The Mercedes-Benz Untertürkheim plant will become the production site for the electric powertrain (eATS) in the global Mercedes-Benz Cars powertrain production network. The management and the works council have agreed on a package of measures. This includes defined production ranges of the eATS as well as measures to increase the competitiveness and profitability of production.
The Mercedes-Benz Untertürkheim plant sees itself as a flexible partner for the Mercedes-Benz car plants, which produce electric vehicles of the EQ product and technology brand.
The eATS is the drive unit of electric vehicles. The eATS consists essentially of the three subsystems: an electric motor, its power electronics and the transmission part for power-transmission. The power-transmission wheelset and other components such as the electrohydraulic control system will be manufactured in Untertürkheim. The assembly of these components into a complete system will also take place at the Mercedes-Benz Untertürkheim plant.
Ongoing progress with the development of the Untertürkheim site
Transformation at the Mercedes-Benz Untertürkheim site is continuing at a good pace:
- The production of electrified axles for electric vehicles from the compact to the upper and luxury class of the EQ product and technology brand at the Untertürkheim plant was agreed already in 2017. The “eATS Project House” has been in operation at the Mercedes-Benz Untertürkheim plant since 2017, for example. This is where the expertise for the next generation of an electronic powertrain (eATS) was generated. In addition, prototypes for the electric drive system are being built in the “E-Technikum.”
- Since the beginning of 2019, the Untertürkheim plant has also been responsible for the battery ramp-up factory, which forms the bridge between development and series production.
- A battery factory is being built at the Untertürkheim site in Hedelfingen.
- A second battery factory is being built at the Brühl facility near Esslingen. Mercedes-Benz Cars will start carbon neutral production here on floor space of 12,000 square meters early in the next decade.
- Because the utmost precision and expertise is required in battery production, all employees who will be working on battery assembly in the future, will be trained in high-voltage technology. In addition, they will receive training in the ramp-up factory for batteries at the Untertürkheim site.
