Mercedes-Benz is expanding its electric vehicle production capacity in Europe. The OEM’s plant in Hambach, France, will produce a compact electric car under Mercedes-Benz’s EQ product and technology brand.
“Twenty years ago, we started an exemplary Franco-German project with the production of the Smart in Hambach,” said Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the board of management of Daimler and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.
“Now we take the next step and for the first time in our more than 100-year history, we bring the production of Mercedes-Benz to France. With the compact EQ model from Hambach, we continue our electric initiative.”
“The Hambach site in France features many years of experience in building fully electric cars,” added Annette Winkler, head of Smart. “We want to take advantage of the enormous expertise and prepare the plant for the production of an electric Mercedes-Benz. We are investing a total of around €500m (US$788m) in the Hambach plant and in the product.”
The Hambach plant currently manufactures the electric Smart variants, having done so in series since 2012. The plant obtains all its electrical energy from renewable sources and is CO₂ neutral.
“With the production of a compact electric car in Hambach, we are adding further capacities for our electric initiative at six locations on three continents,” said Markus Schafer, member of the divisional board of management of Mercedes-Benz Cars, production and supply chain.
“The Smart plant in Hambach will become a part of our global compact car production network with the lead plant Rastatt, Germany.
Preparations at the plant will begin in the near future. The €500m investment will be spent on the construction of new facilities, as well as contributing to the vehicle project itself.
A new body shop and surface treatment facility will be built in light of the new technology which will be assembled at the plant. Assembly facilities will be expanded, and the site’s infrastructure will be reshaped.
