Mercedes-Benz has announced its new electric vehicle (EV) battery plant in Bibb County, Alabama is now up and running.
The new facility, which will employ up to 600 people, started construction over three years ago and opens a few months ahead of the start of production of their EQ lineup of EVs in the United States.
The automaker says the batteries produced at the new facility will be used to support production of the EQS SUV and EQE SUV at their plant just a few miles away in Tuscaloosa.
“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 U.S., 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,” said Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG.
Ahead of the start of production of the EQS, Mercedes also shared a preview of the luxury electric SUVs interior.
“The look- and-feel is a sumptuous fusion of digital luxury and innovative new trim elements, while the purpose design of the electric-vehicle architecture delivers exceptionally generous SUV interior dimensions. Paired with the optional third-row seating and electrically adjustable second row, this offers a level of flexibility to fit the full breadth of customer needs with luxury and style,” the company said in a press release.
They also released few images of the electric SUV doing some winter testing, but its exterior design was still covered up with camouflage.
We won’t have to wait much longer to see what it will look like as they plan to unveil it on April 19th.
