Mercedes-Benz is taking the next step in its electric offensive: The Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen plant will produce electric vehicles of the new product brand EQ, according to an agreement the company and works council have signed after intensive negotiations.
It has already said that it would build the first model under its new EQ electric vehicle brand in Bremen, Germany, and on Wednesday it made Sindelfingen the second plant designated to join the electric cars push.
The agreement between the company and the works council further allocates the production of the next generation E-Class to the Sindelfingen plant. In this context, Sindelfingen will be appointed as lead plant for the S- and E-Class production within the global production network of Mercedes-Benz Cars.
Already in 2014, the plant management and works council reached an agreement for competitiveness and future development – the so called future plan.
To further improve workforce flexibility and increase efficiency in production the company and the works council decided to create innovative working schemes. A comprehensive qualification program will prepare employees for the integration of new electric vehicles in series production. In addition, the employment of 125 temporary workers has been prolonged for another year.
Electric Offensive by Mercedes-Benz Cars
Mercedes-Benz Cars is consolidating all activities in connection with electric mobility under the new product brand EQ, and the Concept EQ gives a clear outlook onto a completely new generation of vehicles. Mercedes-Benz Cars plans to launch more than ten electric vehicles by 2025: in all segments from smart to large SUVs. The company assumes that the proportion of electric vehicles in the total unit sales of Mercedes-Benz will be between 15 and 25 percent. This is dependent on on the development of infrastructure and client preferences. The EQ product brand is an elementary component of the corporate strategy for the mobility of the future, which is summarized under the acronym CASE. The four letters stand for the strategic pillars of connectivity, autonomous driving, flexible use and electric drive, which Daimler is systematically developing and intelligently linking.
CASE – these letters will shape the future of Mercedes-Benz Cars. They stand for the strategic pillars of connectivity (Connected), autonomous driving (Autonomous), flexible use (Shared & Services) and electric drive systems (Electric), which will be intelligently combined by the company. Already today, Mercedes-Benz Cars plays a leading role in all four areas. All activities in the area of connectivity are focused on the digital brand Mercedes me, which gives customers access to an extensive and personalized range of services by app, website or straight from their car.
On the way to autonomous driving, Mercedes Benz has for years been a key driver of development and has repeatedly set the benchmark. To this end, the Mercedes engineers use so-called sensor fusion. The data from different sensors, such as cameras, ultrasound and radar, are intelligently combined and analyzed. With car2go the inventor of the automobile is also a pioneer when it comes to sharing. With around two million users, the company is today the world’s biggest provider of free-floating car-sharing. As far as the electrification of the powertrain is concerned, Mercedes Benz is pursuing an integrated approach. Under the EQ brand, it is developing an ecosystem including not just the actual vehicle, but also a comprehensive offering around electric mobility. This extends from intelligent services to energy storage units for private and commercial customers as well as charging technologies, such as inductive charging, to sustainable recycling. To enable all four pillars to develop its full effectiveness, the relevant activities are being brought together in an independent entity.
