Mercedes-Benz Opens New Alabama Battery Plant

Mercedes-Benz (OTC: DDAIF) announced Tuesday that they have opened the doors of its new US battery plant located in Bibb County Alabama. The new plant will create up to 600 new jobs in Alabama, and support Mercedes-Benz’ production facility in Tuscaloosa as the company prepares to go all-electric.

Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, spoke at the opening, saying: “The opening of our new battery plant in Alabama is a major milestone on our way to going all-electric. With our comprehensive approach including a local cell sourcing and recycling strategy, we underline the importance of the US, where Mercedes-Benz has been successful for decades. We’re proud to create new, future-proof jobs to build all-electric SUVs ‘Made in the USA’ at a plant that is such an established part of our production family since 25 years.”

The plant opening comes even as the industry copes with supply-chain cost pressures. "We always protect the investment into future technology and future products," Källenius said while speaking with Reuters. "That is the seed which we will harvest. Not even in COVID year of 2020 did we cut back on R&D for crucial projects." Mercedes is working with suppliers in Ukraine whose operations have been disrupted, he added, but it was "too early to tell what the wider ramifications will be."

Mercedes also said on Tuesday that Japanese battery maker Envision AESC would supply battery modules for U.S.-made Mercedes EVs from a new U.S. plant by the middle of the decade.

By Michael Elkins | [email protected]

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