Mercedes aims to build a “global battery network” for its new electric cars

After already outlining its plans to electrify the entire Mercedes portfolio by 2022, Daimler has now revealed it will manufacture its electric vehicles in six factories on three different continents.

Three of the plants will be located in Germany, while the remaining three factories will be in France, China and USA.

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Production for the company’s new ‘EQ’ brand will begin next year with the EQC, an all-electric SUV, at Mercedes-Benz’s plant in Bremen. Other EQ models from the “compact, upper and luxury class as well as the SUV segment” will be manufactured at factories in Rastatt and Sindelfingen in Germany, and Tuscaloosa in the USA.

Significantly, the company also revealed its plans to manufacture its own batteries in five plants, with the aim of creating a “global battery network”.

“The battery is the key component of e-mobility. As batteries are the heart of our electric vehicles we put a great emphasis on building them in our own factories,” said Markus Schäfer, member of the divisional board of Mercedes-Benz Cars, production and supply chain.

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“With our global battery network we are in an excellent position: As we are close to our vehicle plants we can ensure the optimal supply of production. In case of a short-term high demand in another part of the world our battery factories are also well prepared for export. The electric initiative of Mercedes-Benz Cars is right on track,” he continued.

Although energy website electrek claimed “Daimler appears to be the most serious amongst established automakers” in terms of its focus on manufacturing electric vehicles, it also added the caveat that “all their plants are for battery packs and not battery cells, which they get from suppliers.”