Mercedes-Benz secures manufacturing capacity for compact EVs

Mercedes-Benz is increasingly securing manufacturing capacity at its existing plants to produce its upcoming EQ electric vehicles.

The company announced it reached a deal with the management and works council of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Rastatt to build “compact electric vehicles” at the factory.

“Our Mercedes-Benz car plants in Germany play a decisive role in electric mobility,” Mercedes-Benz cars production and supply chain management divisional board member Markus Schäfer says.

“They are centres of competence for the production of EVs in the global production network of Mercedes-Benz cars. Thanks to highly flexible structures, we are able to integrate electric vehicles in the regular series production in our plants. At the same time, we are increasing our competitiveness with the efficient integration of Industry 4.0 applications. This allows us to benefit from the opportunities of electric mobility, while considerably reducing the required investment.”

Rastatt is Mercedes-Benz’s biggest plant for compact vehicles. It employs 6500 people and manufactures 300,000 vehicles annually. The company plans to shift some of that production capacity to electric vehicles.

They didn’t confirm what electric cars will be produced at the plant beyond saying they will be “compact electric vehicles”.

There have been reports that Mercedes plans to unveil a relatively affordable all-electric hatchback with long range at the Frankfurt motor show in September.
The vehicle would be under the EQ brand and therefore it’s likely to be the one to be produced under this deal at the Rastatt plant.