Mercedes inaugurated its new battery development competence center on July 8. Located at the heart of the Stuttgart-Untertürkheim headquarters, this eCampus aims to enable the German brand to advance in electric-related technologies. The goal is to reduce battery costs by 30%.
Mercedes Puts Emphasis on Batteries
Mercedes does not want to be left behind. This is the message the star brand wanted to convey with the opening of a new competence center dedicated to battery cell development in Stuttgart. As explained by Ola Källenius, Mercedes’ CEO, “our goal is to reduce battery costs by more than 30% in the coming years.” This will lead to a decrease in the final car selling price. In 2024, the German firm plans to invest 14 billion euros in research and development as well as in its factories.
Within this new eCampus built with recycled concrete, Mercedes aims to develop “innovative chemical compositions and optimized production processes for high-performance cells, to gain the expertise necessary for their industrialization.” This new innovation center, named “Industrial Cell Lab,” covers the development of new cells to industrial-scale production, including testing and certification of complete battery units.
Ola Källenius believes that “the opening of the Mercedes-Benz eCampus marks an important step in our sustainable business strategy. We aim to play a leading technological role in the field of electric mobility. This eCampus brings us closer to that goal.” According to him, “the establishment of the eCampus at our historic site in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim demonstrates a clear commitment to a more sustainable future.”
Towards a Circular Economy Model?
With the Vision EQXX, the company has already demonstrated its proficiency in battery-related technologies. This conceptual electric sedan set a record in the Arabian desert. The vehicle traveled a distance of 1,010 km between Riyadh and Dubai on a single charge, consuming only 7.4 kWh/100 km. With its new state-of-the-art facilities, the company will now be able to test and manufacture battery cells of different chemistries on an industrial scale.
Mercedes believes that “the cell production process has a major influence on battery quality.” For this reason, the company aspires to master not only the chemical composition of cells but also the industrial manufacturing process. By 2039, the company aims for all new vehicles to be carbon-neutral throughout their lifecycle. This entails implementing a circular economy, and Mercedes is already working on this initiative.