In Immendingen, the mobility of the future is already being worked on. The Testing and Technology Centre is where the technological course is being set for the future fields of Connected, Autonomous, Shared & Services and Electric. This is where combustion engines are optimised and alternative powertrains are refined.
There are more than 30 different test circuits over a total surface area of 520 hectares. This means that a whole variety of different driving conditions can be simulated, such as long-distance journeys, off-road circuits, hilly terrain, braking tracks or urban circuits (see diagram). Numerous test drives can now be moved from the public streets to the Test Centre in Immendingen.
Statistics/data/facts for Immendingen
• More than 200 million euro investment
• Around 300 new positions
• Total surface area of 520 hectares
• 68km of tracks in total (streets and gravel tracks)
Long before building work began in February 2015 on the former military site, there were intensive discussions between residents, local representatives, organisations and politicians. Alongside the conversion of the barracks into an innovation site and the strengthening of the regional economy, the main focus was on the interests of local residents and the engagement of nature conservation associations. As a result of these open and transparent conversations, the Test and Technology Centre is now considered to be a leading example of good practice for large building projects in Germany.
Statistics/data/facts for environmental and nature conservation
• Soil (3.4 million cubic meters) remains on the site.
• For the most part, timber was removed by rail.
• Around 5,000 man-hours for mapping for the protection of animals, plants and biological diversity.
• Ecological supervision of the building work and an extensive monitoring plan (10 to 25 years)
• Compensatory measures clearly exceed the extent of the encroachment.
• Building a wildlife bridge (37 meters wide) and establishing a wildlife tunnel (around 33 hectares).
In total, Mercedes-Benz has invested more than 200 million euros in the test site that is situated around 130 kilometers south of Stuttgart. Initially, there will be around 300 new positions, predominantly from the areas of Research & Development, Transportation and Logistics, and Workshops and Infrastructure. We already have 170 colleagues working in Immendingen.
¹ The figures for hydrogen consumption, power consumption and CO₂ emissions were established using the prescribed measuring method acc. to Directive (EC) No. 692/2008.
