The exterior of the highly anticipated 600,000-square-foot Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc. (MBUSI) battery plant in Bibb County has been completed. That sets the stage for equipment installation needed to build electric batteries for a new lineup of Mercedes-Benz passenger cars. Two new warehouses are also now in full operation at the Bibb County site.
MBUSI broke ground on the new battery plant in 2018 as part of a $1 billion investment in Bibb and Tuscaloosa counties to start production of electric vehicles and expand its Alabama operation’s logistics activities. Production is set to begin in 2022, with about 600 jobs expected.
A global splash
Mercedes-Benz is making a global splash into the all-electric car market with its plan to launch a series of new Mercedes-Benz-EQ vehicles in 2022, says Michael Goebel, president and CEO of MBUSI. Alabama will build the Mercedes-Benz EQS and EQE SUV variants on the same line with its SUVs with conventional and plug-in hybrid drives.
“By 2022 Mercedes-Benz Cars will have launched a total of more than 10 purely electrically driven vehicles and we will offer our customers at least one electrified alternative in every Mercedes-Benz model series, over 50 in all,” he says. “Plant Tuscaloosa and its dedicated team members are helping to offer our customers choices depending on their individual preference and needs.” READ BUSINESS ALABAMA’S FULL STORY
