate Leaders Say About the Strategic Impact of This Electric Drive Production?
Three senior executives from Audi AG and Audi Hungaria have issued statements that collectively frame the MEBeco launch as both an industrial milestone and a strategic signal about the future direction of European electric vehicle manufacturing.
“I am convinced that the future is electric. The launch of series production of the new electric drive is an important step on the Volkswagen Group’s journey towards electromobility. In Győr, I experience the strength of ‘Made in Europe’: flexible production, the courage to innovate, and a team with an exceptionally high level of professional expertise, working with passion and precision on the mobility of the future.”
— Gerd Walker, Member of the Board of Management of AUDI AG responsible for Production and Logistics, and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Audi Hungaria
“With the launch of series production of the MEBeco, Audi Hungaria has reached a new milestone in the transformation of its engine plant and is now producing the third generation of electric motors in Győr. This further strengthens our high level of manufacturing expertise and our central role as a powertrain supplier for several brands within the Volkswagen Group.”
— Michael Breme, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi Hungaria
“The smooth launch of series production of the MEBeco is the result of our high level of professional expertise and our team’s dedicated work. Thanks to comprehensive and targeted training initiatives, we are now able to safely and efficiently manufacture products using the new, innovative technologies and a large manufacturing depth. This enables us to provide our customers with an MEBeco electric drive that delivers outstanding technological performance and the highest standards of quality: Performance meets efficiency.”
— Peter Will, Member of the Board of Management of Audi Hungaria, responsible for Powertrain Production
What Is the Broader Strategic Context of Audi Hungaria’s Role in the Volkswagen Group?
Audi Hungaria occupies a uniquely central position in the Volkswagen Group’s European manufacturing and development architecture, built on more than three decades of deepening integration with the Group’s operations.
The company has been a key member of the Audi and Volkswagen Groups for more than three decades, during which period more than 13 billion euros have been invested in Győr. Today, Győr is not simply a manufacturing site — it functions as a hub for drive and vehicle manufacturing, technical development, expertise-based services, training, and industrial innovation. Audi Hungaria works in close collaboration with major Group sites including Ingolstadt, Neckarsulm, and Wolfsburg, positioning it as a genuine peer in the Group’s core production network rather than a peripheral supplier.
The MEBeco programme deepens this role further, making Győr an indispensable source of next-generation powertrain technology for multiple Volkswagen Group brands simultaneously.
Note: All facts, figures, quotes, and project data in this article are sourced exclusively from the official Audi Hungaria press release dated 18 June 2026.
