8 new Mercedes-EQ electric models by 2022 from 7 factories
Mercedes-Benz’s new EQ electric car family will be truly global.
In releasing more details of the important new EQ models – including the EQA, EQB, EQE and EQS – Mercedes-Benz confirmed the electric cars have a manufacturing footprint that sprawls across the world.
Mercedes-Benz has committed to manufacturing the SUV versions of the EQE and EQS in Tuscaloosa in the United States.
Other factories in Spain, Hungary and China will manufacture various upcoming EQ models that the brand says will make a family of eight by 2022.
The EQA compact SUV and EQE large sedan will come from two different German factories, while the EQS electric limousine will also be produced in Germany at “Factory 56”, the pinnacle of Mercedes-Benz production facilities in 2020; Factory 56 is completely paperless, highly robotised and is networked using a 5G phone network to control machines and devices and perform tracking.
Underlining the importance of the Chinese market – Chinese drivers buy more EVs than any other country – the EQA, EQB and EQE will also be manufactured at a plant in Beijing.
In all there will be seven plants across three continents producing the eight Mercedes-Benz electric cars that will set the foundation for an EV onslaught.
Mercedes-Benz is planning for more than half of its sales to be electric cars by 2020.
Battery manufacturing for Mercedes-EQ models will take place in Germany, China, United States, Poland and Thailand
Key to the Mercedes-Benz production plans is flexible designs and adaptable plants that can ramp up electric car production alongside traditional petrol- and diesel-powered models depending on demand.
“The Mercedes-EQ electric models are gradually being integrated into our existing vehicle plants worldwide,” said Joerg Burzer, member of the board of management of Mercedes-Benz for production and supply chain.
“They come off the same lines as vehicles with combustion engines or plug-in hybrid drives. This concept is particularly advantageous because demand for electric and electrified vehicles is developing very differently by region and we can adjust our production planning accordingly on short notice.”
In drip feeding new details on the upcoming new EQ models Mercedes-Benz is gently reminding customers and investors that it still plans to play a significant role in the booming electric vehicle market.
Various delays – some Covid-related – have pushed the planned releases of some EQ models back.
At a time when market darling Tesla – its market capitalisation now approaching US$600 billion (almost $800 billion) – continues to dominate EV sales in Australia and in most markets around the world the job of playing catch up is proving tougher for traditional brands such as Mercedes-Benz.
