SHENYANG, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Expansion work on a BMW electric-vehicle battery factory in northeast China's Shenyang City began Monday.

The first phase of the battery factory went into operation in October. The second phase is planned for 2020. The center will be the first base in the world to produce BMW's fifth generation battery.

The German auto company also said it would build more than 80,000 instant charging poles in over 100 Chinese cities by the end of 2018.

BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd., a joint venture of BMW Group and Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd., was established in Shenyang, Liaoning Province in 2003.