Mercedes-Benz to double production capacity of e-drives

Mercedes-Benz AG, which is preparing to go fully electric by the end of the decade, announced that it will double the production capacity of electric drive units for the Mercedes-EQ vehicles from 2024. 

The German luxury automaker is continuing to realign its global production network towards electric vehicles. The Stuttgart-Untertürkheim plant plays a decisive role in this. In addition to  conventional drive units and components, it is already responsible for the production of batteries and axles for plug-in hybrids and fully electric Mercedes-EQ models. 

With the launch of the Mercedes-Benz eCampus a few months  ago, the plant laid another milestone in its transformation. The production and assembly of electric drive units  from 2024 onwards was part of the plant’s vision for the future in 2019. The company and  employee representatives have agreed on the significant expansion of production capacities for electric drive units as part of a new works agreement. The previously planned capacities will be doubled in the course of  the new agreement. From 2024, the ramp-up will begin at the Untertürkheim location. In the target scenario, one million electric drive units can be produced, for example for vehicles on the Mercedes Modular Architecture (MMA) platform. 

“Untertürkheim will continue to drive Mercedes-Benz in the truest sense of  the word, also in the electric era. With production volumes for our new Mercedes-EQ models, we are making  our traditional location in the Neckar Valley fit for the future and continuing its success story. One million electric drive units: We are reinforcing Stuttgart-Untertürkheim’s importance within our global powertrain  production network and thus also the role of our highly competent colleagues,” said Jörg Burzer, member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, responsible for Production  and Supply Chain Management. 

“The transformation of the Untertürkheim location is  progressing with great strides. With highly efficient drive units and batteries, we are making the  Untertürkheim plant fit for the future. In future, we will be able to supply e-drives for one million Mercedes-EQ vehicles to our vehicle plants. That makes me proud. The ramp-up will begin in 2024. With our highly  flexible and committed teams here at the location, we are continuing to write the success story of the  Untertürkheim plant together,” said Frank Deiß, chairman, Mercedes-Benz Drive Systems, head of Production Powertrain Mercedes-Benz Cars, and plant manager, Mercedes-Benz Untertürkheim.

The electric drive unit for the new models is being developed in-house at Mercedes-Benz. Construction of the  new assembly lines on the site of the Untertürkheim plant, as well as the Bad Cannstatt plant, will begin next  year. In the future, Untertürkheim and the Hedelfingen and Mettingen annexes will manufacture and supply  parts of the electric drive unit. The basis for these sustainable jobs is a comprehensive training and retraining  programme for the employees at the location. 

The business unit “Mercedes-Benz Drive Systems” is responsible for the entire drive portfolio of the Group, and bundles all drive-related activities in the areas of development, procurement, controlling, human  resources and production under one roof. The Mercedes-Benz Untertürkheim plant is the largest location in  the global Mercedes-Benz powertrain production network, and has several plant annexes in the Neckar valley.  With its approximately 16,000 employees, the plant currently produces engines, batteries, axles,  transmissions and components. The location is also home to a large part of the Group’s powertrain research  and development, with around 3000 employees and a test track for vehicle testing. In addition to battery  systems, parts of the electric drive systems are already being developed and tested here today.  Untertürkheim is also the location of Mercedes-Benz Group AG headquarters.