Mercedes-Benz EV ramp-up.

The world’s most valuable luxury automotive brand is getting ready to go all electric by ramping up production of electric cars on three continents. The new U.S. battery factory underscores the importance of the United States within the Mercedes-Benz global production network and the status of Alabama as an export hub for luxury SUVs also in the electric era. Mercedes-Benz will produce the EQS SUV and EQE SUV in its plant in Alabama, as part of a global push to produce all-electric vehicles at seven locations on three continents. The state-of-the-art battery factory in Bibb County will provide batteries for the new EQS SUV and the EQE SUV.

The Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, has been the production plant for large SUVs bearing the three-pointed star since 1997. Now the plant goes electric with the EQS SUV.

Since the 1990s, Mercedes-Benz has invested a total of more than seven billion dollars in Alabama. Of this amount 1 billion dollars was invested into the battery plant, the logistics centres and to upgrade the production line to make EV’s. Today, Mercedes-Benz U.S. International (MBUSI) employs around 4,500 people and also secures an estimated additional 11,000 jobs with suppliers and service providers in the region. Around four million vehicles have left the Tuscaloosa plant since 1997, with around 260,000 SUVs rolling off the production line in 2021 alone. Roughly two-thirds of annual production is exported, making MBUSI one of the largest exporters of automobiles from the US.

The highly flexible Mercedes-Benz production system allows different models and drivetrains to be assembled on a single production line enabling the plant to adapt to shifts in customer demand. In addition to the GLE, GLE Coupé, GLS and Mercedes-Maybach GLS two electric models will be added to the production line, equipped with batteries from the nearby Bibb County plant.

Production of the high-performance lithium-ion batteries for the EQS SUV and EQE SUV is CO₂-neutral. High-performance lithium-ion batteries are assembled into a complete system on a production line around 300 meters long with more than 70 work stations. Using a fully digitalized production process, a variety of components are combined, including up to twelve cell modules and the so-called EE compartment, for the intelligent integration of the power electronics. Up to 600 new jobs will be created in Bibb County.

The battery system, which will be fitted to the 7-seater EQS SUV, employs a modular design already seen in the EQS and EQE and uses highly advanced cell chemistry containing nickel, cobalt and manganese in a ratio of 8:1:1. The reduction of cobalt content to around ten percent, in addition to the CO₂-neutral production of the batteries, enhances sustainability.

With the new plant, Bibb County becomes part of the Mercedes-Benz global battery production network which stretches factories on three continents including in Kamenz, Germany, Beijing China, Bangkok Thailand, Jawor Poland and Stuttgart, Germany. The individual factories supply local vehicle production and, if necessary, are ready for export. Mercedes-Benz is investing more than one billion Euros in the development of the global battery production network.

Mercedes-Benz will be ready to go fully electric by the end of the decade – wherever market conditions allow. To reach its target the company, together with partners, plans to build eight cell factories worldwide with a production capacity of 200 Gigawatt hours by the end of the decade. Mercedes-Benz will expand its partnerships with the world’s leading battery technology companies.

In order to localize important suppliers, Mercedes-Benz is partnering with one of the world's leading battery technology companies Envision AESC. Envision AESC will supply the Mercedes-Benz battery factory in Bibb County with high-performance battery modules from a new plant within the U.S., supplies will commence from mid of the decade.