Mercedes-Benz will open a battery plant in Poland, as the automaker looks to ramp up its investments in electric vehicles in the coming decade.
Mercedes' parent Daimler is investing more than 1 billion euros ($1.12 billion) in a global battery production network that will include factories in Europe, the U.S., China and Thailand, the automaker said in a statement.
The Polish battery plant will be located next to an engine factory in Jawor, 100 km (62 miles) from the German border. The engine factory will start production this year of four cylinder engines for hybrid and conventionally driven vehicles.
Daimler will buy battery cells worth more than 20 billion euros ($23 billion) by 2030 as it readies mass production of hybrid and electric vehicles, the company said.
Daimler plans to launch at least 10 full-electric cars including Mercedes and Smart models by 2022, beginning with the Mercedes EQC full-electric SUV, which goes into production later this year.
Production in Poland will bring to nine the number of global sites where batteries output has either started or is planned. They are:
- Sindelfingen, Germany: A new battery factory is planned at Mercedes’ headquarters.
- Kamenz, Germany: Battery production here has been running since 2012. A second battery factory is currently being built, with output planned for next year.
- Untertuerkheim, Germany: Two battery factories are planned here.
- Beijing, China: Daimler and joint-venture partner BAIC are adding battery production at an engine factory.
- Vance, Alabama: A battery production plant is under construction near the Mercedes SUV plant.
- Bangkok, Thailand: Daimler plan battery production with local partner Thonburi Automotive.
Reuters contributed to this report
