Mercedes-Benz opens battery factory for Alabama-built electric vehicles, creating 600 local jobs
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In the latest push to promote electric vehicles across the state, Mercedes-Benz has opened a battery factory at their Bibb County campus. The plant is part of a global mission from Mercedes-Benz to produce all-electric vehicles at seven locations on three continents. Read on for more details.
It’s electric ⚡
With the Drive Electric Alabama initiative in full swing, it’s no secret that electric vehicles are making waves throughout the state.
Wherever market conditions allow, Mercedes-Benz will be ready to go fully electric by the end of the decade. The new Bibb County battery plant is the next step to achieving that goal.
In order to keep important suppliers local, Mercedes-Benz is teaming up with Envision AESC, who will supply the plant with high-performance battery technology.
The all-electric EQS SUV and EQE SUV will be produced at the Alabama plant.
“The opening of our new battery plant in Alabama is a major milestone on our way to going all-electric. 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.”
Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management, Mercedes-Benz Group AG
Powering up Alabama
Since the Tuscaloosa County plant’s inception in 1997, around 4M vehicles have been produced, with around 260,000 SUVs rolling off the production line in 2021 alone. Because of this, Alabama has become one of the largest exporters of automobiles in the US.
Mercedes has invested more than $7 billion in Alabama, including $1 billion to open the battery plant and an upgraded production line at the Tuscaloosa plant to produce EV’s.
Sustainability is at the center of the project, with a highly energy-efficient building design, recycling, renewable energy resources and more. Plus, production of the high-performance lithium-ion batteries for the EQS SUV and EQE SUV is CO₂-neutral
Mercedes has also entered into a five-year partnership with The Nature Conservancy, worth more than $600,000, to support the Working Woodlands site in northeast Alabama.
The battery plant + new production line will create up to 600 jobs in Bibb County.
Visit their website to learn more about the new battery plant and their all-electric initiative.
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