Mercedes-Benz has announced investments of more than €1 billion (US$1.1bn) in “global battery production” in concert with the launch of its first fully-electric vehicle— the ‘EQC’.
The auto firm’s chief Dieter Zetsche gave the batteries pledge as the company said it would also invest more than €10bn in the expansion of its EQ model portfolio.
The EQC is a sports utility vehicle featuring two electric motors with a combined power consumption of 22.2 kilowatt-hours/100 kilometres, and combined CO2 emissions of 0g/km, according to provisional figures.
The EQC’s 650kg lithium-ion battery unit will be produced by Daimler subsidiary, Deutsche Accumotive. The total range of the battery is expected to be 450km, and it will be able to fast-charge from 10% to 80% in 40 minutes, the company said.
Zetsche stated that by 2022 the whole Mercedes range will be available with electric drivetrains, as the company is “going all in on electric cars.”
Production of the EQC will begin in 2019 in Bremen.
Earlier this year, BEST Battery Briefing reported on Daimler’s announcement that battery production would begin at the Mercedes-Benz factory in Untertuerkheim by the end of the decade.
