Mercedes is switching on the electric power. In March, while celebrating 25 years in Tuscaloosa County, it also unveiled its new battery plant in neighboring Bibb County — all set to power the electric vehicles already rolling down the production line.
“We’re ready to double-down on our local footprint and commitment to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and the U.S.,” said Ola Källenius, chairman of the board of management of Mercedes-Benz AG, at the dedication of the new battery plant. “This facility is dedicated to some of the most sought-after vehicles and allows us to flexibly ramp up the shift toward electric according to growing customer demand.”
The Bibb County battery plant, which is expected to create up to 600 jobs, opened a few months ahead of the start of production of the all-electric Mercedes-EQ vehicles in the U.S., including at the Vance facility, which will produce the EQS SUV and EQE SUV. It’s part of a global push for Mercedes-Benz, which plans to produce all-electric vehicles at seven locations on three continents. The battery factory in Bibb County will provide batteries for the Alabama-made vehicles.
“The opening of our new battery plant in Alabama is a major milestone on our way to going all-electric,” Källenius said. “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.”
