Mercedes-Benz revealed more details on Dec 14 of its "100% electric" plan. The plan includes production ramp of electric drivetrain and EV battery in Europe, mainly Germany, and China, starting from 2024.
The ramp of e-drive units is expected to supply for one million Mercedes-EQ models from 2024.
Following previous announcement that it plans to double production of e-drive units in Stuttgart, the carmaker announced last week that its battery plants in Germany and China are also starting to produce EV batteries for the new models from 2024.
Production ramp of e-drivetrain in Germany, Romania, and China are expected to begin in 2024 after construction of new assembly lines completes; according to the carmaker, it is investing a "mid-single-digit billion euro" in its European powertrain production locations.
Mercedes-Benz's battery plants in Kamenz and Brühl, Germany and Beijing, China will start producing batteries for new EQ models from 2024.
Back in October, the carmaker has signed a lithium supply deal with Canada-based Rock Tech Lithium for an average of 10,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium hydroxide per year – enough for around 150,000 EVs. The materials will be refined in Germany, further strengthening the localised sourcing strategy of Mercedes-Benz for EV-ramp up
The carmaker said in a statement that it is "is preparing to go fully electric by the end of the decade - wherever market conditions allow." It now totally operates 14 production sites of powertrain units, including those in Germany, Romania, Poland, Czech, the US, China, and Thailand.
Plug-in hybrids and fully electric vehicles are expected to account for around 50% of the carmaker's unit sales by as soon as 2025.
Credit: Mercedes-Benz
