Stellantis, TotalEnergies/Saft and Mercedes-Benz have finalized the agreement to welcome Mercedes-Benz as a new, equal partner of Automotive Cells Company (ACC).
The partners have committed to increase ACC’s industrial capacity to at least 120 GWh by 2030. By then, its French (Billy-Berclau/Douvrin) and German (Kaiserslautern) plants will each be able to produce at least 40 GWh per year against the 24 GWh initially planned.
In addition, ACC’s industrial footprint would be enriched by a third production site in Termoli, Italy. A Memorandum of Understanding between ACC and the Italian authorities was signed on March 21 to formalize the willingness of shareholders to invest in Italy, and of Italian authorities to support that investment.
The new Shareholder Agreement is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.
“We are delighted to welcome Mercedes-Benz as a new partner of ACC. This demonstrates the credibility of the initiative taken a year ago by TotalEnergies/Saft and Stellantis and clearly supports our ambition to be an innovative European battery player. This is a fundamental step for ACC. After only 18 months of existence, ACC is on track with both its R&D center in Bordeaux and its pilot site in Nersac already operational. The arrival of Mercedes-Benz brings a vote of confidence in our technological roadmap and in the competitiveness of our products, which significantly strengthens ACC’s commercial potential and supports our ambitious growth plans.” said Yann Vincent, ACC’s CEO.
ACC was established by Stellantis and TotalEnergies/Saft and supported by the French, German, and European authorities, to create an innovative European battery player for electric vehicles. The entry of Mercedes-Benz in ACC is a clear demonstration of the industrial progress and of the merits of the project, which it will strengthen.
ACC’s purpose is to develop and produce battery cells and modules for electric vehicles with a focus on safety, performance, and competitiveness, while ensuring the highest level of quality and the lowest carbon footprint. The updated ACC capacity plan will mobilize an investment of more than seven billion euros.
ACC supports Europe to address the challenges of the energy transition in mobility and will ensure its security of supply of a key component for the electric car industry.
Upon closing, ACC will combine the strengths of a winning trio of partners:
– A deep technological expertise in battery development with Saft, an affiliate of TotalEnergies, which has more than 100 years of experience in the field of long-life batteries and battery systems.
– A leading global mobility player with Stellantis that has a clear mission to lead the way the world moves by delivering innovative, clean, safe, and affordable mobility solutions.
– The research and development expertise of Mercedes-Benz, along with its support to the expansion of ACC’s production facilities based on the brand’s benchmark quality standards.
