Photo: Mercedes-Benz
A total of one billion dollars are to be invested by German carmaker Mercedes-Benz into the erection of its first electric vehicle battery plant on American soil.
The announcement was made by the Germans over the weekend, during the groundbreaking ceremony for the new plant and the start of prodcution for the new GLE.
The facility will be located near the existing one in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and when ready it will manufacture batteries for the range of electric Mercs, including the soon-to-be-launched EQC.
“One year ago, we have announced $1 billion investment in Tuscaloosa mostly for the production of electric SUVs and a battery plant,” said in a statement Markus Schäfer, the man in charge with production at Mercedes.
“We are bringing electric mobility for Mercedes-Benz to the United States. Around the globe, we are preparing six sites for the production of EQ models and our battery network will consist of eight factories."
When ready, the plant in the U.S. will be joining the existing ones operated by Mercedes-Benz around the globe.
The electrification efforts of the carmaker will be supported by the production of batteries and other electric components in Germany, China, and Thailand.
The EQC, shown for the first time in public last week at the 2018 Paris Motor Show, is only the beginning of electric Mercedes cars. By 2022, the carmaker plans to have at least one electrified version for each of its models, amounting to a total of 130 models.
The EQC is likely to be produced in the U.S. as well, alongside the new GLE whose production kicked off last week. Other EQ models will be assembled at six different locations across the globe.
Aside for these two models, the Tuscaloosa plant also manufactures the GLS and GLE Coupe SUVs and the C-Class sedan for North America. Some 300,000 vehicles were produced there last year.
The facility will be located near the existing one in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and when ready it will manufacture batteries for the range of electric Mercs, including the soon-to-be-launched EQC.
“One year ago, we have announced $1 billion investment in Tuscaloosa mostly for the production of electric SUVs and a battery plant,” said in a statement Markus Schäfer, the man in charge with production at Mercedes.
“We are bringing electric mobility for Mercedes-Benz to the United States. Around the globe, we are preparing six sites for the production of EQ models and our battery network will consist of eight factories."
When ready, the plant in the U.S. will be joining the existing ones operated by Mercedes-Benz around the globe.
The electrification efforts of the carmaker will be supported by the production of batteries and other electric components in Germany, China, and Thailand.
The EQC, shown for the first time in public last week at the 2018 Paris Motor Show, is only the beginning of electric Mercedes cars. By 2022, the carmaker plans to have at least one electrified version for each of its models, amounting to a total of 130 models.
The EQC is likely to be produced in the U.S. as well, alongside the new GLE whose production kicked off last week. Other EQ models will be assembled at six different locations across the globe.
Aside for these two models, the Tuscaloosa plant also manufactures the GLS and GLE Coupe SUVs and the C-Class sedan for North America. Some 300,000 vehicles were produced there last year.
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