2023.

"Becoming…One of Us" is the name of a new international campaign aimed at maintaining Mercedes-Benz's position as an employer of choice in the job market. The message behind this campaign expresses our conviction that the success of the company depends to a large extent on employees realising their full potential in their work – with their technical expertise, pioneering spirit and uniqueness.

Mercedes-Benz Vans is systematically electrifying all model series. The new eSprinter offers outstanding efficiency, range and load capacity and is a true cosmopolitan. Produced in Europe and North America, it will embody the leadership aspiration "Lead in Electric Drive" in around 60 markets in the future. It was launched on the US and Canadian markets in the second half of the year, while the first variants were launched in Europe at the end of the year.

In 2022, Mercedes-Benz Group AG strengthened its focus on high-end cars and premium vans. CEO Ola Källenius and CFO Harald Wilhelm presented the results for the year and the annual report. In combination with strict cost discipline, sales increased by 12% to €150.0 billion (2021: €133.9 billion) and Group EBIT by 28% to €20.5 billion (2021: €16.0 billion).

Mercedes-Benz laid the foundation stone for a new battery recycling plant at its site in Kuppenheim. The pilot plant is designed to handle an annual capacity of 2,500 tonnes. The recovered materials will be used in the production of more than 50,000 battery modules for new all-electric Mercedes-Benz models.

At its ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) Conference 2023 for investors and analysts, Mercedes-Benz affirmed its support measures aimed at reducing its carbon footprint and creating lasting value for all stakeholders.

With its new E-Class , Mercedes-Benz unveiled the latest evolution of its brand icon. The completely revamped E-Class remains true to its tradition as a pioneer in innovation and aesthetics and is a trailblazer for the Mercedes-Benz brand on the road towards the ultimate digital luxury experience. Nine models – including four plug-in hybrids – were available at the market launch in the autumn.

At the Annual Meeting of Mercedes-Benz Group AG for the 2022 financial year, the company outlined its strategic progress and announced not only a strong financial performance but also high shareholder returns.

Mercedes-Benz Vans unveiled its focused strategy designed to achieve profitable growth in both the private and commercial van segments. Among the most important goals are to further strengthen the brand's position in the upper market segments, enhance cost competitiveness and assume a leading position in the industry when it comes to electric drive technology and digital experience.

Following Nevada (in January), Mercedes‑Benz obtained certification for SAE Level 3 driving (conditional automation) in the US state of California too. This milestone makes Mercedes-Benz the world's first and currently only car maker with authorisation to introduce an SAE Level 3 system in the USA's most populous state.

The new CLE Coupé  sees Mercedes-Benz continue its long tradition of sporty, elegant dream cars. The new model uses the conceptual and technical innovations of the C‑Class and E‑Class. But with its expressive design, exclusive comfort features and confident, sporty performance, this new two-door model goes its own way. The CLE Coupé was launched on the European market in November. And for all those who love to feel the wind in their hair and the sun on their faces, the CLE Cabriolet will be out next year.

With digitalisation and the increasing use of powerful artificial intelligence (AI) systems, all the job profiles we offer here at Mercedes-Benz are undergoing major change. As part of the Turn2Learn training initiative, Mercedes-Benz will be investing more than two billion euros worldwide in employee training between now and 2030. The company will also be expanding its use of intelligent tools in production. ChatGPT, for example, will assist quality management employees in the analysis of production data. In November, Mercedes-Benz rolled out an internal web application – Direct Chat – for its employees that uses ChatGPT technology and helps them with the writing of e-mails, reports, documentation and other work documents.

To accelerate the transition towards the all-electric future in North America, seven of the world's leading car makers – the BMW Group, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz Group and Stellantis N.V. – have united in a special joint venture. Together they have made it their mission to make EV charging more convenient, accessible and reliable. From 2024 on, Mercedes-Benz customers will also enjoy access to more than 12,000 Tesla superchargers in North America through Mercedes-Benz's own charging service Mercedes me Charge.

Mercedes-Benz is taking further steps to achieve a sustainable supply chain and significantly reduce CO₂ emissions. The company already purchases CO₂-reduced aluminium from Hydro. And back in June, Mercedes-Benz also signed a supply contract with the Swedish startup H2 Green Steel (H2GS) for around 50,000 tonnes of almost completely CO₂-free steel per year. Another contract was then concluded in September, this time with Steel Dynamics, Inc. (SDI), to source more than 50,000 tonnes of CO₂-reduced steel annually for its plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. And Mercedes-Benz is striving to ensure that by the end of this decade, it will be purchasing more than 200,000 tonnes of CO₂-reduced steel per year for its press shops from European suppliers.

At its production facilities in Rastatt (Germany), Kecskemét (Hungary) and Beijing (China), Mercedes-Benz is using digital twin technology in the production planning, retooling and ramp-up phases for its new MMA platform. By eliminating defects and saving time, this "digital first" approach enhances efficiency and significantly improves the flexibility, resilience and intelligence of the Mercedes-Benz MO360 production system.

With the world’s first public crash test involving two fully electric vehicles (an EQA and EQS SUV), Mercedes-Benz went above and beyond not only the legal requirements but also those of the ratings industry.

Mercedes-Benz is turning its ambitious plans to expand the global charging infrastructure into a reality. The first Mercedes-Benz charging hub, located at the company's USA headquarters in Sandy Springs, Georgia, went online in October. This was followed in November by the first high-power charging hub in China, in Chengdu. The one at Sandy Springs near Atlanta was the first to be inaugurated in the USA, while the charging hub in Mannheim became the first in Germany. Mercedes-Benz is planning to open more than 2,000 charging hubs worldwide offering a total of more than 10,000 high-power charging points by the end of the decade.

Following the S-Class, EQS and EQE Saloons, the INTELLIGENT PARK PILOT (SAE Level 4) automated parking function is now also available for the new E-Class Saloon and Estate as well as for the EQE SUV and EQS SUV. Simply drive into the multi-storey car park, get out of your vehicle and use your smartphone to send it to a pre-booked parking space: The Automated Valet Service means that you no longer have to spend time looking for or manoeuvring in and out of parking spaces.

Mercedes-Benz has further expanded its leading position as the world's most valuable luxury car brand in the current "Best Global Brands 2023" ranking, rising to seventh place among the most valuable brands in the world.