Mercedes-Benz making electrical SUVs in US with native battery provide
[Updated August 31] Lithium batteries for EV manufacturing on the plant are being provided from the Mercedes-Benz Battery Plant in close by Woodstock, which the corporate opened with battery specialist Envision AESC in March this 12 months. The carmaker mentioned it had invested $1 billion within the battery facility, logistics centres and the manufacturing line to make the EVs.
The battery facility is a brief distance from the meeting plant alongside Freeway US-11, enabling environment friendly deliveries by truck. A spokesperson for MBUSI mentioned that the corporate had its eye on carbon impartial logistics as a part of Mercedes-Benz’s Ambition 2039 environmental initiative, which goals to make sure all of its automobiles and lightweight industrial automobiles are carbon impartial, together with of their manufacturing, and thru inbound and outbound logistics.
”The intention is to launch a CO2-neutral fleet from 2039 alongside all the worth chain and all the lifecycle, together with CO2-neutral logistics,” mentioned the spokesperson.
According to its MO360 digitalised car manufacturing course of, Mercedes-Benz US Worldwide (MBUSI) is assembling the batteries utilizing a digital system to mix a most of 12 cell modules into what is named the EE compartment. The modules are assembled into an entire system alongside a 300-metre manufacturing line with greater than 70 workstations earlier than being delivered just-in-time to the car meeting line.
The 600 employees employed on the battery facility should full a newly developed and complete high-voltage security coaching course, in response to the corporate. The spokesperson for Mercedes-Benz mentioned the corporate was spending effort and time on coaching programs, and making certain the coaching was repeated recurrently.
The corporate mentioned that the pliability of the networked MO360 manufacturing system has markedly improved productiveness. Based on Mercedes-Benz, high quality enhancements could be monitored and carried out throughout all of its passenger automobile crops. MO360 additionally gives every worker with customised data and work directions in real-time.
Sustainable provide
The carmaker mentioned its battery manufacturing on the plant was carbon impartial and that there have been a variety of sustainability initiatives supporting that. They embody photo voltaic power to warmth captured rainwater, and LED lighting and air flow within the battery meeting space. The forklift vans used within the facility are additionally powered by hydrogen as an alternative of diesel gasoline.
The Bibb County web site’s total electrical energy wants will probably be met by renewable power sources from 2024 onwards, as soon as deliberate photo voltaic power initiatives are authorised.
Moreover, working with Envision, the carmaker has managed to cut back the cobalt content material of the lithium-ion batteries to round 10%.
The localised provide of batteries in Alabama connects the US plant with Mercedes-Benz’s world battery manufacturing community, which incorporates services in Kamenz and Stuttgart (Germany), Jawor (Poland), Beijing (China) and Bangkok (Thailand).
The manufacturing of EVs at Tuscaloosa is a part of the carmaker’s world intention of constructing eight all-electric automobiles at seven websites on three continents this 12 months.
In addition to making the EQS and EQE, the Tuscaloosa plant continues to make the GLE, GLE Coupé, GLS and Mercedes-Maybach GLS.
