The stress is on for Mercedes-Benz to finish the $1 billion enlargement of its Vance, Ala., meeting plant now that the automaker has introduced specifics of the electrical car manufacturing that can start there in 2022.
Mercedes-Benz will produce battery-powered variations of its well-liked GLS and GLE utility autos on the web site, presently the worldwide manufacturing heart for the 2 internal-combustion fashions.
U.S. manufacturing of the electrical EQS SUV is anticipated to start in June 2022, whereas meeting of the EQE crossover will begin in October of that yr, based on AutoForecast Options. Mercedes might construct about 40,000 of every electrical mannequin in its first full yr of U.S. manufacturing.
Electrical car manufacturing shall be built-in into the Alabama manufacturing unit’s current physique store, paint store and meeting strains. Development is also underway on an off-site battery meeting plant on 270 acres close by.
As a result of they’re utility autos, the brand new EQS and EQE are essential to the U.S. market, the place gentle vans account for 75 % of whole car gross sales.
AutoPacific analyst Ed Kim stated fewer American customers need luxurious sedans, so Mercedes should supply its EVs within the physique types that folks need most.
“Right this moment, meaning luxurious SUVs. Providing electrical luxurious SUVs will converse to American customers,” Kim stated. However he added, “electrical luxurious sedans shall be essential to Mercedes- Benz’s success with its EQ lineup in China.”
The GLS, Mercedes’ largest utility mannequin within the U.S. market, is also a revenue generator for the model. The GLE was the second-bestselling Mercedes mannequin within the first 9 months of the yr.
Whereas Tesla dominates the electrical car market in the present day, Mercedes must deal with a wave of competitors from conventional rivals, comparable to BMW, Audi and Porsche.
The brand new electrical Mercedes fashions serve twin objectives, stated Sam Fiorani, vice chairman at AutoForecast Options.
“Mercedes hopes the EQE and EQS utilities will take a major chew out of the electrical car and luxurious car markets concurrently,” Fiorani stated. “The fashions supply luxurious patrons the selection of dimension and value whereas giving Mercedes an opportunity to revenue on EVs the place others have misplaced cash.”
Getting the EQ subbrand to market is the cornerstone of Mercedes’ marketing campaign to embrace electrification to fulfill stringent emissions targets, primarily in Europe and China. Plug-in hybrids and full-electric autos ought to account for greater than half of Mercedes’ gross sales by 2030.
The primary EQ mannequin scheduled for the U.S. market is the battery-powered model of Mercedes’ massive sedan, the S-Class. The electrical model of the sedan, to be in-built Sindelfingen, Germany, will arrive in U.S. dealerships subsequent summer time.
Mercedes deliberate to launch the EQ subbrand within the U.S. with the EQC compact crossover this yr, however that has been delayed. Mercedes declined to say when the EQC is scheduled to reach stateside.
Final week, Mercedes additionally supplied manufacturing timelines for different EQ fashions:
- The EQA crossover shall be in-built Beijing subsequent yr. Manufacturing of the SUV is underway in Rastatt, Germany.
- The EQB crossover will begin manufacturing in Kecskemet, Hungary, and Beijing subsequent yr.
- The EQE sedan shall be produced in Bremen, Germany, in 2021 and in Beijing quickly thereafter.
Mercedes is also bringing electrification to its commercial-vehicle lineup. This month, the automaker confirmed it should carry the following technology of its eSprinter van to the U.S. It is going to be constructed on a brand new EV platform and be supplied in two wheelbase sizes and with three battery choices.