Alabama is a key component in Mercedes-Benz’s drive to offer electric versions of all of its vehicles by 2023, as demonstrated by an announcement this week from parent company Daimler.
As the automaker continues to build an electric battery plant in Bibb County near its Vance factory, Daimler announced it is spending $23 billion on battery cells.
Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the board of management of Daimler AG and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, said the company’s “electric offensive continues to gain momentum.” The battery cell purchase means the company is “systematically pushing forward with the transformation into the electric future of our company.”
Within five years, Mercedes plans to offer up to 130 electrified variants of its cars, along with electric vans, buses and trucks.”
According to a news release, the company is investing ten billion euros ($11.2 billion) in the expansion of the Mercedes-Benz Cars electric fleet and another billion euros ($1.1 billion) in the global battery production network.
In addition to the battery plant in Alabama, Mercedes is also building plants in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim and Sindelfingen in Germany, Beijing and Bangkok. That will mean eight plants globally upon their completion.
“The local production of batteries is an important success factor in Mercedes-Benz Cars’ electric offensive and is decisive for meeting the global demand for electric vehicles flexibly and efficiently,” the company stated.