Mercedes EQ ‘fireworks’ start

Mercedes-Benz is targeting leadership in electric drives and vehicle software with electrification of the entire product portfolio a key element of the strategic focus “Ambition 2039”.

“We are now beginning a real Mercedes EQ fireworks display,” Mercedes-Benz AG management board member production and supply chain Jörg Burzer says.

“Six electric product launches by 2022 underscore the strength and competence of our Mercedes-Benz production sites worldwide.

“The production network will have a total of six Mercedes EQ car locations. Local production of highly efficient battery systems plays a central role in the Mercedes-Benz strategy – coupled with a comprehensive sustainability concept that spans the entire life cycle of the battery all the way to recycling.”

In 2022, the portfolio includes eight all-electric Mercedes EQ models.

“With its ‘Electric First’ strategy, Mercedes-Benz is consistently on the path to CO₂ neutrality and is investing heavily in transformation,” Mercedes-Benz Cars chief operating officer Markus Schäfer says.  

“Our vehicle portfolio becomes electric and thus also our global production network with vehicle and battery factories.

“We intend to lead in the field of e-mobility and focus in particular on battery technology,” the Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG management board member says.

“We are taking a comprehensive approach, ranging from research and development to production, and also including strategic cooperation.”

The EQS, the first electric luxury sedan from Mercedes-Benz, will start in the first half of 2021 in Factory 56 at the Sindelfingen site (Germany).

Production of the electric compact SUV EQA has begun at the Rastatt plant (Germany) – also starting at Beijing plant (China) in 2021 – and EQB production will be in the Hungarian plant in Kecskemét, production launching there in in 2021 and also at Beijing.

Plug-in hybrid drive versions are also produced at Rastatt.

The Mercedes-Benz Bremen plant starts production of the electric EQE business sedan in 2021, followed by the Beijing factory.

In the US, the Mercedes-Benz Tuscaloosa plant begins producing SUV variants EQS and EQE in 2022.

High-efficiency battery systems will also be manufactured and assembled within the production network.

Battery systems for the EQS and EQE start production soon in Untertürkheim/Hedelfingen (Germany), with production of compact SUV battery systems in Kamenz (Germany), Jawor (Poland) and Beijing (China) plants also in hand.

The Tuscaloosa battery plant will produce batteries for SUV variants of the EQS and EQE starting in 2022.

The EQA will celebrate its world premiere on January 20, 2021 as the first fully electric derivative of this compact car.