Mercedes-Benz begins production of all-electric EQS SUV in Alabama

MANILA: Mercedes-Benz has started the production of the all-electric EQS SUV at its Tuscaloosa plant in Alabama, USA.

The EQS SUV is part of Mercedes-Benz Cars’ global initiative to manufacture eight all-electric models at seven sites on three continents this year.

The Tuscaloosa plant has been manufacturing Mercedes-Benz large SUVs since 1997. It is a key manufacturing site for Mercedes-EQ luxury electric SUVs, the EQS SUV, and EQE SUV.

“Our production network is very well positioned for the sustainable and rapid scaling of electric vehicle volumes. With the new EQS SUV joining our production portfolio of all-electric Mercedes-EQ models, we reached another important milestone in our strategy to go all electric by the end of the decade – wherever market conditions allow. I am absolutely sure that our great Tuscaloosa team will make the electric SUV another global success,” Mercedes-Benz Group AG Board of Management for Production and Supply Chain Member Jorg Burzer said.

The Tuscaloosa plant uses digital and sustainable production methods and follows the blueprint of the Mercedes-Benz Factory 56 in Sindelfingen, Germany. With the use of the innovative MO360 digital production system, Mercedes-Benz can produce battery-electric vehicles in large volumes.

“We have a highly skilled and motivated team that has absolutely delivered in the successful product launch of the new EQS SUV. Our Team Members in Tuscaloosa have shown a lot of flexibility, energy, and commitment in helping us to achieve milestone after milestone since our first Mercedes-Benz rolled off the production line more than 25 years ago. The employees here at the site can be proud that the first all-electric SUV from Mercedes-Benz and its battery is being built in Alabama,” Mercedes-Benz US International President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Goebel stated. 

Last March, Mercedes-Benz inaugurated a new battery factory in Bibb County, where the battery systems for the EQS SUV are being produced. The facility has a 300-meter production line with more than 70 workstations. In a fully digitalized production process, a range of components, including up to 12 cell modules and what is known as the EE compartment for the clever integration of the power electronics, are put together to form a complete system. The modular architecture used for the battery of the EQS SUV is similar to those of the EQS and EQE Sedans. The Bibb County plant is part of the global Mercedes-Benz battery production network that is composed of factories on three different continents.

The Mercedes-Benz production sites in the US are now operating on a carbon-neutral basis, similar to all of the Mercedes-Benz-owned passenger car and van plants worldwide. Starting in 2024, the Bibb County plant’s entire electricity supply will come from renewable energy sources.

In preparation for the eventual return of lithium-ion battery systems from Mercedes-EQ vehicles, the company developed a global battery recycling strategy and started construction on its own hydrometallurgy-based battery recycling facility in Germany. Similar to this technology, Mercedes-Benz plans to complete the material loop for battery recycling in the US and China with high-tech partners.

Since the 1990s, Mercedes-Benz has invested a total of more than 7 billion dollars in Alabama, $1 million of which was allocated for the battery plant, the logistics centers, and the upgrading of the production line for EVs. Since 1997, around four million units have rolled off the Tuscaloosa plant, around 260,000 SUVs of which were left in 2021 alone. Around two-thirds of the annual production is exported.

The EQS SUV is the third model with this architecture developed for electric vehicles. It features a spacious, comfortable, and technologically advanced interior that can accommodate up to seven people. The EQS SUV can easily handle light terrain, thanks to its powerful electric motors, quick 4MATIC all-wheel drive, and intelligent Offroad driving mode.

The EQS SUV has optional third-row seating and electrically adjustable second-row. Another optional feature is the MBUX Hyperscreen, which was first seen in the EQS Sedan. This 56-inch curved screen combines the instrument cluster, infotainment, and passenger display in a seamless design.

The front passenger has their own 12.3-inch OLED display, allowing them to stream videos or watch TV shows while on the road. If the camera detects that the driver is looking at the front passenger display while the vehicle is in motion, the display will automatically dim dynamic content.

The EQS SUV also comes standard with a Dolby Atmos sound system and Energizing Air Control Plus with a HEPA filter.

Photo from Mercedes-Benz

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