Photo: Mercedes-Benz
For years, the manufacturing plant operated by German carmaker Mercedes-Benz in France has been practicing to assemble electric vehicles. The facility in Hambach is the place from where all smart cars, electric or otherwise, come from.
In the not-so-distant future, the location will be producing another of the carmaker’s brand, the EQ. This is the brand set up by Mercedes to encompass all the electric models it is getting ready to unleash upon the world.
On Friday, the carmaker announced it would be investing 500 million euros to get the facility ready for a new assembly line.
This new one will be in charge with the creation of a compact electric car wearing the EQ badge. Also included in the plan are a new body shop and surface treatment, as well as a reshaping of the existing infrastructure.
“The Hambach site in France features many years of experience in building fully electric cars. We want to take advantage of the enormous expertise and prepare the plant for the production of an electric Mercedes-Benz,” said Annette Winkler, smart’s head executive.
“It is now paying off for our employees that they already contributed to a significant improvement in the competitiveness of the Hambach site two years ago with the 'Pacte 2020'.”
Mercedes is one of the companies to have announced an electric vehicle offensive in the years to come. By 2022, ten electric cars are expected to be launched, ranging in size from the tiny smart – which will drop the use of internal combustion engines starting 2020 – to large SUVs.
In total, including plug-in hybrids and the introduction of 48-volt systems, the carmaker will have around 130 electrified vehicles in its portfolio.
With these new models, Mercedes plans to significantly increase its revenue in the following decade. Estimates are that electric models alone would account for between 15 and 25 percent of total Mercedes-Benz sales by 2025.
On Friday, the carmaker announced it would be investing 500 million euros to get the facility ready for a new assembly line.
This new one will be in charge with the creation of a compact electric car wearing the EQ badge. Also included in the plan are a new body shop and surface treatment, as well as a reshaping of the existing infrastructure.
“The Hambach site in France features many years of experience in building fully electric cars. We want to take advantage of the enormous expertise and prepare the plant for the production of an electric Mercedes-Benz,” said Annette Winkler, smart’s head executive.
“It is now paying off for our employees that they already contributed to a significant improvement in the competitiveness of the Hambach site two years ago with the 'Pacte 2020'.”
Mercedes is one of the companies to have announced an electric vehicle offensive in the years to come. By 2022, ten electric cars are expected to be launched, ranging in size from the tiny smart – which will drop the use of internal combustion engines starting 2020 – to large SUVs.
In total, including plug-in hybrids and the introduction of 48-volt systems, the carmaker will have around 130 electrified vehicles in its portfolio.
With these new models, Mercedes plans to significantly increase its revenue in the following decade. Estimates are that electric models alone would account for between 15 and 25 percent of total Mercedes-Benz sales by 2025.
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